

Military camp, hospital, family home, freed slave village—a 624-acre plot in Arlington, Virginia, has served many uses. Most notably, since 1864, the land has held some our nation’s most celebrated war heroes. Now this famous burial ground is running out of room, and the Army is hoping to breathe new life into Arlington National Cemetery (ANC).
Arlington is the final resting place of over 400,000 service members. The site conducts nearly 30 funeral ceremonies every day. It is the only cemetery with a participant from every U.S. war buried on its grounds.
Visitors marvel at the row upon row of white marble headstones marking gravesites. They seem to stretch endlessly. However, Arlington is low on space. In-ground burial is already restricted. Not even all World War II veterans can be buried there. (See “WASPs in Arlington?”) Without a plan, ANC could run out of plots in about 25 years.
Officials have known for years about the shrinking cemetery space. But figuring out how to create more land in the crowded Washington, D.C., area proved a puzzle almost worthy of the biblical King Solomon. (1 Kings 3:16-28) It was up to the city of Arlington, the Department of the Army, and Virginia’s Department of Transportation to engineer a win-win-win.
A plan emerged. The Army would annex a Department of Defense site along the south side of ANC. Then it would take about nine acres from Arlington County and realign two existing county roads. The changes would create a single connecting 49-acre tract of land beside the existing cemetery.
Taking county land for the expansion got Congressional approval. After all, the U.S. Constitution allows governments to exercise “eminent domain” or “rights of condemnation.” That’s legal-speak for seizing private property for public use—provided the government gives fair and reasonable payment.
In June, the Justice Department began “condemning” nine acres of Arlington County land for the expansion. The government will “pay” the county by building facilities, reengineering streets, burying power lines, and installing new bike paths, landscaping, and sidewalks.
With the extra acreage, ANC will be able to add about 50,000 plots. However, under some circumstances, Arlington officials may also further limit entry of deceased veterans and their spouses to the nation’s best-known burial ground. Such restrictions could extend ANC’s usefulness—and allow the cemetery’s legacy to live on.
1st Comment!!!
That's sad they are running out of room.
I am so thankful for out servicemen and women! They are the ones that help Make America Great!
@ N&M.A
Yes--and the Almighty God!
Ive layed wreaths at ANC it
Ive layed wreaths at ANC it is huge we went there cuz one of my great grandfathers is buried there he was really high in the Marines I'm not exactly sure what rank but he served in the Vietnam War but I'm glad more ppl will get to see it now after the expansion
And my great grandma wI'll
And my great grandma wI'll eventually be buried there as well but hopefully that is in a long time
And my great grandma wI'll
And my great grandma wI'll eventually be buried there as well but hopefully that is in a long time
Sorry guys I sent it twice
Sorry guys I sent it twice
this is Mylee
my Grandfather has a place there that he will be buried there . He was in the Vietnam War as a spy or computer man like morris code type thing. That is sad that they are running out of room. My other grandfather was burried at home but he was in the Korean War .
It’s so sad that all of those
It’s so sad that all of those thousands and thousands of soldiers have died. But on the other hand they did it for America!
@Above
This is good. I have been there for the changing of the guard and wreath ceremony. It was awesome. There was also a funeral going on there, so cannons were going off! Many of my relatives have been in the military, but I am not sure if they will be buried there. I don't think so. A good friend of ours served in Vietnam. He flew helicopters into battle zones to pick up wounded men. He doesn't like talking about it though.
THANKS TO ALL OUR MILITARY AND THE GREAT SACRIFICE THEY GIVE!!!!!!!!!
Oh yeah....
And one other thing I thought was so cool, is that NO MATTER which way you look and at what angle, the stones are ALWAYS in rows!!! They are so perfectly lined up!
7th comment in the world!!!!!!!
We should honor our nations heroes and not forget them; the government cant force people out of there houses, only if the people who live their agree. Maybe make another national cemetery. If most young people don't know what 9/11 was, how much more do they not know (or get a distorted view of) wars our nation fought in. Anyway, I think they should extend it as much as they can.
legacy
it is an honor to live in a country which honors the death of the men and women who gave their very lives for our freedom.
its so sad to see that many people dying, but to them i am the most grateful. long live their legacy.
I used to live in Vicksburg,
I used to live in Vicksburg, Mississippi. And there was this Military park that you could drive through or walk through, and the cool thing is that this was the exact place were they fought. And they have the old cannons that they shot and all that cool stuff
RIP
RIP