How to Visit the 39 Presidential Gravesites in the U.S. + Travel Tips, Details, and Interesting Facts

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How to Visit the 39 Presidential Gravesites in the U.S. + Travel Tips, Details, and Interesting Facts

The Definitive List of Every Presidential Home You Can Visit in the U.S.

Have you ever wondered about the location of presidential gravesites? You might immediately think Arlington National Cemetery or the National Cathedral. Yet only three presidents are buried between those two locations. The rest are interred beneath grand memorials, inside simple tombs, and even among other civilians in local cemeteries.

Some of the presidential gravesites are specifically open for visitors while others, like John Adams and James Monroe, are only open to the public because they’re buried in cemeteries that are open to the public. Fortunately, all the presidential gravesites are well-marked so you can find them.

But first, you need to know where to travel. Keep reading to find out how you can visit the 39 presidential gravesites in the United States, and read stories about their deaths, funerals, and interments.

Map of Presidential Gravesites

No. 1

George Washington

Mount Vernon in Mount Vernon, Virginia

On April 30, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States – serving until 1797. After leaving office, Washington returned to Mount Vernon to put the finishing touches on expanding the house his father had built in 1754.

READ MORE: Everything You Need to Know to Visit George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Virginia

In December 1799, Washington continued his daily work by riding on horseback around the farm to inspect and mark trees for cutting. After a particularly cold and wet night, he complained of a sore throat and called for his doctors. On December 14, 1799, George Washington died in his bedroom at Mount Vernon.

Four days after his death, a private funeral was held at Mount Vernon, and his body was interred in the old family tomb on the estate. Although Washington’s will directed for a new tomb to be built, it was not until his skull’s attempted theft in 1830 that construction would begin. In 1837, George and Martha Washington were re-interred in the new tomb.

Today, visitors can see George Washington’s gravesite near the main house at Mount Vernon. A locked wrought iron gate prevents entry, but visitors can see the sarcophagi of the first First Couple from the outside.

3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mt Vernon, VA | 703-780-8020 | www.mountvernon.org

No. 2

John Adams

United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts

John Adams had a long career in politics that included serving as the 2nd President of the United States from 1797 until 1801. After leaving office, Adams retired to his home at Peacefield to spend the rest of his life as a farmer.

On July 4, 1826 – the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence – John Adams died at his farmhouse. Among his last uttered words, Adams stated of his political rival, “Thomas Jefferson survives.” Ironically, Jefferson had died just hours earlier.

Visitors to Adams National Historical Park can take a guided tour of Peacefield, where Adams died. John and Abigail Adams – along with John Quincy and Louisa Catherine Adams – are interred at the family vault in the United First Parish Church’s basement. The church and presidential crypts have been open for public tours since 1976.

1306 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA | 617-773-7312 | https://ufpc.org

No. 3

Thomas Jefferson

Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia

In 1769, at the age of 26, Thomas Jefferson inherited land in Charlottesville, Virginia, from his father. Jefferson immediately began designing a grand plantation house, and construction was finished in 1772 – although subsequent additions were not completed until 1809. Jefferson served two terms as the 3rd President of the United States from 1801-1809.

After leaving office, Jefferson continued to serve in various positions, but by 1825 his health had deteriorated, and he returned to Monticello. On July 4, 1826, Jefferson died while surrounded by friends and family.

Concerned about his legacy as the author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson left strict instructions and even provided a sketch for the monument to be erected over his gravesite. He was buried on the estate grounds at Monticello. Today, visitors can take a self-guided tour of the cemetery along a hiking trail between the visitor center and main house, where you can view the monument Jefferson ordered erected.

931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway, Charlottesville, VA | 434-984-8498 | www.monticello.org

No. 4

James Madison

Montpelier in Orange, Virginia

In 1764, President James Madison – just a boy at the time – helped his family move into their new home at Montpelier. Madison served four terms as the 4th President of the United States from 1809 until 1817. After leaving office, Madison retired to his estate at Montpelier, where he advised President Andrew Jackson and worked with Thomas Jefferson on founding the University of Virginia.

In 1836, Madison died of congestive heart failure at Montpelier. He was buried in the family cemetery at the estate. Visitors can take a guided tour of the house, walk the miles of trails across the grounds, and explore the museum’s galleries. The gravesite is located along the 3.5-mile Montpelier Loop Trail.

11350 Constitution Highway, Montpelier Station, VA | 540-672-7227 | www.montpelier.org

No. 5

James Monroe

Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia

James Monroe served as the 5th President of the United States from 1817 until 1825. After his wife died in 1830, Monroe moved to New York City to live with his daughter and son in law. On July 4, 1831, Monroe died at the age of 73 – becoming the third and final president to die on the Fourth of July.

After a 27-year interment at the New York City Marble Cemetery, James Monroe was re-interred at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. Locals called the architecturally stunning James Monroe Tomb the “Birdcage,” a reference to the case iron cage designed by Albert Lybrock. A nearly $1 million renovation of the tomb was completed in 2016.

Visitors to Hollywood Cemetery can take a guided walking tour, enjoy an afternoon with a Segway tour, take it easy with a trolley tour, or use your own vehicle for a self-guided tour.

412 South Cherry Street, Richmond, VA | 804-648-4885 | https://hollywoodcemetery.org

No. 6

John Quincy Adams

United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts

John Quincy Adams – President John Adams’s son – served as the 6th President of the United States for a single term from 1825-1829. After leaving office, Adams served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1831-1848.

On February 21, 1848, the House of Representatives was debating about honoring United States Army soldiers who served in the Mexican-American War. During a vote, Adams rose to his feet, shouted “No!” and subsequently collapsed on the House floor. Two days later, Adams died in the Speaker’s Room of the Capitol Building surrounded by his wife and a freshman representative from Illinois named Abraham Lincoln.

