Little Rock National Cemetery
|
Little Rock National Cemetery | |
 | |
   | |
| Location | 2523 Confederate Blvd., Little Rock, Arkansas |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°43′30″N 92°15′27″W / 34.72500°N 92.25750°WCoordinates: 34°43′30″N 92°15′27″W / 34.72500°N 92.25750°W |
| Area | 30.7 acres (12.4 ha) |
| Built | 1868 |
| MPS | Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS |
| NRHP Reference # | 96001496[1] |
| Added to NRHP | December 20, 1996 |
Little Rock National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery, located two miles (3 km) south of the city of Little Rock, in Pulaski County, Arkansas. It encompasses 31.7 acres (12.8 ha), and as of the end of 2005, had 25,172 interments. Administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, it is currently closed to new interments.
History
The area around Little Rock National Cemetery was once a Union encampment. The cemetery itself was a plot within the Little Rock City Cemetery, purchased by the federal government in 1866 and was used to inter Union soldiers who died anywhere in Arkansas. It was officially declared a National Cemetery on April 9, 1868 at which time 3 acres (1.2 ha) were added.
In 1884, an 11-acre (4.5 ha) Confederate cemetery was established immediately adjacent to the National Cemetery. In 1938, the two cemeteries were combined, though the Union and Confederate burials continued to be in separate sections.
In 1990, additional land was purchased from the nearby Oakland-Fraternal Cemetery, and in November 1999 the city of Little Rock donated 1-acre (0.40 ha), bringing the cemetery to its current size.
Little Rock National Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
Noteworthy monuments
- The Confederate Monument, erected in 1884.[2]
- The Minnesota Monument, a granite and bronze monument erected in 1916.
Notable interments
- Lieutenant Maurice Britt, Medal of Honor recipient for action in World War II, Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas[3][4]
- First Lieutenant W. W. Carloss of Confederate States Army and member from 1874 to 1878 of the Louisiana House of Representatives
- Sergeant Simon A. Haley, father of author Alex Haley[3][5]
- Earl Sutton Smith major league baseball player[6]
See also
References
- ↑ National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- ↑ Confederate Memorial at Find a Grave
- 1 2 Little Rock National Cemetery homepage (Notable Persons)
- ↑ Maurice Lee "Footsie" Britt at Find a Grave
- ↑ Sgt Simon Alexander Haley at Find a Grave
- ↑ Earl Sutton "Oil" Smith at Find a Grave
External links
- National Cemetery Administration
- Little Rock National Cemetery
- Little Rock National Cemetery List of Burials
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Little Rock National Cemetery
- Little Rock National Cemetery at Find a Grave
- Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) No. AR-2, "Little Rock National Cemetery, 2523 Confederate Boulevard, Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR", 41 photos, 4 photo caption pages