Next year will be a significant one for local history buffs when Capitol Hill celebrates the 200th anniversary of Historic Congressional Cemetery. And this year the  site commemorates three decades of stewardship by the Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery and accepts a generous grant from the Capitol Hill Community Foundation. After years of neglect, the cemetery, the final resting place for many pivotal figures in American history, is now in caring hands and ready for a reawakening just in time to enter its third century. The cemetery is also a good example of the intertwining of our lives as everyday people with the significant events and places of our nation’s capital.

Congressional Cemetery was founded in 1807 to serve Christ Church parishioners and city residents. The cemetery was designated as the burial site for Members of Congress, thereby earning its name, and the federal government supplied the means for most of its initial infrastructure as a result. Along with the 19 Senators and 71 Representatives who are interred here (plus monuments to many others), the markers serve as a virtual inventory of notables - Attorneys General, Commandants of the Navy and the Marine Corps, Vice Presidents, ten local mayors and architects of the Capitol and the Washington Monument. By the 1870’s, transportation improvements allowed politicos to be buried in their home states, and the mass casualties of the Civil War had demanded the construction of government-owned cemeteries such as Arlington Cemetery. Congressional Cemetery’s heyday had ended by the 1920’s, with a dribble of big-name additions such as John Philip Sousa and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover after that time.

As political funerals and attention faded, the cemetery was mostly forgotten. It fell into disrepair and remained that way through much of the mid-20th century. Roads crumbled, gravestones were worn down and displaced by the elements, and landscaping took a back seat to the expenses required just to keep it open. In 1976, the Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery was formed to protect the site and to begin its healing. The organization entered into a lease agreement with owner Christ Church, thereby accepting responsibility for, “operating, developing, maintaining, preserving and enhancing the cemetery grounds.”

Finding financial backing and manpower to halt the deterioration was a struggle at first, but things have changed. In 1998, the cemetery received a $1 million endowment fund from Congress with a matching requirement. This earmark, managed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, provided a tangible goal for annual fundraising. Funding from both government and private entities has continued in recent years, and individual donors have also made significant contributions. Congress appropriated over $2 million last year for future road resurfacing and drainage analysis and repair. The Navy Seabees will soon begin work on engineering and installing a new water system with materials provided by the cemetery, and the Washington Navy Yard has also adopted the original acreage at the front of the cemetery for rehabilitation. The refreshed portion will serve as a valuable example of what investment can do for the remainder of the land. Various foundations have supplied donations for technology, conservation and restoration, and community groups have contributed towards special projects. 225 trees have been added, 1000 daffodils have been planted and the massive Freedom and Liberty totem poles stand watch in the 9-11 Memorial Grove.

Integral to fundraising are the dog walkers who populate the cemetery with over 300 furry companions. The “K-9 Corps” members pay $125 in dues per year, plus a registration fee of $40 per dog, in order to exercise their dogs on the grounds. Their financial assistance comprises about one quarter of the Association’s annual operating budget, and this support has recently covered costs of the yearly lawn mowing contract ($55,000), the purchase of a landscaping vehicle and the gift of 30 new trees. K-9 Corps members provide volunteer hours during cemetery cleanup days, assist with ongoing maintenance, and keep an eye on the thirty acre property.

The devotion of the Association and its volunteers will be honored this month with the presentation of the $10,000 Keller Award from the Capitol Hill Community Foundation (CHCF). Given annually at the Capitol Hill Community Achievement Awards Dinner, the award is named for Dr. Arnold Keller, Jr., Pastor Emeritus of the Lutheran Church of the Reformation. Initially a benefit for the church’s Holistic Health Center, the awards ceremony was later assumed by the Foundation. The grant will support activities in connection with the 200th anniversary celebration, such as free lectures about prominent figures interred at the cemetery, a Native American cultural event and an interactive exhibit for children. CHCF President Nicky Cymrot says the Foundation is thrilled to be of help. “In giving this award, we sought to highlight the cemetery as a place where national history and our local neighborhood history come together. It is a national historic treasure that was saved from serious deterioration by the dedicated efforts of a group of neighborhood volunteers, just the kind of grassroots effort the Foundation likes to recognize.”

Though plans for the anniversary are still in the works, the Association is not short on ideas. Themed tours will connect builders and founders to their place in history. A commemorative book and digital interment index will provide family members, researchers and residents with a closer look at how the cemetery’s inhabitants created the face of Washington. Festivals will celebrate Halloween and the service of the Navy Yard, and conservation demonstrations will continue during the year.

Recently, the Association has unveiled an updated website that facilitates the review of extensive records. A new section on local history provides information on early Washingtonians and their neighborhoods, putting in context the individual stories of those who are buried on the grounds. Self-guided walking tours are available online and cover topics such as gravestone styles and the influence of the Navy Yard. A children’s feature entitled “For Whom the School Bell Tolls” explores community roots through schools and cemeteries.

Contrary to its name (and popular belief), Congressional Cemetery is open for burial to all. Amongst the names of war heroes, Indian chiefs and politicians are regular folks who led regular lives. Although the cemetery has certainly earned a place in history with its famous roster, the Association and their supporters are working to save it for every one of the 60,000 souls interred there – whether you’ve heard of them or not. Historic Congressional Cemetery is located at 1801 E Street, SE. Learn more or join the Association by calling 202-543-0539 or by visiting their website at Next year will be a significant one for local history buffs when Capitol Hill celebrates the 200th anniversary of Historic Congressional Cemetery. And this year the  site commemorates three decades of stewardship by the Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery and accepts a generous grant from the Capitol Hill Community Foundation. After years of neglect, the cemetery, the final resting place for many pivotal figures in American history, is now in caring hands and ready for a reawakening just in time to enter its third century. The cemetery is also a good example of the intertwining of our lives as everyday people with the significant events and places of our nation’s capital.

