Quincy National Cemetery
Why it's listed
Quincy National Cemetery is a half-acre burial ground on Maine Street in Quincy, Illinois, holding 585 interments as of May 2010 and now closed to new burials. It began as a Civil War soldiers' lot within Woodland Cemetery, where Union soldiers who died in Quincy's army hospitals were buried from 1861. The federal government bought the present tract in 1899 and moved about 300 bodies there. Its 24 rows of white marble headstones hold veterans from the Civil War through the Persian Gulf War, including Corporal Martin J. Hawkins, a Medal of Honor recipient and member of Andrews' Raiders. Other features include a flagpole on a circular brick base, Civil War-era cannons with cannonball pyramids, granite markers with bronze plaques, and a metal picket fence. The cemetery was listed for its link to the development of Civil War-era national cemeteries and for Quincy's role as a river city and transport center for Union troops and supplies.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion A for the cemetery's association with the development of the Civil War-era national cemeteries. Quincy was a strategic Union military hub with several army hospitals, and soldiers who died there were buried in the soldiers' lot. The cemetery is judged nationally significant.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 11000242, listed May 6, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 36th & Main Sts., Quincy |
|---|---|
| County | Adams County |
| Listed | May 6, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000242 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | ca. 1899-1993 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed to new burials; 585 interments as of May 2010. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.93212, -91.35558 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 11000242.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7272166
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.