Winchester National Cemetery
Also known as: VDHR File No. 138-35
Why it's listed
Winchester National Cemetery occupies 4.88 acres at 401 National Avenue in Winchester, Virginia, enclosed by a limestone wall. Established in 1866, it holds more than 5,000 graves, including a common area for 2,338 unidentified Civil War soldiers reinterred from battlefields and burial sites across the northern Shenandoah Valley and nearby West Virginia. The grounds include a stone lodge begun in 1871 on a reduced version of a design by Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs, later enlarged, along with a utility building, a gasoline storage building, iron entry gates, a flagpole and fourteen commemorative monuments erected by states, regiments and veterans. Two artillery-tube monuments also stand on the grounds. The cemetery was listed for its link to the Civil War. Six major battles took place around Winchester, and the Third Battle of Winchester in September 1864 was fought on the site of the present cemetery. Burials continue only in already occupied graves and for cremated remains.
Significance in brief: The cemetery is significant under Criterion A for its association with the Civil War, in the military area of significance. It was established in 1866 to hold Union soldiers reinterred from battlefields across the northern Shenandoah Valley region. It also stands on part of the ground where the Third Battle of Winchester was fought in 1864.
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 96000032, listed February 26, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 401 National Ave., Winchester (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Winchester |
| Listed | February 26, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000032 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1871-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Meigs, Montgomery C. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Tudor Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Cemetery officially closed to new interments in 1969, though burials in occupied graves and of cremated remains continue. |
| Acreage | 4.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.18439, -78.15658 (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 96000032.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q12073011
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.