By Frank J. Pietrucha Archivist and docent Dayle Dooley giving a tour at the cemetery. What kind of questions do visitors ask when touring the storied grounds of Historical Congressional Cemetery (HCC)? A zinger is always possible, but for the most part, questions are fairly predictable. Here are three questions commonly asked and [...]
What began as a blog post about the controversial son of Dolley Madison, John Payne Todd, quickly evolved into a more personal study. This isn’t uncommon around here, or frankly, any historical institution where archival records are full of bits and pieces which quickly lead to other files, and other topics. We have a few [...]
If you live in Washington, D.C., it's a well-known fact that 95% of introductory conversations begin with: "Where do you work/What do you do?" My husband frequently reminds me that I should start with "I work at a historic non-profit" and then move to the cemetery bit, a piece of advice I frequently forget. It's [...]
For the past five years, we've hosted a Halloween gala in the cemetery called Ghosts and Goblets. It's a fantastic and quirky event, but for a number of reasons, we decided to retire the party. Never fear (we know we have some die-hard G&G fans out there), it's not going away completely. This year, we decided [...]
Here at the Congressional Cemetery we strive to make the stories of the people interred here, and their roles in our history, more approachable. We currently have 16 walking tours available online that cover a range of subjects from the brewers of D.C. to Civil Rights heroes, and we are adding more steadily. These tours [...]
At a recent Tombs and Tomes book club meeting, the group discussed Mary Roach’s Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife, an apropos selection for a cemetery book club. Roach is a well-known science writer who has delved into a variety of subjects, from dead bodies (Stiff) to the physiology of sex (Bonk), and everything in between. [...]
This week's blog post comes to you from Beverley Lumpkin, a K9 Corps member and winner of the 2014 Benjamin B. French Lodge No. 15, F.A.A.M. Volunteer Award from Congressional Cemetery. In addition to volunteering her time on numerous committees, she maintains a plot through the Cemetery's Adopt-a-Plot program. More on this saga from Beverley: [...]
I asked Eric deWaardt to write a blog post telling everyone a little bit more about the Notes from the Crypt concerts that he organizes monthly for the cemetery. He wrote the below post, but in true Eric fashion, he is far too humble in his explanation, which prompts me to properly introduce him. Eric is a [...]
Why does a cemetery need or choose to have events? Isn’t having ___________ (fill in the blank with an event) disrespectful to the dead? Cemeteries should be serene, peaceful spaces reserved for contemplation and mourning. As a historic yet active cemetery, we sometimes receive the above remarks and questions, along with similar commentary, in response [...]
Civil War buffs and fans of historical trivia know the story well. On July 2, 1863 during the Battle of Gettysburg, Union General Daniel Sickles was hit in the leg by a cannonball. The severity of the injury necessitated amputation, a common life-saving tactic employed by 19th-century surgeons. The general survived the operation and [...]
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