Arlington Cemetery & the Kennedy Eternal Flame
August 29, 2009 by Mary Jo Manzanares
Filed under Things to See & Do
Eyes have been turned to Arlington Cemetery today, as Senator Edward M. Kennedy is laid to rest near his two brothers, President John F. Kennedy, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. The trio is reunited again, ending a generation that committed itself to public service. The eternal flame, the hallmark of the JFK gravesite, burns brighter at their reunion.
Eternal Flame at the Kennedy burial plot, Arlington Cemetery, Washington DC
Visitors to the nation’s capital, have long made Arlington Cemetery an important visitation spot, and the Kennedy gravesite is one of the most popular stopping spots in the cemetery, the other being the Tomb of the Unknown. When I visited the cemetery, those were two sites on the top of my to-see list, although I spent a great deal of time walking around the entire cemetery.
Upon entry to the cemetery, a sign points the way to the Kennedy gravesite. At the head of the JFK gravesite, is the Eternal Flame. The flame was lit by Jacqueline Kennedy at the time of burial,and has only been extinguished once – when a visiting group of Catholic school kids poured holy water directly onto the flame. A sprinkle, and it should have been, would not have extinguished the flame. It was quickly relit by a guard standing nearby. A continuous spark re-ignites the flame should it be temporarily put out by weather. In this gravesite lies the President, two young children who preceded him in death, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
The grave of Senator Robert Kennedy is adjacent to the main grave site. Senator Edward Kennedy’s grave will be nearby.
Arlington Cemetery is closed to the public today for the burial of Senator Kennedy, and will be open to the public once again on Sunday morning. The cemetery is open to the public daily at 8 am. It remains open until 7 pm April through September, and closes at 5 pm the remainder of the year. Parking is nearby, although in very short supply.
If you plan to visit, consider taking the Tourmobile or the Metro (Blue line, Arlington Cemetery stop). Cemetery visitation is expected to be very high for the next several weeks, so plan on crowds, long lines, little parking, and heavily used public transportation.
Photo credit: public domain