Adams was initially interred in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., before being moved to the Hancock Cemetery in Quincy, Massachusetts. After his wife died in 1852, their son had John Quincy and Louisa Adams re-interred in the family crypt in the United First Parish Church’s basement. The church and presidential crypts have been open for public tours since 1976.

1306 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA | 617-773-7312 | https://ufpc.org

No. 7

Andrew Jackson

The Hermitage in Nashville, Tennessee

In 1819, Andrew Jackson began construction on a sprawling mansion he would later name the Hermitage. When his wife, Rachel, died suddenly in 1828, Jackson realized he had never established burial plans for himself or his wife. It took less than a year to build a Greek-inspired tomb, and Rachel was interred in 1832.

Andrew Jackson served two terms as the 7th President of the United States from 1829 until 1837. After leaving office, he retired to the Hermitage, where he spent his final years. In 1845, surrounded by his children, Jackson died at his estate. He was interred next to his wife in the family tomb.

Visitors to The Hermitage can visit the tomb, learn about his legacy in the museum, and easily spend a day on the massive estate grounds.

4580 Rachels Lane, Hermitage, TN | 615-889-8929 | www.thehermitage.com

No. 8

Martin Van Buren

Kinderhook Reformed Church Cemetery in Kinderhook, New York

Martin Van Buren served a single term as the 8th President of the United States from 1837-1841. After leaving office, Van Buren kept up with politics. In 1848, he was unanimously nominated as a candidate for president by the Free Soil Party. Van Buren decidedly lost the election with just 10% of the country’s popular vote and no electoral college votes.

After the failure, Van Buren still kept up with politics as he retired to Lindenwald – his private estate in his hometown of Kinderhook, New York. He died in 1862 of heart failure at the estate. Van Buren was buried at the Kinderhook Reformed Church Cemetery located on Albany Road about one mile from the church.

Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the small cemetery. The gravesite is marked by an unremarkable monument and a simple engraving.

2 Kindertree Drive, Kinderhook, NY

No. 9

William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison Tomb State Memorial in North Bend, Ohio

William Henry Harrison has the unfortunate distinction of being the shortest-serving President of the United States – dying just 31 days after his inauguration as the 9th president.

In 1840, Harrison won a landslide victory against Martin Van Buren with 234 electoral college votes to Van Buren’s 60. Wishing to demonstrate his masculinity during his inauguration on March 4, 1841, Harrison refused to wear a coat or hat during the cold, rainy day, rode on horseback to the inauguration, and spent two hours reading an 8,445-word speech.

READ MORE: Road Trip to the 8 Presidential Sites Throughout Northern Ohio

On March 26, Harrison fell ill with cold-like symptoms. Two days later, he was diagnosed with pneumonia likely caused by his inauguration day activities three weeks earlier. When Harrison died on April 4, he became the first president to die while in office. A funeral was held in the East Room of the White House, and Harrison’s body was held at the Congressional Cemetery until summer.

In June, his body was transported by train and riverboat to North Bend, Ohio. He was buried in a tomb on the family estate on the summit of Mt. Nebo overlooking the Ohio River. By 1919, the tomb had fallen into disrepair, prompting the Ohio General Assembly to establish the William Henry Harrison Tomb State Memorial.

Visitors today can explore kiosks installed at the state memorial in 2007 and learn about Harrison’s influence in settling the Ohio River Valley.

41 Cliff Road, North Bend, OH | 844-288-8877 | www.ohiohistory.org/visit/museum-and-site-locator/william-henry-harrison-tomb

No. 10

John Tyler

Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia

From 1841 until 1845, John Tyler served a single term as the 10th President of the United States. However, Tyler was never elected as president but rather as the vice president on the ticket with William Henry Harrison. After just 31 days in office, Harrison died, leaving Tyler to serve his term.

Immediately after his term ended, Tyler retreated to the family plantation, Walnut Grove, in Virginia. He withdrew entirely from politics and focused his attention on farming. After John Brown’s raid at Harpers Ferry – a prelude to Secession and the American Civil War – Tyler was pulled back into politics. In 1861, he was elected to the Virginia Secession Convention, where he voted in favor of secession.

Tyler was elected to the Confederate House of Representatives in November of 1861. Two months later, just after the New Year, Tyler complained of chills while residing at the Ballard Hotel in Richmond, Virginia. Less than a week later, he died of a stroke. Because he supported the Confederate States of America, Tyler was laid to rest in Hollywood Cemetery under a Confederate flag – the only president in U.S. history not laid to rest under the United States flag.

Visitors to Hollywood Cemetery can take a guided walking tour, enjoy an afternoon with a Segway tour, take it easy with a trolley tour, or use your own vehicle for a self-guided tour.

412 South Cherry Street, Richmond, VA | 804-648-4885 | https://hollywoodcemetery.org

No. 11

James Polk

Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, Tennessee

After serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and governor of Tennessee, James Polk served a single term as the 11th President of the United States from 1845 until 1849.

After leaving office, James and Sarah Polk embarked on a grand tour of the South on their way to their new home at Polk Place in Nashville, Tennessee. But a few months later, James fell seriously ill of what his doctors said was cholera. On June 15, 1849, James Polk died at the age of 53 – making him one of the youngest presidents to die after John F. Kennedy and James Garfield.

Initially, Polk was buried at Nashville City Cemetery because of his infectious disease. In 1850, he was re-interred at the family tomb at Polk Place. In 1893 – just two years after Sarah’s death – James and Sarah Polk were re-interred in a tomb at the Tennessee State Capitol.

Visitors to the state capitol can take free guided tours to learn about the state’s history and the Women’s Suffrage movement. Access to the James K. Polk tomb is free of charge and accessed from a trail outside the capitol building on the northeast side.

