Arlington: The Story of Our Nation's Cemetery

It started off as a house honoring General and President George Washington and ended up honoring America's soldiers from all wars. When Robert E. Lee married Mary Ann Randolph. a relative of George Washington, they inherited Arlington House. During the Civil War Robert E. Lee made the decision to command the Confederate Army and as punishment for this decision Arlington House was seized and turned into a Civil War cemetery. When Memorial Day was established, all American conflicts were represented in the grave sites. The first monument and special burial at Arlington Cemetery honored the sailors who died in the USS Maine explosion. The Tomb of the Unknowns, now called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, has a unique story. The riderless horse tradition and the President Kennedy stories are also explained in the book. There is a thorough description of the Arlington Cemetery grounds. Some traditions of the cemetery are flags placed on the headstones ceremony, the protection of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier procedures and burial procedures. The back matter includes a timeline of Arlington Cemetery's history, a famous people list, a memorials list, the Freedom's Village information, an author's note and additional sources of information. If you are planning to tour this historical place with your students or family, you "gotta" have this book! Recommended by Christy Pierce, Librarian. 32 pages