FAQs

Q: How can I find who is buried here?

You can search by last name here . If the person you are looking for is not listed, you may contact our front office for a records request.

Learn more about life at Congressional

Historic Congressional Cemetery is a place of active remembrance, community, and living history unlike any other. As an active burial ground and nonprofit organization, the cemetery serves not only as a sacred space for honoring the dead, but also as a vibrant gathering place for the living. Each day, visitors, volunteers, dog walkers, families, historians, and neighbors bring energy and connection to this historic landscape, ensuring it remains a meaningful part of community life in Washington, D.C.

Our small but dedicated staff cares deeply about preserving the cemetery’s historic and cultural legacy while welcoming people into a space where memory, reflection, education, and community come together. We approach this work with reverence for those interred here and a strong belief that historic cemeteries can continue to serve and inspire the living.

Are you a government cemetery?webcemeteries2026-05-27T13:58:37-04:00

Are you a government cemetery?

No. We are a non-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation, The Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery, and have a long-term lease to operate all aspects of the cemetery operations. The cemetery is owned by Christ Church+Washington Parish.

How can I find who is buried here?webcemeteries2026-05-27T13:59:20-04:00

How can I find who is buried here?

You can search by last name here. If the person you are looking for is not listed, you may contact our front office for a records request.

Is the cemetery open for tours?webcemeteries2026-05-27T14:00:22-04:00

Is the cemetery open for tours?

The Cemetery is open daily, 7:00 AM- 7:00 PM. Self-guided walking tours are available on site and here. Docent-led tours are held every Saturday from April through November at 11am, beginning at the front gate of the cemetery. Tickets are only $5. We have many other special tours and events throughout the year.

There are many stones on the ground at the cemetery. Is this from neglect?webcemeteries2024-08-01T14:42:54-04:00

There are many stones on the ground at the cemetery. Is this from neglect?

That is an excellent question. The care of headstones is the responsibility of the family of the deceased. Due to the historic nature of the site, many of these families may not visit these graves or care for them. The nonprofit organization at the cemetery employs a conservation specialist and several contractors to assist in up-righting historic stones that have fallen over from time, weather, and grounds conditions. A large portion of the stones you may encounter that are on the ground have been placed in that manner by our staff because they were deemed to be a safety hazard to the public. As of 2024, there is an accounting of nearly $11 million worth of conservation work to be done on the grounds to upright every stone and restore every marker, with the average cost to upright a single marker to be $3,500. By regularly visiting your space, you can help ensure your marker remains intact and upright. We always welcome donations to assist with restoring your ‘neighbors’ near your selected site. Please email us directly if this interests you.

What are those bulky, cubed-shaped stones with the little dome on top?webcemeteries2026-05-27T14:00:47-04:00

What are those bulky, cubed-shaped stones with the little dome on top?

They’re called cenotaphs, which is Greek for “empty tomb.” Congressional Cemetery is home to 179 Latrobe Cenotaphs, which honor members of Congress who died in office during the first several decades of the Nation’s history. Designed by architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, who was then working on the new south wing of the Capitol, these identical Aquia Creek sandstone cenotaphs reflected the classical inspiration that was shaping the city plan and its new Capitol building. They were a marked departure from the typical shape and size of early American gravestones, which were generally colonial-type tablets. Historic photos show that the cenotaphs were painted white at some point. Despite Latrobe’s best intentions, public opinion of the cenotaphs tended to be less than favorable even in the earliest years of the burying ground and the use of the cenotaphs discontinued in 1876 when Senator Hoar of Massachusetts argued that this tradition should be abandoned saying that “the thought of being buried beneath one of those atrocities brought new terror to death.”

Why is it called Congressional Cemetery?webcemeteries2024-07-26T12:35:19-04:00

Why is it called Congressional Cemetery?

The cemetery had no formal name for its first four years. After it was deeded to Christ Church on Capitol Hill, its name became “Washington Parish Burial Ground.” In 1830, after Congress had purchased several hundred sites, built monuments to Members who died in office and appropriated money for improvements, the public and the members of Congress began referring to it as “Congressional burying ground”. Eventually that was shortened to “Congressional Cemetery.”

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