Leavenworth National Cemetery
| Leavenworth National Cemetery | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Details | |
| Established | 1886 |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Type | United States National Cemetery |
| Owned by | United States Department of Veteran Affairs |
| Size | 128.8 acres (52.1 ha) |
| No. of graves | 36,065 |
| Website | Leavenworth National Cemetery |
| Find a Grave | Leavenworth National Cemetery on Find A Grave |
Leavenworth National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas. It occupies 128.8 acres (52.1 ha) of land. As of the end of 2005 it had 30,875 interments. It is sometimes locally referred to as "Old Soldiers' Home".
History
Prior to construction of the medical buildings near the site, the land was part of a Delaware Indian reservation. By 1886 several buildings were completed, and the first interment was made. During the construction of one of the nearby medical buildings, the remains of twelve Native Americans were found. They were re-interred in the cemetery.
This burying ground became part of the national cemetery system in 1930. It is the location of six Medal of Honor recipients, five of them honored for service during the American Civil War, and interments of other notable people.
In 1999 the cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a component of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Medical Center Historic District.[1]
Notable interments
- Private William W. Burritt, Medal of Honor recipient for action in the Civil War.
- Corporal Daniel A. Dorsey, Medal of Honor recipient for action during the Great Locomotive Chase at the time of the Civil War.
- Sergeant John S. Durham, Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Perryville during the Civil War.
- Sergeant William Garrett, Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Nashville during the Civil War.
- Private John Gray, Musician, Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Port Republic during the Civil War.
- First Sergeant John H. Shingle, Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of the Rosebud during the Indian Wars.
- Arthur Guy Empey, World War I veteran, author, film producer, and actor.
- Clifford Johnson, Jr., World War II veteran, Major League Baseball player.
- General William Larimer, founder of the city of Denver, Colorado.
- Brigadier General Charles H. Barth
- Major General Charles I. Martin
- Brigadier General Uri Balcom Pearsall
- Captain Thomas Custer, Brother of General George Custer, Dual Medal of Honor recipient for action at Battle of Namozine Church and Battle of Sayler's Creek during the Civil War.
Notable monuments
- A limestone obelisk, erected in 1919 and dedicated to "Soldiers Who Died For Their Country".
- A monument dedicated to the U.S. 4th Marine Division in 2002.[2]