Rock Island National Cemetery

Rock Island National Cemetery is a military burial ground located within Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois, covering an extensive area filled with white headstones. The grounds are organized into sections with pathways that guide visitors through the cemetery where they can see the names and service information of those buried there.

The cemetery was established in 1863 during the Civil War when Union soldiers guarded a Confederate prison camp at the arsenal. It began as a burial ground for those soldiers and later expanded to serve military service members across many decades.

The cemetery serves as a place where visitors can walk among white headstones arranged in neat rows, each marking a service member or veteran. The careful layout and maintained grounds create an atmosphere of honor and remembrance for those who served.

Visitors can explore the grounds from sunrise to sunset at their own pace, with administrative offices available on site for information. The cemetery is part of a military arsenal, so some areas may have access restrictions that visitors should be aware of.

The grounds also contain a separate section honoring Civil War prisoners of war, marked by monuments from the Confederate states. This adjacent burial area provides a different perspective on the site's wartime role and its connection to the arsenal's history.