600 Dr. M.L.K. Jr Boulevard, Nashville, TN | 615-360-6043 | https://tnmuseum.org/state-capitol

No. 12

Zachary Taylor

Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky

Zachary Taylor served as the 12th President of the United States for only sixteen months from March 1849 until July 1850. After attending a fundraiser on the Fourth of July at the Washington Monument – still under construction – Taylor fell ill with intestinal problems. On July 9, he died – becoming one of only four presidents to die of natural causes while in office.

Taylor was interred at the Congressional Cemetery for three months before his body was transported to Louisville, Kentucky. He was re-interred in the family burial site at the family homestead of Springfield. In 1928, the Taylor family asked Congress to establish the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery on the family burial site’s grounds.

Interestingly, although the 16 acres surrounding the mausoleum where Zachary and Margaret Smith are buried belongs the federal government, the half-acre beneath the mausoleum is still privately owned. However, access is granted freely to visitors and maintained by the staff of the national cemetery.

4701 Brownsboro Road, Windy Hills, KY | 502-893-9338 | www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/zacharytaylor.asp

No. 13

Millard Fillmore

Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York

Millard Fillmore was never elected as president. Instead, he was elected as vice president on the ticket with Zachary Taylor. After Taylor’s untimely death in 1850, Fillmore was sworn in as the 13th President of the United States and served from July 9, 1850, until 1853.

Fillmore had a tragic affair with death after leaving office. His wife, Abigail, caught a cold during President Franklin Pierce’s inauguration and died three weeks later in Washington, D.C. Still grieving from that loss, Fillmore was again besieged by death when his only daughter, Mary, died of cholera a few months later.

After losing the presidential election in 1856, Fillmore remarried and settled in a nice house in Buffalo, New York. In February 1874, Fillmore suffered a nonfatal stroke. Just a month later, on March 8, he suffered a second, fatal stroke. He was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo.

The enormous cemetery is located just north of downtown Buffalo. It is the notable location of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Blue Sky Mausoleum – an outdoor burial space with the sky as the ceiling. The Millard Fillmore Gravesite is located near a small river that runs through the cemetery. Visitors can take a guided bus tour or a self-guided tour in their own vehicle.

1411 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY | 716-885-8516 | www.forest-lawn.com

No. 14

Franklin Pierce

Old North Cemetery in Concord, New Hampshire

Franklin Pierce served a single term as the 14th President of the United States from 1853 until 1857. A northern Democrat who hated the abolitionist movement, Pierce set into motion several factors that led to the American Civil War.

Jane Pierce died of tuberculosis in 1863 and was buried in the family plot at Old North Cemetery in Concord, New Hampshire. One year later, Franklin was baptized at St. Paul’s Church, the Episcopal church his wife attended. On October 8, 1869, Franklin Pierce died at his home in Concord from cirrhosis of the liver after years of heavy drinking.

Franklin was buried beside his wife at Old North Cemetery. Visitors are welcome to explore the small suburban cemetery. The gravesite is marked by a small monument.

141 N State Street, Concord, NH

No. 15

James Buchanan

Woodward Hill Cemetery in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania native James Buchanan served a single term as the 15th President of the United States from 1857 until 1861. Many of his policies – he was a staunch advocate of states’ rights pertaining to slavery – led to the secession in 1860.

Buchanan spent most of his time after leaving office defending himself from people who believed the Civil War was directly his responsibility. In May 1868, Buchanan caught a cold and did not recover. He died on June 1, 1868, at his estate home at Wheatland.

Buchanan was interred at Woodward Hill Cemetery in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The small suburban cemetery is open to visitors for self-guided tours in their own vehicles. The Buchanan Gravesite is located beneath the shade of a pair of trees.

501 S Queen Street, Lancaster, PA | www.woodwardhillcemetery.com

National Park Week 2024

Learn about the annual celebration of the National Park System and read my travel guides to national park units across the country.

Read about national park week

No. 16

Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois

Abraham Lincoln remains one of the most notable, controversial, and influential presidents in American history. Elected in 1860 as the 16th President of the United States, Lincoln served until his assassination in 1865.

On April 14, 1865, Abraham and Mary Lincoln attended the play Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C. During the play, John Wilkes Booth entered the back of Lincoln’s box seat and shot him in the back of the head. Booth escaped as chaos ensued.

Lincoln was taken across the street to the Petersen House – a 19th-century row house operating as a boarding house at the time. After remaining in a coma for nearly 8 hours, Lincoln was pronounced dead on the morning of April 15. His body was taken to the White House, where he lay in the East Room and then the Capitol Rotunda.

On April 21, the bodies of Abraham Lincoln and his son, Willie, were escorted to a funeral train. The train – traveling at just twenty miles per hour – took a circuitous route to Springfield, Illinois. This was the first time a president’s body would travel by train, but not the last – the funeral train would be used for several more presidents upon their death.

Although a delegation of local citizens in Springfield wanted to bury Lincoln at Mather Block, Mary Lincoln was adamant he be buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The first tomb was completed in 1874 in the cemetery, and Lincoln was interred in a solid oak casket. In 1900, the tomb was completely renovated after the original began to crumble from a poor foundation.

When Robert Todd Lincoln visited the renovated tomb, he stated his father’s body should be encased beneath the tomb. Exhumed once again, Lincoln’s body was lowered into a steel cage ten feet beneath the tomb and encased in concrete.

In 1930, a second renovation was necessary because of poor construction methods on the previous tomb. The entrance was widened to better accommodate visitors, and the empty white sarcophagus was replaced with a granite marker.

Oak Ridge Cemetery and the Lincoln Tomb are open to visitors seven days a week with no admission fee.

