Zachary Taylor National Cemetery
Zachary Taylor was the twelfth U.S. president and considered a great hero of the Mexican-American war of 1846. Taylor died in 1850 and was buried in the Congressional cemetery. At his family's recommendation, the cemetery was renamed the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in 1928 and managed as part of the services provided by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
As a result of its new management, the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery went through some changes. The first change was in an increase in its size. Local patrons donated land and the cemetery grew from one-half acre to 16 acres. Just before the 20th century, the cemetery received a facelift and featured a neoclassical style. Today, the cemetery is considered a historical place by a national register. Not all of the original cemetery is owned by the U.S. government. The mausoleum and tomb continue to be owned by the Taylor family.
In honor of all the significant accomplishments by Zachary Taylor, there are memorials and monuments on the cemetery grounds. When Taylor was first buried at the cemetery, a monument made of 50 feet of granite was established with a full-scale figure of Taylor. In the early 1930s a sundial monument was erected.
There are several events that take place at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery. Every year on Zachary Taylor's birthday (November 24th), the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery hosts a special ceremony honoring Taylor.
There are more than 13,000 individuals of national significance that are interred in the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.
