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Congressional Cemetery

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Congressional Cemetery

Grounds open dawn to dusk everyday, dog walking by members. Founded in 1807, the cemetery is the final resting place of such notables as John Philip Sousa, J.
(354)

Still an active cemetery with plots available, Congressional Cemetery has been owned by Christ Church since 1807 and has been operated by the nonprofit Historic Congressional Cemetery since 1976. Edgar Hoover, Vice President Elbridge Gerry, William Wirt, General Macomb and Push-ma-ta-ta. But as we say, you don't have to be rich and famous to be buried here, you just have to be dead. Located on Capitol Hill among 35 bucolic acres fronting the Anacostia River.

01/26/2026

Due to the continuing impacts of winter weather, the offices of Congressional Cemetery will be closed tomorrow, January 27. Any additional closures will be communicated if needed. We hope that everyone remains safe and warm.

01/23/2026

Now in its second year, the Spring Fair at Historic Congressional Cemetery brings together local makers, neighbors, and visitors to celebrate spring through sustainability, creativity, and community.

We’re inviting vendors who specialize in natural products, sustainable gifts, handmade crafts, and eco-friendly treats to participate in the serene setting of our historic grounds. Whether you offer upcycled items, organic goods, or environmentally conscious creations, we’d love to have you join us.

The Spring Fair takes place April 26th and will include educational programming in the chapel, along with a Spring Celebration & Parade with Batalá.

Vendor applications close February 27th.
Based on feedback from previous vendors, we are implementing assigned, tiered vendor spaces for this year’s Spring Fair.

Apply here: https://forms.gle/wrBj3XwJFvaeyGDYA

01/21/2026

Please join Historic Congressional Cemetery in wishing a happy, healthy retirement to Dayle Dooley. Dayle retired this month after 17 years as the cemetery’s part-time archivist. She was the longest-tenured employee of HCC, having joined the staff in January 2009.

Dayle’s initial introduction to HCC was in the early eighties, when she was conducting genealogical research on her family (her 2x-great-grandparents and her 3x-great-grandmother are among the cemetery's interred residents). Dayle joined the Docent Corps in 2007, two years before she became a staff member. During her tenure, Dayle received the Connolly-Didden Award for Docent of the Year. She witnessed significant changes occur at HCC and has been a resource for institutional knowledge as well as the history of those laid to rest here. She is also responsible for many memories that are fondly carried by cemetery staff, former staff, and docents.

The gatehouse won’t be the same without you, Dayle! Thank you for being part of our HCC family.

01/20/2026

On this day in 1830, Captain William B. Dyer died at the age of 58. Born in 1771, Dyer worked as a carpenter in the District of Columbia and, like many residents, answered the call to serve in the militia.

During the War of 1812, Dyer swore into service to fight British forces and led a company of Maryland riflemen under the command of Major William Pinkney—who served at various times in his life as a U.S. senator, congressman, attorney general, and ambassador. Pinkney’s 1st Rifle Battalion fought at the Battle of Bladensburg on August 24, 1814, where British troops broke through American defenses guarding the capital. Stationed on the front lines along the Bladensburg Road and the critical Anacostia River crossing, the Marylanders faced a surprise British flanking maneuver after enemy troops forded the river north of their position. British fire gravely wounded Pinkney, forcing him to order a retreat. While other militia units fled in panic, earning the defeat its infamous nickname, “The Bladensburg Races,” Pinkney’s men withdrew in good order, saving most of their cannons. Regardless, British forces marched on Washington and set fire to public buildings, including the President’s House and the U.S. Capitol.

With Pinkney sidelined by his wounds, Dyer took command of the battalion at the Battle of North Point on September 12, 1814, during efforts to defend Baltimore from suffering a similar fate to D.C. Although American forces eventually fell back, rifle fire killed British commander Major General Robert Ross, and the militia’s fierce resistance helped force the British to abandon their attack on the city.

Like many citizen soldiers, Dyer returned quickly to civilian life. He mustered out of service on November 18, 1814, and resumed his work as a carpenter. He, along with Pinkney, rests eternally at Congressional Cemetery.

Art by Don Troiani

01/15/2026

Join us at one of our monthly Death Cafes at Historic Congressional Cemetery.

Next: February 5th, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Death Cafe is a global movement to encourage discussion about the often-taboo subject of death while having snacks and tea. There is no agenda other than providing a space for an open-ended conversation.

Please join us to explore these topics in the spirit of curiosity and wonder. These gatherings are not meant to offer or replace grief counseling. In the interest of privacy and being present, we ask that these conversations remain in the room and there be no recording, note-taking, or personal details shared afterward.

Congressional Cemetery offers these unique conversations free of charge. We do ask that you consider bringing a food or beverage item to share, or a suggested $5 donation, to help cover event costs.

Due to space limitations and to allow us to offer an intimate conversation, please reserve a chair in advance for the dates you will be joining us. We release reservations three months before the scheduled date.

RVSP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-death-cafes-at-historic-congressional-cemetery-tickets-1870065278589

To be on the waitlist for any unavailable dates or to ask any questions, contact Laura Lyster-Mensh, Death Doula in Residence at HCC by email:

deathdoula@congressionalcemetery.org

01/14/2026

Tomorrow marks the 130th anniversary of the death of Mathew Brady, sometimes referred to as the “father of photojournalism.”

