While you are in this part of the city visiting President Lincoln’s Cottage, we encourage you to see some of the nearby attractions such as Fort Stevens and the US Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home (USSAH) National Cemetery. USSAH National Cemetery is located on nearby Harewood Road NW, is easy to get to, and has a direct connection to the Lincoln story. The site became the first National Cemetery during the Civil War and is the predecessor of Arlington National Cemetery.
Today, the USSAH National Cemetery is managed by Arlington National Cemetery under the Department of the Army. Originally the land was managed by the Soldiers’ Home (now known as the Armed Forces Retirement Home or AFRH) and offered as a cemetery for Civil War soldiers. Between 1861 and 1864, thousands of soldiers were buried on the land, a mere 100 feet away from the Cottage. Indeed, living here brought Lincoln closer to the human cost of the war.
To get to the USSAH National Cemetery from President Lincoln’s Cottage today, you may walk, bike, or drive out Eagle Gate, which is the only entrance/exit to the AFRH campus. Turn right on Rock Creek Church Road NW. Cross Harewood Road NW and turn right down Harewood. The Cemetery entrance is down a few feet on your left. The Civil War graves are on your right as you enter the cemetery.
Categories:Archive, Visitor Tips
Tags:National Cemetery
