Artist's conception of flag assembly area at Jacksonville National Cemetery |
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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Year established | 2009 |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Jacksonville, Florida |
| Type | United States National Cemetery |
| Size | 526 acres (213 ha) |
| Number of graves | 1,000+ |
Jacksonville National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located within the city of Jacksonville, Florida. It encompasses 526 acres (2.13 km2), and began interments on January 7, 2009.[1]
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The relatively close St. Augustine National Cemetery was closed to interments in the 1990s, so the nearest location was the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, 143 miles from Jacksonville.[2]
The Veterans Administration was authorized to establish six new burial sites by the National Cemetery Act of 2003. Areas not served by an existing National Cemetery and containing at least 170,000 veteran residents included Bakersfield, California; Birmingham, Alabama; Jacksonville, Florida; Sarasota County, Florida; southeastern Pennsylvania and Columbia-Greenville, South Carolina.[3]
Initial construction began in August, 2008 and created a 20-acre (81,000 m2) burial area with temporary facilities. Stage 1A was completed in December, 2008, and the grounds were consecrated January 5, 2009. The second construction stage is scheduled to commence in the summer of 2009 and include an entrance, roadways within the 52-acre (210,000 m2) section, permanent buildings for administration and maintenance, a public information center and two shelters for services during inclement weather.[4] Infrastructure consisting of drainage, fencing, landscaping, irrigation and utilities is also being built. The section under development will provide 8,145 gravesites, including 7,300 pre-placed crypts, 5,100 in-ground cremation sites and 4,992 columbarium niches.[1]
As of early May, 2011, the cemetery contained the remains of over 1,000 veterans, despite being open for 28 months. U.S. Representative Ander Crenshaw toured the facility and commented, "I don't think I ever thought this would be as beautiful as it is. It reminds me of Arlington National Cemetery - it can't help but give you goose bumps."[2] Cemetery officials expect the second construction stage to be completed near Memorial Day, 2011. There are also plans to build a new $24 million, two lane road from the existing Pecan Park Road to the cemetery, for direct access from Interstate 95, but no timetable has been set.[2]
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