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Fort Lincoln Cemetery is steeped in beauty, history and tradition. Chartered in 1912 by an Act of the Maryland General Assembly, it was a significant piece of land long before becoming a cemetery. The Old Spring House, the oldest standing structure on the cemetery grounds, was built in 1683. From 1510 to 1994, the grounds of Fort Lincoln Cemetery held the Lincoln Oak, a majestic oak tree under which President Abraham Lincoln met with troops during the Civil War. In 1994, the tree was destroyed by a bolt of lightning. A new white oak tree was planted on the site next to a plaque commemorating the original tree. The Battle of Bladensburg was fought near the Fort Lincoln grounds during the War of 1812, and the Old Dueling Grounds were active on the premises until 1820.
The first burial occurred in 1920, and from then on, the cemetery began to create its own history. In 1929, the Little Church was built and, in addition to funeral and committal services, it has been used for many weddings. This building, with its stained-glass windows depicting Shakespeare’s “Seven Ages of Man,” won an architectural award from the Board of Trade. A floral clock containing more than 10,000 colorful plants was created in 1938. It is the largest working clock of its kind in the United States.
A number of scenic memorial gardens are located throughout the cemetery including the Garden of the Ascension, Garden of the Apostles, Garden of the Good Shepherd, Garden of the Crucifixion and Garden of the Cross. The Last Alarm Garden is dedicated to fallen firefighters and emergency medical technicians—heroes who served the area.
The Community Mausoleum is located just behind the Little Church and features the largest collection of privately owned stained-glass windows in the Washington metropolitan area, including windows depicting the Quest for the Holy Grail. The Historic Garden Mausoleum stands as a tribute to the freedoms of the United States and features a bronze replica of the Liberty Bell.
Fort Lincoln also has an on-site crematory and offers a wide variety of options for those choosing cremation. Lovely niche areas, including the main columbarium situated in the Cloister Garden of the Little Church, house cremated remains for memorialization. Also designed for families choosing cremation is the extraordinary Tranquil Oaks® Cremation Garden at Fort Lincoln. Featuring family estates, personalized granite pedestals, benches and other unique options, Tranquil Oaks Cremation Garden offers peaceful, beautiful and everlasting cremation memorialization.
In 1991, the beautiful and spacious Fort Lincoln Funeral Home opened on cemetery grounds, allowing families to plan all of their final arrangements at one convenient location. The funeral home offers a formal chapel with seating for up to 150 guests. Our hospitality room offers families a gathering place to hold a repast for out-of-town visitors. This repast room features a stained-glass window designed by the renowned Conrad Pickel Studio depicting Abraham Lincoln, the Old Spring House and the bell tower of the Community Mausoleum. The room can accommodate 125 guests.
