114-0148 Hampton National Cemetery

For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF

VLR Listing Date 10/18/1995

NRHP Listing Date 02/26/1996

NRHP Reference Number 96000038

The toll of wounded and sick wrought by the Civil War necessitated the establishment of military hospitals. One such hospital was the Hampton Military Hospital at Fort Monroe. The high death rate at these hospitals required burial ground, and National Cemeteries were established for this purpose. The land set aside for the use of the Hampton hospital became the nucleus of the present-day Hampton National Cemetery, officially founded in 1866. After the war, soldiers’ remains were brought here for burial from military posts throughout eastern Virginia. The cemetery has since been expanded and now incorporates twenty-seven acres. In addition to U. S. soldiers, the cemetery also has graves of 272 Confederates and graves of World War II prisoners-of-war, both German and Italian. Officially closed in 1994, the cemetery now holds over 25,000 burials, including eight Medal of Honor recipients.

Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.

Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark

Updated: February 23, 2021