Learn more about life at Congressional
We’re a cemetery like no other. Our days are packed with people and dogs, and lots of volunteers who make this place so special and beloved. Our quirky, small staff at this non-profit cemetery proudly serves our community with a lot of heart – we have great reverence for the dead and a zest for the living.
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.
You can search by last name here. If the name you are searching for is not there, probably the person for whom you search is not at Congressional Cemetery.
The Cemetery is always open during daylight hours for self-guided walking tours. Copies of the tours are available at the gatehouse, or can be downloaded here. Free, docent-led tours are held every Saturday from April through October at 11am, beginning at the front gate of the cemetery. We have many other special tours and events throughout the year.
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.
They’re called cenotaphs, which means “empty tomb.” Congressional Cemetery is home to 171 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.”
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.”
Death Literacy
We are committed to offering activities and resources that promote a spirit of curiosity and courage about mortality.
