Great Lakes National Cemetery

Great Lakes National Cemetery is a burial ground for military veterans and their eligible family members located in Oakland County, Michigan, spanning roughly 544 acres. The grounds contain multiple sections with burial spaces and standard facilities for a cemetery of this scale.

The land was originally owned by industrialist Bryson Dexter Horton, a Spanish-American War veteran who built a house on the property in 1927. The site was later converted into a national cemetery to serve as a burial ground for military veterans.

The grounds hold the names and stories of service members from many different time periods that visitors can encounter while walking through. Graves are organized by military branch, reflecting the various paths individuals took in their military careers.

The grounds are open for visitors from sunrise to sunset every day of the week. The administrative offices are staffed during business hours on weekdays if you need information or have questions about the cemetery.

Among the roughly 55,000 interments rests Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson, a Tuskegee Airman who was shot down during World War II but survived the ordeal. His story is one of many extraordinary lives memorialized at this location.

Location: Oakland County

Website: https://cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/GreatLakes.asp

GPS coordinates: 42.85030,-83.61860

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:49