from nps.gov web site: Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, consisting of more than 310 acres, is located south of St. Louis on the site of a former military post. Established in 1826, Jefferson Barracks was the first permanent military installation west of the Mississippi, and was a critical training and medical facility during the Civil War. The national cemetery was officially established in 1866, although the site had been used as a post cemetery since the founding of Jefferson Barracks. The U.S. Government deactivated the military post in 1946, but the national cemetery has continued operation and is today one of the largest in the United States. Jefferson Barracks contains burials from all major United States conflicts, from the Revolutionary War to the present. The cemetery’s grounds feature a number of historic and modern monuments dedicated to veterans.
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We've lived in the St. Louis area for over 25 years, but had never been here until today. A very sobering place.
