Fayetteville National Cemetery

Historic veterans cemetery in Washington County, Arkansas

United States historic place


Fayetteville National Cemetery
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Cemetery entrance on Government Avenue
36°03′10″N 94°10′07″W / 36.05278°N 94.16861°W / 36.05278; -94.16861
Area	11.6 acres (4.7 ha)
Built	1867
MPS	Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
NRHP reference No.	99000892^[1]
Added to NRHP	July 28, 1999

Fayetteville National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located on the southern side of the city of Fayetteville in Washington County, Arkansas. It encompasses nearly 15 acres (6.1 ha). As of 2020, over 11,000 veterans and family members were interred in this location, with approximately 200 new burials per year.^[2]

History

The original plot of 6 acres (2.4 ha) of land for the National Cemetery was purchased in 1867 from Judge David Walker and Stephen Stone,^[3] names also associated with the historic Walker-Stone House in Fayetteville. The original layout was of an outer circle surrounding a six-pointed star with diamonds between the points of the star and a flagpole in the center. There were eighteen sections with an estimated capacity of 1,800 graves.^[4] The first interments were remains moved from battlefield cemeteries of the Battle of Prairie Grove and the Battle of Pea Ridge. By 1871 there were 1,200 interments made in the cemetery, most of which were unidentified.

During World War II the cemetery was enlarged, the layout was revised, and five more sections were added.

In 1989, the Regional National Cemetery Improvement Corporation (RNCIC – a group of locals, veterans, and other concerned benefactors) raised enough money to purchase an additional 3 acres (1.2 ha) of land, and donated it to the cemetery. The group continued their efforts over the years and donated numerous plots of land. In their latest and largest donation they donated 2.3 acres in ceremonies at the National Cemetery on November 9, 2013.^[5]

Fayetteville National Cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 28, 1999.

Notable monuments

The Revolutionary War Soldier Memorial, erected in the early 1990s.
The Purple Heart Memorial, erected in 2000 to honor Purple Heart recipients.

Notable interments

Clarence B. Craft (1921–2002), Medal of Honor recipient for action at Hen Hill, Okinawa in 1945
Vance Randolph (1892–1980), noted Ozarks folklorist and author^[6]

References

^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
^ The American Legion
^ http://regncic.tripod.com/FNC_Art1956AugLemke.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}
^ "Fayetteville National Cemetery - National Cemetery Administration".
^ Regional National Cemetery Improvement Corporation (RNCIC)
^ "State Historical Society of Missouri". Archived from the original on 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2018-10-08.

External links

Media related to Fayetteville National Cemetery at Wikimedia Commons

National Cemetery Administration
Fayetteville National Cemetery
Fayetteville National Cemetery at Encyclopedia of Arkansas
Fayetteville National Cemetery List of Burials
Regional National Cemetery Improvement Corp.
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. AR-39-A, "Fayetteville National Cemetery, Superintendent's Lodge, 700 Government Avenue, Fayetteville, Washington County, AR", 8 photos, 1 photo caption page
Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) No. AR-1, "Fayetteville National Cemetery, 700 Government Avenue, Fayetteville, Washington County, AR", 36 photos, 3 photo caption pages
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fayetteville National Cemetery
Fayetteville National Cemetery at Find a Grave