West Point Cemetery is a historic cemetery on the grounds of the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. It overlooks the Hudson River, and served as a burial ground for Continental Army soldiers during the American Revolutionary War, and for early West Point residents prior to its designation as a military cemetery in 1817.

West Point Cemetery
West Point Cemetery's old section in January 2009
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Details
Established1817,[1] 207 years ago
Location
CountryUnited States
Coordinates41°23′56″N 73°58′02″W / 41.3990086°N 73.9673426°W / 41.3990086; -73.9673426
TypeMilitary
Owned byU.S. Military Academy
No. of gravesApproximately 10,000
Websitehttps://www.westpoint.edu/about/west-point-cemetery
Find a GraveWest Point Cemetery
West  Point is located in the United States
West  Point
West 
Point
Location of West Point Cemetery in the United States
West  Point is located in New York
West  Point
West 
Point
Location of West Point Cemetery in New York state

Northwest of the cadet area, it was known as "German Flats" before its formal designation as the official cemetery in 1817.[2] Until that time several small burial plots scattered in mid-post also served as places of interment. The graves from these plots and the remains subsequently found during building excavations were removed to the new site.

An improved road to the cemetery was constructed in 1840, and the caretaker's cottage was erected in 1872.[1] The cemetery is home to several monuments, including the Dade Monument, Cadet Monument, Custer Monument, Wood's Monument, and Margaret Corbin Monument.

Notable interments

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The cemetery includes interments of many notable people:[3]

 
Old Cadet Chapel at the entrance to the cemetery
 
Caretaker's Cottage

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "The West Point Cemetery". usma.edu. Retrieved 23 December 2009.
  2. ^ Lange, Robie (1984). Historic Structures Inventory United States Military Academy West Point, NY Vol 2. Washington, DC: National Park Service. p. 39.
  3. ^ "West Point Cemetery" (PDF). United States Military Academy. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  4. ^ "Eleazer D. Wood • Cullum's Register • 17". penelope.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
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