Fayetteville National Cemetery

Fayetteville National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located on the southern side of the city of Fayetteville in Washington County, Arkansas. It encompasses nearly 15 acres (6.1 ha). As of 2013, around 8000 veterans were interred in this location, with approximately 200 new burials per year.[2]

Fayetteville National Cemetery
Cemetery entrance on Government Avenue
Location700 Government Ave., Fayetteville, Arkansas
Coordinates36°03′10″N 94°10′07″W
Area11.6 acres (4.7 ha)
Built1867
MPSCivil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
NRHP reference No.99000892[1]
Added to NRHPJuly 28, 1999

History

The original plot of 6 acres (2.4 ha) of land for the National Cemetery was purchased in 1867 from Judge David Walker and Stephen Stone,[3] names also associated with the historic Walker-Stone House in Fayetteville. The original layout was of an outer circle surrounding a six-pointed star with diamonds between the points of the star and a flagpole in the center. There were eighteen sections with an estimated capacity of 1,800 graves.[4] The first interments were remains moved from battlefield cemeteries of the Battle of Prairie Grove and the Battle of Pea Ridge. By 1871 there were 1,200 interments made in the cemetery, most of which were unidentified.

Layout of Fayetteville National Cemetery - 1892

During World War II the cemetery was enlarged, the layout was revised, and five more sections were added.

In 1989, the Regional National Cemetery Improvement Corporation (RNCIC - a group of locals, veterans, and other concerned benefactors) raised enough money to purchase an additional 3 acres (1.2 ha) of land, and donated it to the cemetery. The group continued their efforts over the years and donated numerous plots of land. In their latest and largest donation they donated 2.3 acres in ceremonies at the National Cemetery on November 9, 2013.[5]

Fayetteville National Cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 28, 1999.

Notable monuments
  • The Revolutionary War Soldier Memorial, erected in the early 1990s.
  • The Purple Heart Memorial, erected in 2000 to honor Purple Heart recipients.

Notable interments

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. The American Legion
  3. http://regncic.tripod.com/FNC_Art1956AugLemke.pdf
  4. https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/fayetteville.asp
  5. http://RNCIC.com
  6. State Historical Society of Missouri
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