Alabama National Cemetery

Alabama National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Montevallo, Alabama, about 35 miles south of Birmingham, Alabama. It encompasses 479 acres (194 ha), will serve veterans' needs for at least the next 50 years, and interments began on June 25, 2009.[1]

Alabama National Cemetery
Artist conception for the entrance at Alabama National Cemetery
Details
Established2009
Location
3133 Highway 119 Montevallo, Alabama
CountryUnited States
Coordinates33°07′57″N 86°50′14″W
TypePublic
Owned byUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs
Size479 acres (194 ha)
No. of graves>9,000
WebsiteOfficial website
Find a GraveAlabama National Cemetery

History

The Mobile National Cemetery was closed to interments in the 1990s. The other Alabama site is Fort Mitchell National Cemetery near Phenix City, 150 miles southeast. The Veterans Administration was authorized to establish six new burial sites by the National Cemetery Act of 2003. Areas not served by an existing National Cemetery and containing at least 170,000 veteran residents included Bakersfield, California; Birmingham, Alabama; Jacksonville, Florida; Sarasota County, Florida; southeastern Pennsylvania and Columbia- Greenville, South Carolina.[2]

In July 2007, the Department of Veterans Affairs purchased the Alabama National Cemetery site for approximately $8 million and awarded a contract in September 2007 to Civil Consultants, Inc. to design the new cemetery.

Site status

Initial construction began in November 2008 and created space for 1,000 casket burials and 1,000 in-ground cremations. Except for minor irrigation work, construction was completed in early June 2009. The grounds were consecrated June 18, 2009, one week before burials were scheduled to commence.[3] A second construction stage was scheduled to start in late 2009 and include an additional 8,100 casket sites, 2,100 in-ground/above-ground cremation sites and 2,700 columbarium niches.[4]

The first phase of the cemetery includes an entrance, roadways within the section, permanent buildings for administration and maintenance, a public information center and two shelters for services during inclement weather. Infrastructure consisting of drainage, fencing, landscaping, irrigation and utilities is also being built.[4]

Notable interments

See also

References
  1. Daniels, Malcomb. "First burials begin June 25 at Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo" Archived 2011-06-09 at the Wayback Machine Birmingham News, June 18, 2009
  2. "New National Cemeteries – Burial & Memorials". Archived from the original on 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2010-08-18. Department of Veterans Affairs, Burial & Memorials, New National Cemeteries
  3. Nolen, Corey: Shelby County Reporter, June 19, 2009. "National Cemetery consecration"
  4. Archived 2009-06-28 at the Wayback Machine Department of Veteran's Affairs, August 30, 2007. "VA Targets $9.5 Million for Alabama Programs"
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