1500 Monument Avenue, Springfield, IL | 217-782-8227 | www.lincolntomb.org

No. 17

Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson National Cemetery in Greeneville, Tennessee

Just a few hours after Abraham Lincoln died, Andrew Johnson was sworn in as the 17th President of the United States. He served the rest of Lincoln’s second term from April 1865 until 1869. Early in his presidency, Johnson established himself as tough on the Confederate States by issuing a $1.6 million bounty on Jefferson Davis and permitted Mary Surratt’s execution – the first woman to be executed by the federal government.

Six years after leaving office, Johnson returned to politics when he was elected as the U.S. Senator from Tennessee. Four months after his swearing in, he returned to his home in Greeneville to begin a long trip to Ohio. Stopping at his sister’s home in Elizabethton, Johnson suffered a series of heart attacks that eventually led to his death on July 31, 1875.

Johnson was buried in the family cemetery on his property on Signal Hill in Greeneville. In 1878, a 28-foot-tall granite statue was placed on Johnson’s gravesite, earning the area the new name Monument Hill. Martha, Andrew Johnson’s daughter, left instructions in her will that the property become a park and asked Congress to establish a national cemetery.

In 1906, Andrew Johnson National Cemetery was designated on Monument Hill. When the National Park Service was established in 1935, one of the first national monuments authorized by Congress was an area surrounding Andrew Johnson’s home, workshop, and the national cemetery.

Visitors can take self-guided tours through the national cemetery located just south of the historic homestead and workshop on Main Street.

121 Monument Avenue, Greeneville, TN | 423-639-3937 | www.nps.gov/anjo/index.htm

No. 18

Ulysses S. Grant

General Grant National Memorial in New York City, New York

Widely considered a wartime hero by the northern states, Ulysses S. Grant was the first president in almost forty years – since Andrew Jackson – to serve two terms as President of the United States. Grant served as the 18th President from 1869 until 1877.

In 1884, Grant learned he had throat cancer, most likely caused by his fondness of smoking cigars. With no presidential pension – that would not start until 1958 – Grant was worried about leaving his wife without a stable income. He scrambled to write his memoirs in his final days with a book deal by Mark Twain that offered 70% royalties. Grant finished writing the book at a friend’s cottage on Mount McGregor in New York and died a few days later on July 23, 1885.

A funeral train – only the second time a president’s body traveled in such a manner – took Grant into New York City. A grand funeral was held with nearly 1.5 million spectators. Grant was initially interred at a temporary tomb in Riverside Park and then, in 1897, laid to rest inside the General Grant National Memorial – the largest mausoleum in the country.

Operated by the National Park Service, visitors to Grant’s Tomb can take guided and self-guided tours, learn about General Grant’s life and pay their respects.

Riverside Drive and W. 122nd Street New York, NY | 646-670-7072 | www.nps.gov/gegr/index.htm

No. 19

Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums in Fremont, Ohio

In 1873, Rutherford B. Hayes moved into a two-story brick mansion at Spiegel Grove. He served a single term as the 19th President of the United States from 1877 until 1881 and then retired to the family home. In 1889, his wife, Lucy, died. Hayes continued to travel for the next few years, although he was deeply saddened by Lucy’s death.

READ MORE: Road Trip to the 8 Presidential Sites Throughout Northern Ohio

In 1893, Hayes died from a heart attack at Spiegel Grove. His last words were, “I know that I’m going where Lucy is.” He was interred at Oakwood Cemetery in a funeral procession attended by President-elect Grover Cleveland and Ohio Governor – and future president – William McKinley.

In 1915, Hayes was re-interred at Spiegel Grove along with his wife, Lucy, and their son, Webb C. Hayes. Visitors to the historic estate can take a guided tour of the house and visit the tomb.

Spiegel Grove, Fremont, OH | 800-998-9877 | www.rbhayes.org

National Park Week 2024

Learn about the annual celebration of the National Park System and read my travel guides to national park units across the country.

Read about national park week

No. 20

James A. Garfield

James A. Garfield Memorial at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio

Elected as the 20th President of the United States in 1881, James A. Garfield would only serve six and a half months of his first term before his assassination – becoming the second president assassinated in American history.

Charles Guiteau had political ambitions and felt his position as a Stalwart – a small political faction within the Republican party – would earn him favor with newly-elected President Garfield. However, when Garfield and Secretary of State Blaine refused to grant Guiteau the position he wanted, he devised a plan to assassinate Garfield and install Chester Arthur – a Stalwart – as president.

READ MORE: Road Trip to the 8 Presidential Sites Throughout Northern Ohio

On July 2, 1881, Guiteau shot Garfield twice – once in the back and a glancing shot to the arm – at the Sixth Street Station in Washington, D.C. Garfield was transported back to the White House where doctors, led by Doctor Willard Bliss, worked to save the president’s life. Modern historians agree the most likely cause of death was sepsis from the unsterilized fingers and tools used to retrieve the bullet from Garfield’s abdomen.

After making a brief recovery, Garfield was eager to escape the sweltering summer heat of Washington. On September 5, he was transported by railcar to Francklyn Cottage in New Jersey. His health began to deteriorate, and on September 18, 1881, Garfield died. Interestingly, during his trial Guiteau claimed Garfield did not die from his gunshot but rather from medical malpractice, stating, “According to his own physicians, he was not fatally shot.” Guiteau was found guilty of assassination and executed in 1882.

Garfield’s body traveled by funeral train to Washington, D.C., where he laid in state at the Capitol Rotunda. By September 25, his body had arrived in Cleveland, where he was interred in a vault at Lake View Cemetery. On May 19, 1890, he was re-interred at the mausoleum built in the cemetery.

Visitors are welcome at the privately owned 285-acre cemetery. The monumental 180-foot-tall James A. Garfield Memorial is easy to spot in the cemetery. Inside, visitors will find James and Lucretia Garfield’s caskets – the only presidential caskets on full public display.

