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Gravestone Stories

  • TOUR INFO
    • Explore Our Tours
    • Calendar
    • Private Group Tours
    • Lee-Fendall House Tour
    • African American Tour
    • Burial Grounds vs. Cemetery Tours
    • Meet Our Guides
    • Tour Brochure
    • Expert Historical Talks
    • Get Tour Alerts
  • MAPS
    • Interactive Biography Map
    • Alexandria’s African American Heritage: An Interactive Journey Through History
    • Interactive Map of Fallen Firefighters in Alexandria, VA
    • Interactive Cemetery Map: Lee-Fendall House Connections
    • Interactive Cemetery Map
  • TIMELINE
  • BURIALS
    • Alexandria National Cemetery: Civil War Dead, USCT Soldiers & More
    • Bethel Cemetery: Prominent Burials
    • Christ Church Burial Ground: Notable Interments in Old Town Alexandria
    • Christ Church Episcopal Cemetery: Lives Interred
    • Douglass Cemetery Alexandria: Historic African American Burial Ground
    • Home of Peace Cemetery – Virginia’s Oldest Jewish Cemetery in Alexandria
    • Ivy Hill Cemetery: Remarkable Interments
    • Methodist Protestant Cemetery: Significant Interments
    • Old Presbyterian Meeting House Cemetery: 18th Century Burials
    • Penny Hill Cemetery: Notable Burials
    • Presbyterian Cemetery: Distinguished Stories
      • Presbyterian Cemetery: Distinguished Stories A-G: Lives Behind the Stones
      • Presbyterian Cemetery: Distinguished Stories H-N: Stories Carved in Stone
      • Presbyterian Cemetery: Distinguished Stories O-Z: The Final Chapter
    • Quaker Burial Ground: Notable Figures
    • St. Mary’s Catholic Church Cemetery: Notable Burials
    • St. Paul’s Cemetery Notable Burials
    • Trinity United Methodist Church Cemetery: Notable Burials
    • Union Cemetery Alexandria Virginia: A Tapestry of Methodist Legends
  • STORIES
  • RESEARCH
    • Revolutionary War Patriots
    • War of 1812 Veterans
    • Historic Background
      •   18th Century Burials: Anglican Church’s Influence   
      • The Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex: A Historical Gem
    • Symbolism & Traditions
      • Gravestone Symbolism & Meanings
      • The Complete Guide to Cemetery Superstitions, Folklore, and Traditions
    • Brochures & Guides
      • The Presbyterian Cemetery & Columbarium brochure
      • The Presbyterian Meeting House 18th Century Burial Ground
      • War of 1812 Burials in the Presbyterian Cemetery
      • Walking tour of the Alexandria National Cemetery
      • Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex Self-Guided Walking Map
    • Downloadable Maps
      • Plot map of the Presbyterian Cemetery
      • Section Map of The Presbyterian Cemetery
      • St. Paul’s Cemetery map
    • Cemetery Directory
      • The Historic Presbyterian Cemetery: A Complete Guide
      • St. Paul’s Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia: Visitor Information
      • Christ Church Episcopal Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia: Visitor Information
  • ABOUT
    • Professional Engagements
    • Gravestone Stories in the News – Press Mentions
    • Scholarly Excellence Behind Our Cemetery Tours
    • Contact Our Team
  • PROGRAMS
  • BOOK A TOUR

Walking tour of the Alexandria National Cemetery

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Guided Cemetery Tours

Walk Among History's Makers

90-minute historian-led tours through America's most historic cemetery complex — stories unavailable anywhere else.

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★★★★★ 5.0 · TripAdvisor & Viator · 100% Recommended
★★★★★
"David Heiby is a noted historian and an authority on American history from the colonial era through the 19th century. He is truly a force of nature — we hit the jackpot when we booked this tour."
NOIDK · TripAdvisor, January 2026
America 250 · Official Historical Resource
Alexandria America 250 Official Logo

Gravestone Stories is recognized by Visit Alexandria as an official America 250 historical resource, connecting visitors to Alexandria's Revolutionary foundations.

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Private & Group Programs

Bringing History to Your Organization

Custom 90-minute programs for conferences, heritage organizations, DAR/SAR chapters, educational institutions, and America250 events. Starting at $450.

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Explore Gravestone Stories
  • Notable Burials by Cemetery
  • 162 Revolutionary War Patriots
  • Alexandria History Timeline
  • Interactive Maps
  • Cemetery Stories & Research
  • Research Resources
This Week in Alexandria History
Week of April 28 • 2 stories available
May 4, 2022 (4 years ago)

Gravestone Stories Founded to Preserve America’s Most Historic Cemetery Cluster

The Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex in Alexandria is the most historic cluster of cemeteries in the United States—home to over 35,000 burials spanning from the colonial era to the present day. These sacred grounds reflect America’s unfolding story through revolution, war, public health crises, civil rights, and local legacy. Learn more about this remarkable site ...

