Congressional Cemetery News

The latest news, announcements and updates for Historic Congressional Cemetery

To Limbs Loved and Lost

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 [...]

2019-07-26T11:07:39-04:00March 27th, 2015|

Looking for a Weekend Activity for the Kids?

Bring them to Congressional to learn in a unique setting! If your kids are interested in geology, analyze the different types of stones and how they weather. Biology?  Our headstones have fascinating clusters of biological staining, crusts, and lichen. Our site has many statues and memorials that would be inspiring to sketch for artistic prodigies. [...]

2019-07-26T11:02:37-04:00March 18th, 2015|

Thinking of Warmer Days

Boston, we know. We've got nothing on you here in DC. But by anyone's standards, it is brutally cold here in the nation's capital. The wind is howling outside the cemetery gatehouse, and the staff feel lucky to be able to hunker down and view the beauty of the cemetery from the comfort of our [...]

2019-07-26T11:02:15-04:00February 19th, 2015|

Mayors of the City of Washington

In the late fall of 2014, Historic Congressional Cemetery was honored to be chosen as the final resting place of Marion Shepilov Barry, Jr. (1936-2014), who served two terms as mayor of Washington, DC.  He is considered to have served as the capital city’s second mayor from 1979 to 1991 and its fourth, from 1995-1999.  [...]

2019-07-26T10:59:48-04:00February 13th, 2015|

A Call for Arms

Though an elegant lady still honors the eternal resting place of Catherine J. Weller, her graceful arms outstretched to a cross have long retired to the basement of the gatehouse.  It is unclear how long the statue’s arms have been displaced, but evidence of previous failed repairs can be seen on the broken pieces.  [...]

2019-07-26T10:58:55-04:00January 28th, 2015|

Let’s Play a Game, Shall We?

We have a friendly challenge here at Congressional Cemetery: give us an American historical event and we'll find you a connection to a cemetery resident. No promises on how relevant or direct the connection will be, but we're able to find an abundance of tidbits and trivia that can connect most events in American history [...]

2019-07-26T10:52:19-04:00January 15th, 2015|

Amazon Smile: An Easy Way to Give

We understand that it's the time of year when you might be a little tired of giving. The "season of giving" includes a lot of requests for time and money, and the multitude of end-of-year letters from non-profits can be overwhelming. While December might be the time to donate, January certainly seems like the time to [...]

2019-07-26T10:51:27-04:00January 7th, 2015|

Flee the British 5k and Fun Run

On August 24 at 8 a.m., Congressional Cemetery will be hosting the Flee the British 5k to commemorate the bicentennial anniversary of the Burning of Washington!  Runners will chase Dolley Madison as she rescues the famous portrait of George Washington from the flames during the War of 1812.  Those bringing up the rear will feel [...]

2019-07-26T09:57:37-04:00August 14th, 2014|
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