12316 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH | https://lakeviewcemetery.com/visit/points-of-interest/james-a-garfield-memorial

No. 21

Chester A. Arthur

Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York

After Garfield’s assassination, Chester A. Arthur was sworn in as the 21st President of the United States. He served only a single term from September 1881 until 1885, finishing Garfield’s original term.

At the end of the summer of 1886, Arthur returned to his home in New London, Connecticut, where he became seriously ill. Oddly, on November 16, he ordered all his personal and professional papers burned. The next day, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died on November 18, 1886 – becoming one of the shortest post-presidencies after James Polk.

A private funeral was held at the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City. Arthur was then buried in the Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York, alongside his wife, Ellen. Visitors to the cemetery can download a map from the cemetery’s website and take a self-guided tour of the gravesites.

3 Cemetery Avenue, Albany, NY | 518-463-6370 | http://albanyruralcemetery.org

No. 22

Grover Cleveland

Princeton Cemetery in Princeton, New Jersey

Grover Cleveland has the distinction of being the only person to serve two non-consecutive terms as President of the United States. He served his first term as the 22nd President from 1885-1889 and his second term as the 24th President from 1893-1897.

After leaving office, Cleveland retired to his estate at Westland Mansion in Princeton, New Jersey. He spent his final years in relative silence as a trustee of Princeton University. On June 24, 1908, he suffered a heart attack and died at his estate.

Cleveland was buried in the Princeton Cemetery at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton. Frances Cleveland – who was just 21 years old when she became the First Lady of the United States – was buried beside her husband when she died in 1947. Visitors can explore the small suburban cemetery during daylight hours.

29 Greenview Avenue, Princeton, NJ | 609-924-2413 | http://nassauchurch.org/about/princetoncemetery

No. 23

Benjamin Harrison

Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana

Benjamin Harrison – the grandson of 9th President William Henry Harrison – served a single term as the 23rd President of the United States from 1889 until 1893. Harrison’s term in office was relatively quiet – along with his year after leaving office.

On March 13, 1901, Harrison died from pneumonia at his home in Indianapolis. He was interred at Crown Hill Cemetery along with his first wife, Carolina. After the death of his second wife, Mary, in 1948, she was interred beside him – on the opposite side from Harrison’s first wife.

The 555-acre Crown Hill Cemetery features a stunning entrance gate, 25 miles of paved roads, and over 150 species of trees and plants. Established in 1863, it is one of the most prominent cemeteries in Indiana. Guided tours are offered from May through October – usually on weekends – and self-guided tours are welcome during daylight hours.

700 38th Street, Indianapolis, IN | www.crownhill.org

No. 24

William McKinley

McKinley National Memorial in Canton, Ohio

Ohio native William McKinley served as the 25th President of the United States from 1897 until 1901. During the 1900 election, McKinley was unanimously nominated for the Republican ticket along with Theodore Roosevelt – a rising star with a broad support base. McKinley and Roosevelt easily won reelection, and on March 4, 1901, McKinley was inaugurated for his second term as president.

William and Ida McKinley planned a grand tour of the country after the inauguration. Although the tour was delayed and detoured because of Ida’s sudden illness, the First Couple eventually attended the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York.

READ MORE: Road Trip to the 8 Presidential Sites Throughout Northern Ohio

Leon Czolgosz was born in Detroit, Michigan. He worked in a Cleveland factory until a labor dispute ended his employment in 1893. Over the next several years, Czolgosz became involved with anarchist groups. He became convinced McKinley needed to die.

After a couple of aborted attempts, on September 6, Czolgosz stood in line at the Temple of Music for a chance to meet the president – and shot him twice in the abdomen. McKinley was rushed to the Milburn House, where doctors examined and treated him. His condition improved at first – so much so that Vice President Roosevelt went on vacation – but then his health quickly deteriorated. On September 14, McKinley died from gangrene poisoning.

The funeral train carried McKinley’s body back to Washington, D.C., where he laid in state in the Capitol Rotunda. The day after his body arrived in Canton, Ohio, a public funeral was held at the First Methodist Church. The casket was sealed, and his body was taken to a temporary vault at West Lawn Cemetery. In 1907 – six years after his assassination – the McKinley National Memorial was dedicated, and his body interred inside the giant mausoleum.

Visitors can explore the monument from April through November during business hours and then visit the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum next door.

800 McKinley Monument Dr. NW, Canton, OH | 330-455-5570 | https://mckinleymuseum.org/mckinley-memorial

No. 25

Theodore Roosevelt

Youngs Memorial Cemetery in Oyster Bay, New York

Theodore Roosevelt was elected as Vice President on the Republican ticket with William McKinley in 1900. Just six months after the inauguration, Roosevelt was sworn in as the 26th President of the United States after McKinley’s assassination. He was only 42 at the time – the youngest anyone has ever become President of the United States.

Roosevelt served two terms from 1901 until 1909. He was a firm believer that presidents should not serve an unlimited number of terms, so he chose not to run for a third term in 1908. Instead, he eagerly awaited his time as president to end and promptly left Washington behind for a safari across Africa. It was the first of countless adventures, but the exuberance would come with a cost.

In late 1918, Roosevelt’s health faded from repeated jungle diseases. He was hospitalized for seven weeks before returning home to Sagamore Hill – the family home located in Cove Neck, New York. On January 6, 1919, Roosevelt died in his sleep when a blood clot traveled into his lungs.

A small service was held in the North Room at Sagamore Hill, and a simple funeral was held at Christ Episcopal Church. A procession then escorted his body to Youngs Memorial Cemetery, where he was laid to rest. Visitors can take guided tours of Sagamore Hill and visit the small wooden cemetery to view Roosevelt’s gravesite.

