Lexington National Cemetery is located on the grounds inside of Lexington Cemetery and can be seen from West Main Street

Historical information:
Lexington National Cemetery originated in 1861 as a small soldier's lot within Lexington Cemetery, a place that is considered "one of the most beautiful and carefully kept cemeteries in the United States." The first burial in the soldier's lot was made during the Civil War on Nov. 28, 1861. In 1863, the soldiers' lot was designated a national cemetery. In 1867, the government purchased an additional 0.38 acres that doubled the cemetery's size to its current three-quarters of an acre.

The cemetery tract is triangular, with graves arranged in concentric circles. Its boundaries are marked by carved marble posts emblazoned with "US." A bronze plaque identifies this property as Lexington National Cemetery. Of the original burials, 671 were non-commissioned officers and privates who died in hospitals or camps operating around Lexington during the war. After the war, Quartermaster Corps personnel were charged with locating all Union soldier's remains and re-interring them in national cemeteries. Additional soldiers who had fallen in battles at Falmouth, Cynthiana, Mount Sterling, Paris and along the Kentucky Central Railroad line were buried at Lexington National Cemetery.

The soldier's portion closed to burials in 1939, but it and the surrounding city cemetery remain a neatly maintained and picturesque burial ground. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) feature ID for the cemetery is 2061985 (Lexington National Cemetery).



FAX: 859-887-4860



Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays.



Visitation Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk