When and why was the Arlington National Cemetery created?

Answer 1

after the Civil war they needed a place to bury the dead

Answer 2

The Arlington Estate belonged to Robert E Lee and his wife during the Civil War. It included what is now Fort Myer, the Pentagon, the Navy Annex, and Arlington National Cemetery. When Robert E Lee fled south, a property tax of $92.03 was assessed by the union and were required to be paid in person. When it was not paid, the whole estate was confiscated by the Government. The Government began to bury dead soldiers on the Lees' estate during the civil war and continued to do so after the war ended. Years later the Lee family sued the government for their property and won, but rather than removing all of the bodies, they sold it back for about $150,000.

Mary Ann Randolf, Section 45, was buried on the grounds of the estate before it became a military cemetery. The first soldier to be buried in Arlington once it was a military cemetery was Private William Henry Christman.

Answer 3

The US government purchased the property from the family of General Robert E Lee in 1864 and the first funeral was held there on May 13 of that same year. (see related link for more details)

The land has a rich history being passed down from the adopted grandson of President George Washington. Parke Custis and eventually to General Robert E Lee.

Answer 4

Arlington Cemetery was started during the Civil War when the US seized the property of General Lee (Southern General) for failure to pay his back taxes. The house had been part of the George Washington family line. Arlington Cemetery is open to the public and the house is on display and there is a visitor center for the cemetery. The land property was huge. There are still military veterans buried there.

Answer 5

During the U.S. Civil War, cemeteries were needed for burial of the hundreds of thousands of battle deaths. The estate of the Lee family, recently seized by the Union Army, was chosen for one of these cemeteries.

Answer 6

June 14th, 1894