134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay, NY

No. 26

William Howard Taft

Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia

William Howard Taft served one term as the 27th President of the United States from 1909 until 1913. In 1921, President Warren G. Harding nominated Taft to fill a seat on the United States Supreme Court. When he was confirmed later that year, he became the only person to hold office as President and Chief Justice.

READ MORE: Visiting the William Howard Taft National Historic Site – and a Few Related Places – in Cincinnati, OH

During his ten years on the Supreme Court, Taft’s health continued to fail. Concerned that President Herbert Hoover would replace him with a progressive judge, Taft refused to resign. After his brother, Charles, died in 1929, Taft traveled to Cincinnati for the funeral and then Asheville, North Carolina, to rest from the strain of travel.

By the time he returned to Washington, D.C. in early 1930, Taft was feeble and barely coherent. After getting assurances from Hoover about his replacement, Taft finally agreed to resign. On March 8, 1930, he died in his Washington home. His body lay in state at the Capitol Rotunda for three days before becoming the first president to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery – one of only two presidents buried there.

Visitors of the national cemetery will find William and Helen Taft buried in Section 30. A small dark mahogany granite monument stands on top of the gravesite – a simple marker at the former president’s request.

1 Memorial Avenue, Fort Myer, VA | 877-907-0785 | www.arlingtoncemetery.mil

No. 27

Woodrow Wilson

Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

Woodrow Wilson is the most recent president born in the Commonwealth of Virginia – the home state of 8 presidents. He served two terms as the 28th President of the United States from 1913 until 1921.

Wilson’s time in office was marred by health issues for himself and his wife. Ellen – diagnosed with Bright’s disease – died in 1914. Wilson fell into a deep depression, but less than a year later, he met and fell in love with Edith Bolling Galt – a jeweler from Wytheville, Virginia. They were married in December 1915 – becoming one of only three presidents to marry while in office.

READ MORE: 7 Intriguing Places to Discover the History of President Woodrow Wilson

In October 1919, Wilson suffered a serious stroke that left him paralyzed on his left side and only partial vision in the right eye. For months Edith Bolling Wilson and the president’s physicians hid the severity of his condition, but by early 1920 the news had broken. The First Lady took on much of the workload by reading memos, conducting Cabinet-level business, and was even made privy to classified documents.

Despite calls from Congress for his removal or resignation, Wilson served the remainder of his term. After leaving office, Woodrow and Edith Wilson moved into a townhouse on S Street NW in Washington, D.C. His health never improved and, by 1924, was drastically declining. He died on February 3, 1924, in his Washington home.

Wilson – and later Edith when she died in 1961 – was interred in the Wilson Bay at Washington National Cathedral. He was the first – and so far, only – president to be interred in the nation’s capital.

3101 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. | 202-537-3762 | https://cathedral.org

No. 28

Warren G. Harding

Harding Tomb in Marion, Ohio

In 1921, Warren G. Harding was elected the 29th President of the United States. He served almost two and a half years until his untimely death in 1923.

In mid-1923, Harding gave a speech at the University of Washington. Later that evening, he complained of severe upper abdominal pain. Weekend plans were canceled, and Harding was transported on a railroad to San Francisco, rushed to the Palace Hotel, where he suffered a relapse. Doctors determined he was having heart problems combined with acute pneumonia.

READ MORE: Road Trip to the 8 Presidential Sites Throughout Northern Ohio

On August 2, a few days after arriving at the hotel – and after showing signs of improvement – Harding died in bed while his wife, Florence, was reading an article from a newspaper to him. His body was returned to Washington on a funeral train where he laid in state in the Capitol Rotunda. He was then transported one more time to his home in Marion, Ohio.

Shortly after his death, the Harding Memorial Association was created and began soliciting donations for building a presidential tomb. The association received nearly $1 million from American citizens and foreign nations. Designed like a circular Greek temple, the tomb is 103’ wide and 53’ tall, features no roof, and was constructed of Georgia white marble. Completed in 1927, it was the last of the grand presidential tombs.

Visitors will find the Harding Tomb – and Warren and Florence Harding’s bodies – at the intersection of Vernon Heights Boulevard and Delaware Avenue about 5-10 minutes from downtown Marion at the Harding Home Presidential Site. There is parking on either side of the memorial and a concrete path for easy walking.

966-870 Delaware Avenue, Marion, OH

No. 29

Calvin Coolidge

Plymouth Notch Cemetery in Plymouth Notch, Vermont

On August 2, 1923, Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as the 30th President of the United States after President Warren G. Harding’s death. In 1924, he won his first presidential race, serving almost two full terms from 1923 until 1929.

After leaving office, Coolidge took an unusual step for a former president and rented a house as his residence. Moving into the Calvin Coolidge House in Northampton, Massachusetts, he spent his final years writing his memoirs and keeping apprised of politics. In 1930, he moved into The Beeches – a more secluded home that would provide him more privacy from the tourists.

On January 5, 1933, Coolidge suddenly died from coronary thrombosis. He was buried in the family plot at Plymouth Notch Cemetery in Plymouth Notch, Vermont – along with his wife, Grace, and his children.

Visitors can see the unremarkable gravesite in the small cemetery while also touring the President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site. The historic site is more than just the birthplace and burial site of President Coolidge – it is an entire village preserved by Vermont.

3780 Route 100A, Plymouth Notch, VT | 802-672-7237 | https://historicsites.vermont.gov/calvin-coolidge

No. 30

Herbert Hoover

Herbert Hoover National Historical Park in West Branch, Iowa

Herbert Hoover served a single term as the 31st President of the United States from 1929 until 1933 – and is so far the only engineer elected president. Before his election, Hoover served previous administrations as the head of the Food Administration and Secretary of Commerce.

Hoover kept busy in his post-presidency years, including an interesting meeting with Adolf Hitler in 1938 – just a year before the invasion of Poland by Germany. He had one of the longest retirements of any president – only Jimmy Carter has lived longer after leaving office.

