A 35-acre burial ground beside the Anacostia River, founded in 1807 and holding around 65,000 graves, including those of John Philip Sousa, J. Edgar Hoover, the photographer Mathew Brady and a long row of near-identical sandstone cenotaphs marking members of Congress who died in office. Gay rights campaigner Leonard Matlovich is buried here beneath a much-photographed headstone. The cemetery is privately maintained by an association and partly funded by a members' dog-walking scheme, so the grounds are unusually lively for a burial ground. It is open to the public daily without charge, with volunteer-led walks at intervals. Potomac Avenue and Stadium-Armory Metro stations are each about fifteen minutes away on foot.
Plan your visit to Washington DC