Read more →

Refresh page for another story from this week
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Latest Research Story

Featured Blog Story

Unveiling the Stories of Cavan Boa: George Washington’s Tailor and Revolutionary War Veteran

Introduction Unveiling the stories behind the notable figures of history can provide a fascinating insight into the past. One such significant individual is Cavan Boa, who played a crucial role…

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Spotlight Story
Posted: April 24, 2026
Featured story image

Uncover Captivating Histories Hidden in Alexandria's Cemeteries

April has been called the cruelest month. For Americans in 1865, no April was crueler than this one. On April 9th, Lee surrendered to Grant at...

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Last updated: Apr 28, 4:00 PM EDT

Gravestone Stories

A research-driven public history project documenting Alexandria's historic cemeteries and the extraordinary lives buried within them. Created by public historian David Heiby.

Tours

  • Book a Tour
  • Private Group Tours
  • Tour Calendar
  • Meet Our Guides
  • Tour Information & FAQ

Research

  • Cemetery Stories
  • Interactive Maps
  • Alexandria Timeline
  • Burials by Cemetery
  • Revolutionary War Patriots
  • War of 1812 Veterans

Visit

  • Wilkes Street Complex
  • About
  • Press Coverage
  • Contact Us
  • TripAdvisor
© 2022–2026 Gravestone Stories • A Public History Project by David Heiby • Alexandria, Virginia • Privacy Policy · Terms & Conditions
  • TOUR INFO
    • Explore Our Tours
    • Calendar
    • Private Group Tours
    • Lee-Fendall House Tour
    • African American Tour
    • Burial Grounds vs. Cemetery Tours
    • Meet Our Guides
    • Tour Brochure
    • Expert Historical Talks
    • Get Tour Alerts
  • MAPS
    • Interactive Biography Map
    • Alexandria’s African American Heritage: An Interactive Journey Through History
    • Interactive Map of Fallen Firefighters in Alexandria, VA
    • Interactive Cemetery Map: Lee-Fendall House Connections
    • Interactive Cemetery Map
  • TIMELINE
  • BURIALS
    • Alexandria National Cemetery: Civil War Dead, USCT Soldiers & More
    • Bethel Cemetery: Prominent Burials
    • Christ Church Burial Ground: Notable Interments in Old Town Alexandria
    • Christ Church Episcopal Cemetery: Lives Interred
    • Douglass Cemetery Alexandria: Historic African American Burial Ground
    • Home of Peace Cemetery – Virginia’s Oldest Jewish Cemetery in Alexandria
    • Ivy Hill Cemetery: Remarkable Interments
    • Methodist Protestant Cemetery: Significant Interments
    • Old Presbyterian Meeting House Cemetery: 18th Century Burials
    • Penny Hill Cemetery: Notable Burials
    • Presbyterian Cemetery: Distinguished Stories
      • Presbyterian Cemetery: Distinguished Stories A-G: Lives Behind the Stones
      • Presbyterian Cemetery: Distinguished Stories H-N: Stories Carved in Stone
      • Presbyterian Cemetery: Distinguished Stories O-Z: The Final Chapter
    • Quaker Burial Ground: Notable Figures
    • St. Mary’s Catholic Church Cemetery: Notable Burials
    • St. Paul’s Cemetery Notable Burials
    • Trinity United Methodist Church Cemetery: Notable Burials
    • Union Cemetery Alexandria Virginia: A Tapestry of Methodist Legends
  • STORIES
  • RESEARCH
    • Revolutionary War Patriots
    • War of 1812 Veterans
    • Historic Background
      •   18th Century Burials: Anglican Church’s Influence   
      • The Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex: A Historical Gem
    • Symbolism & Traditions
      • Gravestone Symbolism & Meanings
      • The Complete Guide to Cemetery Superstitions, Folklore, and Traditions
    • Brochures & Guides
      • The Presbyterian Cemetery & Columbarium brochure
      • The Presbyterian Meeting House 18th Century Burial Ground
      • War of 1812 Burials in the Presbyterian Cemetery
      • Walking tour of the Alexandria National Cemetery
      • Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex Self-Guided Walking Map
    • Downloadable Maps
      • Plot map of the Presbyterian Cemetery
      • Section Map of The Presbyterian Cemetery
      • St. Paul’s Cemetery map
    • Cemetery Directory
      • The Historic Presbyterian Cemetery: A Complete Guide
      • St. Paul’s Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia: Visitor Information
      • Christ Church Episcopal Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia: Visitor Information
  • ABOUT
    • Professional Engagements
    • Gravestone Stories in the News – Press Mentions
    • Scholarly Excellence Behind Our Cemetery Tours
    • Contact Our Team
  • PROGRAMS
  • BOOK A TOUR