Brady’s passing in 1896 signified the end of a months-long health struggle for the renowned photographer. In April 1895, Brady, by then nearly blind, was struck by a horsecar in Washington and broke his leg. By June, he moved to a boardinghouse in Manhattan. He relocated so that he could better negotiate terms for a proposed lecture at Carnegie Hall. The event was eventually scheduled for January 30th and was set to feature lantern slides of images taken by Brady’s studio during the Civil War. But Brady’s health never recovered after the April traffic accident. By December 16th, Brady was admitted to Manhattan's Presbyterian Hospital as he suffered from Bright’s disease, a kidney ailment. His health declined over the next month, and he died there on the night of January 15th, two weeks before his Carnegie Hall lecture. He was approximately 73 years old.

Brady was in dire monetary straits at the time of his death. For fifty years, across various studios that he operated, Brady took portraits of the most famous Americans of their time. He and his employees such as Alexander Gardner and James F. Gibson also photographed the aftermaths of Civil War battlefields, sharing these jarring visuals with people far from the front lines. But his finances, never on strong footing, tumbled after the war and his debts grew. In 1872, Brady declared bankruptcy. Congress purchased his collection for $25,000 in 1875. Brady used that windfall to pay off his debts, but upon his death two decades later was essentially penniless.

His funeral was financed by the New York Seventh Regiment Veterans Association, of which Brady was an honorary member, and by donations from friends. Brady’s body was transported from New York to Congressional Cemetery, where he was laid to rest next to his wife, Julia Handy, in a plot owned by his in-laws. His simple grave was supplemented by the addition of the neighboring Brady Memorial in 2022, which showcases enduring images taken by Brady and his employees.

01/08/2026

Several people who were employed at Congressional Cemetery in life remain here in death. Born circa 1821, Jeremiah B. Cross is listed as being the cemetery’s superintendent from 1864 to 1869, and again from 1883 to 1890, for a total of twelve years.

Before he first came to work at Congressional Cemetery, Cross was employed in the Ordnance Department at the Washington Navy Yard. In 1851, he was initiated as a freemason at Naval Lodge No. 4 in the district. He served as the lodge’s master in 1855. His military gravestone indicates that he was a captain in Company D, 7th Battalion, D.C. Infantry. A history of Naval Lodge No. 4 notes that Cross was “a man of sterling integrity and highly respected in the community.”

Cross was approximately 72 years of age when he died at his home on East Capitol Street on the evening of November 23, 1893. Five days later, Cross’s body was temporarily moved into the Public Vault for storage. He was relocated to a private plot five months later, on April 24, 1894. Cross rests with his family at Range 66, Site 194, in the cemetery he knew so well.

01/06/2026

A winter sunrise over Congressional Cemetery. A peaceful start to the day in a place shaped by memory and community.

We love seeing Congressional Cemetery through your eyes, tag us to be featured.

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01/02/2026

We hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s!

As we reflect on a year shaped by change and growth, we’re grateful for the community that continues to gather, remember, and connect here at Congressional Cemetery. Your presence, stories, and shared moments give this place its meaning.

Together, we honor what has come before while looking ahead to the new year with shared optimism and intention.

12/31/2025

January's Tombs and Tomes pick is Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of The Dyatlov Pass Incident by Donnie Eichar .

Join us as we read this deep dive into the mysterious deaths of experienced hikers in 1959 during their expedition into the Ural Mountains. Twists and turns await as scientific evidence and circumstance have difficulty adding up.

In Dead Mountain, author Donnie Eichar delves into the mystery through unprecedented access to the hikers' own journals and photographs, rarely seen government records, dozens of interviews, and his retracing of the hikers' fateful journey in the Russian winter. A fascinating portrait of the young hikers in the Soviet era, and a skillful interweaving of the hikers' narrative, the investigators' efforts, and the author's investigations, we'll hear for the first time the real story of what happened that night on Dead Mountain.

See you all at Congressional Cemetery on January 13th from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm inside our historic chapel for an engaging discussion on this fascinating book.

As always, our Tombs and Tomes book club is free to join and mostly free to attend. For each in-person meeting, we simply ask that you bring either a $5 donation or a bit of food or drink to share with the group.

If you can’t make it in person, we invite you to join our virtual gathering on Wednesday, January 14th via Zoom.

We look forward to delving into this intriguing discussion with you. Bring your thoughts, questions, and curiosity!

12/30/2025

At Congressional, our mission states in part that we respectfully celebrate the legacy of those interred here.

That also means that we are the caretakers of thousands of interred residents and we share in the responsibility to preserve their stories for future generations.

With the support of K-9 Corps members and the broader community, professional conservator Devlin MacDonald repaired 53 gravestones in 2025—up from 42 in 2024.

Through this careful preservation work, the cemetery helps ensure that the names and stories carved in stone remain visible, legible, and remembered.

12/28/2025

At Congressional, community is at the heart of everything we do.

In 2025, we were grateful to continue welcoming our community through our signature slate of events, programs, and gatherings of all kinds. Over the past year, more than 10,000 people joined us on our historic grounds. Whether you came for a twilight Soul Strolls tour, a yappy hour with your pup, an invigorating 5K, or simply to spend time in a meaningful place, we’re glad Congressional was part of your 2025.

We look forward to gathering with our community even more in 2026.

Address

1801 E Street SE
Washington D.C., DC
20003

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	8am - 6am
Sunday	8am - 6am

Telephone

+12025430539

Website

https://www.congressionalcemetery.org/

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