Arlington National Cemetery

In 1802, George Washington Parke Curtis, the step grandson and the adopted son of the former president of the United States, George Washington, obtained the piece of land that is now known as the Arlington Cemetery. The Arlington Cemetery is located in Arlington County, Virginia, and was formed during the American Civil Wars. It is situated very close to the Pentagon and directly across the Potomac River.

American military cemeteries were formed to take care of the casualties in battle and from the duty of the commanders on the borders. Soon the number of casualties started overflowing the hospitals and burial grounds. The Quartermaster general proposed that a part of the land of the Arlington property gets bought and converted to a cemetery. After a host of legal problems with the then owner of the land, it was finally decided that about 200 acres of the property would be bought for $150,000.

Arlington Cemetery has more than 300,000 people buried in its grounds. This is the second highest amount of people buried in any national cemetery in the United States. The flags in the Arlington Cemetery are flown at half mast thirty minutes prior to the first funeral of the day till half an hour past the last funeral of the day. These funerals are conducted on a regular basis, barring the weekends.

On an average, there are more than 20 funerals everyday, including interments and inurnments. There are more than 6,400 funerals conducted every year. Washington DC travel guides help people a lot as a layman could easily get lost if not sure of their way around.

Main page on Wikipedia with information on Arlington Cemetery http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlington_National_Cemetery

On an average, more than four million people visit the cemetery every year to pay their respects at the hundred or so graveside services conducted every week. A Washington travel guide is required if a tourist wants an in depth analysis on the cemetery. Apart from this, the Visitors Center also provides additional help to the visitors. Washington DC travel guides are very helpful while vacationing in the city.

More information on the Arlington Cemetery

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/visitor_information/index.htm

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/ARLINGTON/arlington.html

Arlington National Cemetery Address
Arlington, Virginia 22211

Contact:
Tel: (703) 607-8000
Toll Free: (877) 907-8585
Email: N/A

Arlington National Cemetery Hours:
Open daily
April - September: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
October - March: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Ticket Information for the Arlington National Cemetery: N/A

Website: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org