Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is an American military cemetery located in St. Louis County, Missouri, just on the banks of the Mississippi River. The cemetery was established after the American Civil War in an attempt to put together a formal network of military cemeteries. It started as the Jefferson Barracks Military Post Cemetery in 1826 and became a United States National Cemetery in 1866.

The first known burial was Elizabeth Ann Lash, the infant child of an officer stationed at Jefferson Barracks.

The cemetery is currently administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs on the former site of Jefferson Barracks. The cemetery currently covers 331 acres (1.3 km²) and the number of interments as of 2005 is approximately 158,762. The cemetery is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Read more about Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery:  Notable Interments

Famous quotes containing the words jefferson, national and/or cemetery:

    The almighty has never made known to any body at what time he created [the world], nor will he tell any body when he means to put an end to it, if ever he means to do it.
    —Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)

    Our national experience in Americanizing millions of Europeans whose chief wish was to become Americans has been a heady wine which has made us believe, as perhaps no nation before us has ever believed, that, given the slimmest chance, all peoples will pattern themselves upon our model.
    Ruth Benedict (1887–1948)

    The cemetery isn’t really a place to make a statement.
    Mary Elizabeth Baker, U.S. cemetery committee head. As quoted in Newsweek magazine, p. 15 (June 13, 1988)