On October 20, 1964, Herbert Hoover died from massive internal bleeding in his New York City home. Hoover’s body lay in state at the Capitol Rotunda before being transported to West Branch, Iowa, and buried near his childhood home. In 1965, Congress established the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site to preserve the childhood home and several historic homes and buildings.

Visitors can explore the national historic site, learn about his presidency at the Hoover Presidential Library, and visit the gravesite along a concrete path in a secluded area of the park.

110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, IA | 319-643-4353 | www.nps.gov/heho

No. 31

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Springwood in Hyde Park, New York

Franklin D. Roosevelt has the distinction of being the longest-serving president in American history – a record that can never be broken after the passage of the 22nd Amendment. Roosevelt served as the 32nd President of the United States from 1933 until 1945.

In 1944, Roosevelt won reelection for his fourth term as president by a narrow margin with 53.4% of the popular vote. He campaigned on the promise of founding the United Nations and establishing a strong international community. In late March 1945, Roosevelt traveled to the Little White House – his private retreat in Warm Springs, Georgia – to rest and prepare for the founding convention of the United Nations.

On April 12, 1945, while sitting for an official portrait, Roosevelt suddenly complained of a tremendous headache and slumped over. Later that day, he was declared dead from a massive cerebral hemorrhage. Roosevelt’s body traveled by funeral train back to Washington, D.C., and then on to his birthplace in Hyde Park, New York. On April 15, he was buried in the Rose Garden at his Springwood estate.

Today, Springwood is maintained as part of the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. Visitors can take guided tours of Springwood, Top Cottage, and Val-Kill Cottage, explore exhibits at the FDR Presidential Library, and visit the gravesite of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt “where the sundial stands in the garden.”

4097 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY | 845-486-8677 | www.nps.gov/hofr/index.htm

National Park Week 2024

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No. 32

Harry S. Truman

Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri

Harry S. Truman served two terms as the 33rd President of the United States from 1945 until 1953. In 1950, Truman announced he would follow the precedent established by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and donate a private building to be used as his presidential library. This paved the way for Congress passing the Presidential Libraries Act of 1955 and establishing a series of privately erected buildings maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration – also called presidential libraries.

In 1972, Truman was admitted to the Research Hospital and Medical Center in Kansas City. He was diagnosed with pneumonia – and the condition worsened into multiple organ failure. After falling into a coma, Truman died on December 26, 1972.

Bess Truman opted for a private funeral service at the Truman Presidential Library – completed just four years after Truman left office. When Bess died in 1982, she was buried along with her husband at the presidential library.

Visitors can explore the Truman Presidential Years exhibit in the museum, conduct research at the library, and pay their respects at the small campus’s burial site.

500 W Highway 24, Independence, MO | 816-268-6882 | www.trumanlibrary.gov

No. 33

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home in Abilene, Kansas

Dwight D. Eisenhower served a pivotal two terms as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 until 1961. After leaving office, Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower retired to their retreat on a farm adjacent to Gettysburg National Military Park. In 1967, they donated the farm to the National Park Service.

On March 28, 1969, Dwight D. Eisenhower died of congestive heart failure at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. After laying in state at the Capitol Building for two days, Eisenhower’s body was transported by a funeral train across seven states to his hometown of Abilene, Kansas. At his request, he was dressed in his WWII military uniform and buried in a government issue casket.

Dwight D. Eisenhower is buried alongside his wife, Mamie, and son, Doud – who died at the age of 3 in 1921 – in the Place of Meditation at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home. Visitors can explore the vast campus that includes a 25,000 square foot museum, his boyhood home, and the presidential library.

200 SE 4th Street, Abilene, KS | 785-263-6367 | www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov

No. 34

John F. Kennedy

Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia

In 1961, John F. Kennedy became the first Catholic elected as President of the United States. He served as the 35th President until his tragic assassination in 1963 – the first and only presidential assassination recorded on film.

In 1963, Kennedy traveled to Dallas to ease the tensions between Democratic lawmakers and the Republican governor of Texas. Landing at Dallas Love Field in Air Force One, Kennedy boarded a motorcade – riding in a 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible – and began a 10-mile journey through the city.

While traveling on Elm Street through Dealey Plaza, three shots rang out from the 6th floor window of the Texas School Book Depository. One bullet entered Kennedy’s upper right back, nicked his spine, and exited the center of his throat. A second bullet struck the lower right back of his head, shattering his skull and spraying blood, bone, and brain matter throughout the limousine.

The driver of the limousine immediately sped away from the plaza toward Parkland Memorial Hospital. John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. on November 22, 1963, at the hospital. An hour later, his body was transported from the hospital to Air Force One at Love Field, loaded into an empty passenger compartment at the rear of the plane, and began the journey back to Washington.

Shortly after the assassination, Lee Harvey Oswald was identified and arrested while watching a movie at the Texas Theatre. Oswald was charged with the murders of Kennedy and J.D. Tippit – a police officer he encountered and shot before arriving at the theater. On November 24, Oswald was being transferred from the city to the county jail when he was fatally shot by Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby.

On that same day, Kennedy’s casket was transported by horse-drawn caisson – the same one to transport the body of Franklin D. Roosevelt – to the Capitol Building where he lay in state. The next day, one million people lined the street as Kennedy was transported to Arlington National Cemetery for the funeral.

Kennedy was buried in Section 45 at Jacqueline Kennedy’s direction – she wanted the gravesite to be easily accessible to the public. In the first three years, nearly 16 million people visited the gravesite. From 1965 until 1967, improvements were made to the initial plot to better accommodate a large number of visitors. An eternal flame, lit by Jacqueline Kennedy during the funeral, still burns at the graves’ head.