Congressional Cemetery was founded in 1807 to serve Christ Church parishioners and city residents. The cemetery was designated as the burial site for Members of Congress, thereby earning its name, and the federal government supplied the means for most of its initial infrastructure as a result. Along with the 19 Senators and 71 Representatives who are interred here (plus monuments to many others), the markers serve as a virtual inventory of notables - Attorneys General, Commandants of the Navy and the Marine Corps, Vice Presidents, ten local mayors and architects of the Capitol and the Washington Monument. By the 1870’s, transportation improvements allowed politicos to be buried in their home states, and the mass casualties of the Civil War had demanded the construction of government-owned cemeteries such as Arlington Cemetery. Congressional Cemetery’s heyday had ended by the 1920’s, with a dribble of big-name additions such as John Philip Sousa and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover after that time.

As political funerals and attention faded, the cemetery was mostly forgotten. It fell into disrepair and remained that way through much of the mid-20th century. Roads crumbled, gravestones were worn down and displaced by the elements, and landscaping took a back seat to the expenses required just to keep it open. In 1976, the Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery was formed to protect the site and to begin its healing. The organization entered into a lease agreement with owner Christ Church, thereby accepting responsibility for, “operating, developing, maintaining, preserving and enhancing the cemetery grounds.”

Finding financial backing and manpower to halt the deterioration was a struggle at first, but things have changed. In 1998, the cemetery received a $1 million endowment fund from Congress with a matching requirement. This earmark, managed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, provided a tangible goal for annual fundraising. Funding from both government and private entities has continued in recent years, and individual donors have also made significant contributions. Congress appropriated over $2 million last year for future road resurfacing and drainage analysis and repair. The Navy Seabees will soon begin work on engineering and installing a new water system with materials provided by the cemetery, and the Washington Navy Yard has also adopted the original acreage at the front of the cemetery for rehabilitation. The refreshed portion will serve as a valuable example of what investment can do for the remainder of the land. Various foundations have supplied donations for technology, conservation and restoration, and community groups have contributed towards special projects. 225 trees have been added, 1000 daffodils have been planted and the massive Freedom and Liberty totem poles stand watch in the 9-11 Memorial Grove.

Integral to fundraising are the dog walkers who populate the cemetery with over 300 furry companions. The “K-9 Corps” members pay $125 in dues per year, plus a registration fee of $40 per dog, in order to exercise their dogs on the grounds. Their financial assistance comprises about one quarter of the Association’s annual operating budget, and this support has recently covered costs of the yearly lawn mowing contract ($55,000), the purchase of a landscaping vehicle and the gift of 30 new trees. K-9 Corps members provide volunteer hours during cemetery cleanup days, assist with ongoing maintenance, and keep an eye on the thirty acre property.

The devotion of the Association and its volunteers will be honored this month with the presentation of the $10,000 Keller Award from the Capitol Hill Community Foundation (CHCF). Given annually at the Capitol Hill Community Achievement Awards Dinner, the award is named for Dr. Arnold Keller, Jr., Pastor Emeritus of the Lutheran Church of the Reformation. Initially a benefit for the church’s Holistic Health Center, the awards ceremony was later assumed by the Foundation. The grant will support activities in connection with the 200th anniversary celebration, such as free lectures about prominent figures interred at the cemetery, a Native American cultural event and an interactive exhibit for children. CHCF President Nicky Cymrot says the Foundation is thrilled to be of help. “In giving this award, we sought to highlight the cemetery as a place where national history and our local neighborhood history come together. It is a national historic treasure that was saved from serious deterioration by the dedicated efforts of a group of neighborhood volunteers, just the kind of grassroots effort the Foundation likes to recognize.”

Though plans for the anniversary are still in the works, the Association is not short on ideas. Themed tours will connect builders and founders to their place in history. A commemorative book and digital interment index will provide family members, researchers and residents with a closer look at how the cemetery’s inhabitants created the face of Washington. Festivals will celebrate Halloween and the service of the Navy Yard, and conservation demonstrations will continue during the year.

Recently, the Association has unveiled an updated website that facilitates the review of extensive records. A new section on local history provides information on early Washingtonians and their neighborhoods, putting in context the individual stories of those who are buried on the grounds. Self-guided walking tours are available online and cover topics such as gravestone styles and the influence of the Navy Yard. A children’s feature entitled “For Whom the School Bell Tolls” explores community roots through schools and cemeteries.

Contrary to its name (and popular belief), Congressional Cemetery is open for burial to all. Amongst the names of war heroes, Indian chiefs and politicians are regular folks who led regular lives. Although the cemetery has certainly earned a place in history with its famous roster, the Association and their supporters are working to save it for every one of the 60,000 souls interred there – whether you’ve heard of them or not. Historic Congressional Cemetery is located at 1801 E Street, SE. Learn more or join the Association by calling 202-543-0539 or by visiting their website at www.congressionalcemetery.org.

Amanda Molson was raised on Ninth Street, NE by parents Roy and Mary Martha Rockwell. She attended St. Peter’s School and now serves on the board of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society.

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Amanda Molson was raised on Ninth Street, NE by parents Roy and Mary Martha Rockwell. She attended St. Peter’s School and now serves on the board of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society.