Today - Memorial Day it seems "right" to think about all those who have, through no choice of their own, been relegated to it.
Number of people buried in it's 624 acres which also boasts the cooling shade of 8,500 trees: 420,000 and more as there are an average 25 burials every day. Every single tombstone has been photographed, presumably from the time they had cameras as the first person buried there was one Private William Christman in 1854. All are available for viewing on a Web site.
Who is allowed in for interment? Active duty military, retired reservists, POWs and US Presidents.
Section 27 holds the remains of 4,000 former slaves in what was once Freedmans Village, the first free neighborhood for them.
President Taft was joined originally by JFK who hospitably gave space to his brothers Joe, Jr., Bobby and Teddy along with his wife Jackie plus son Patrick, who died shortly after birth, and the daughter who was still-born. I assume that Ethel has a space next to her darling Bobby (proof of their love being some 11 kids) and eventually whoever was Resident Wife at the time of his departure with Teddy.
Due to lack of space, some have predicted that Arlington National Cemetery will be completely out of dirt in 25 years.
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