Visitors to Arlington National Cemetery can take a self-guided tour on foot or enjoy a guided tram tour of notable gravesites. Kennedy’s gravesite is located near the welcome center – about a twenty-minute walk from the parking lot and Metro station.

1 Memorial Avenue, Fort Myer, VA | 877-907-0785 | www.arlingtoncemetery.mil

No. 35

Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Johnson City, Texas

On November 22, 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States aboard Air Force One as it flew Kennedy’s body back to Washington. After finishing Kennedy’s initial term, Johnson was elected president for the first time and served until 1969.

After leaving office, Johnson retired to his ranch in Johnson City, Texas – affectionately known as the Texas White House because of his frequent retreats as president. He kept apprised of politics, worked on his memoirs, and gave frequent interviews. In mid-January 1973, he gave an interview to Walter Cronkite at his ranch. Ten days later, on January 22, 1973, Johnson had a heart attack and died.

Johnson’s body was returned to Washington, D.C., where he laid in state in the Capitol Rotunda. On January 25, a funeral was held at National City Christian Church, where Johnson frequently worshipped while serving as president. After the funeral, Johnson was buried in the family cemetery at his ranch in Texas across the road from where he was born and near where he died.

Visitors will find the Johnson Family Cemetery, a reconstruction of the birthplace home, and the Texas White House at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Johnson City, Texas. Guided tours are given at the main house, and self-guided tours are encouraged throughout the historic property.

1048 Park Road #49, Stonewall, TX | 830-868-6871 | www.nps.gov/lyjo

No. 36

Richard Nixon

Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California

Richard Nixon served as the 37th President of the United States from 1969 until his resignation in 1974, shortly after his reelection. During his tenure, the United States ended involvement in the Vietnam War and established the Environmental Protection Agency, but Nixon will always be remembered for the Watergate scandal.

Following his resignation, Richard and Pat Nixon flew to their private home in San Clemente, California. Shunned by the American people, Nixon spent his time writing his memoirs. Eventually, he began traveling again, taking trips to China and the United Kingdom.

On April 18, 1994, Nixon was preparing for dinner at his home in Park Ridge, New Jersey, when he suffered a stroke. He was taken to New York Hospital – Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan, where he slipped into a coma. Four days later, Nixon died at the hospital.

After a private funeral, Richard Nixon was buried beside his wife, Pat, on the grounds of the Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California. Visitors can explore the exhibits in the museum and walk the library’s grounds after paying an admission fee.

18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard, Yorba Linda, CA | 714-993-9350 | www.nixonlibrary.gov

No. 37

Gerald Ford

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan

On August 9, 1974, Gerald Ford was sworn in as the 38th President of the United States following Nixon’s resignation. Ford finished Nixon’s original term and left office in 1977 after losing the election to Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter.

Ford led an active post-presidency, but by 2000 began having health issues – he had two minor strokes during the 2000 Republican National Convention. His health took a bad turn in 2006 with a series of hospitalizations.

On December 26, 2006, Ford died at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. His body was transported to Washington, where he lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda. A funeral was held at Washington National Cathedral a few days later.

Ford was buried on the grounds of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. When his wife, Betty, died in 2011, she was buried next to him. Visitors to the presidential library can explore several permanent exhibits and pay their respects at the Fords’ gravesite.

303 Pearl Street NW, Grand Rapids, MI | 616-254-5404 | www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/visit-museum.aspx

No. 38

Ronald Reagan

Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California

Ronald Reagan served two terms as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 until 1989. On March 30 of his first year in office, John Hinckley Jr. opened fire on Reagan outside the Washington Hilton. After spending almost two weeks recovering in the hospital, he was released on April 11 – becoming the first president to survive an assassination attempt.

In 1994 – just a few years after leaving office – Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He remained active over the next decade as the disease slowly robbed him of mental capacity. On June 5, 2004, Ronald Reagan died of pneumonia complicated by Alzheimer’s at his home in Los Angeles, California.

Two days later, a private funeral was held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. His body lay in repose in the library’s lobby for two days as nearly 100,000 visitors paid their respects. On June 9, his body was flown to Washington, D.C., where he laid in state in the Capitol Rotunda.

Nearly a week after his death – his body crossing the country twice – he was finally interred at his presidential library in Simi Valley, California. The original construction plans for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library – completed in 1991 – included a tomb for Reagan’s eventual use. When Nancy Reagan died in 2016, she was interred next to him.

Visitors to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library can explore exhibits in the museum, take a guided tour through the property, and visit the gravesite.

40 Presidential Drive Simi Valley, CA | 805-522-2229 | www.reaganlibrary.gov

No. 39

George H.W. Bush

George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas

George Herbert Walker Bush served a single term as the 41st President of the United States from 1989 until 1993. Bush tried to earn the Republican party’s nomination for president in 1980 but lost to Ronald Reagan. At the Republican National Convention, Reagan chose Bush as his running mate.

After leaving office, George and Barbara Bush built a home in the West Oaks suburb of Houston, Texas. Bush kept apprised of politics and made several appearances – although he did not actively campaign for his son, George Bush, during the 2000 presidential election.

On November 30, 2018, George H.W. Bush died after a battle with Parkinson’s disease at his home in Houston. At 94 years old, he is the oldest president to die in history – although Jimmy Carter is already older. Bush’s body was transported to Washington, D.C., where he lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda – becoming the 12th and so far final president to receive this honor.

After a state funeral at Washington National Cathedral, Bush’s body was transported to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. He was buried alongside Barbara Bush – she had died earlier that same year – and their daughter, Pauline Robinson Bush. Visitors to the presidential library can explore exhibits and visit the gravesite located behind the Presidential Pond.

1000 George Bush Dr. W, College Station, TX | 979-691-9140 | www.bush41.org

National Park Week 2024

Learn about the annual celebration of the National Park System and read my travel guides to national park units across the country.

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