Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery

It is always sobering to visit one of the last resting places of the nation's war dead. I know of too many who have joined the ranks at this location which dates back to before the Civil War.

Although most St. Louisians know the name of Jefferson Barracks from the street signs and the nearby Mississippi river bridge named after the locale, I find that very few of them have ever visited Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery unless they lived nearby or were here to attend the funeral of a family member. But the cemetery is very large and if you have been to Arlington National Cemetery during a visit to Washington, DC, then you can get an idea of what this sprawling national cemetery is like. It is indeed a fitting memorial to those who have served in the U.S. military.

If you do visit, I suggest that you go to the oldest part of the cemetery overlooking the Mississippi River. Here you will find Civil War graves. In fact, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery dates back to 1826 and is still very active in this time when U.S. troops are deployed in war zones overseas and many of the the WWII era military are passing away.