Rock Island National Cemetery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rock Island National Cemetery
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Historic gate and memorial walkway
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 0.25 mi N of southern tip of Rock Island |
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| Nearest city | Moline, Illinois |
| Area | 66 acres (27 ha) |
| Built | 1863 |
| MPS | Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000560 |
| Added to NRHP | June 13, 1997 |
Rock Island National Cemetery is a special burial ground for brave soldiers and veterans. It's located inside the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois. The cemetery is managed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, which is a government group that helps veterans.
This cemetery covers about 66 acres, which is like 50 football fields! By the end of 2006, over 24,500 people had been buried here. The cemetery works hard to make sure all the gravestones are perfectly straight and lined up. They even have college students help with this during the summer. When you look from one gravestone, you should be able to see seven straight lines of stones.
Contents
A Look Back: History of the Cemetery
How Rock Island National Cemetery Began
The Rock Island National Cemetery was started in 1863. This was during the American Civil War, a big war in the United States. It was first created to bury soldiers from the Union army. These were the soldiers who fought for the northern states.
At first, the cemetery was in a spot that got in the way of building more things at the Arsenal. So, it was moved to a new place on the northern part of the island. Later, some Civil War veterans who were buried in another cemetery in Davenport, Iowa, were moved here. This helped bring more soldiers together in one special place.
Growing Over the Years
The cemetery has grown bigger over time. More land was added in 1926, 1936, and 1950. There are even plans to make it larger in the future. These plans include adding a new building, more land for burials, and a special wall for people who choose cremation.
A Separate Burial Ground for Confederate Soldiers
Close to the main cemetery, there was another smaller burial ground. This one was about 2 acres big. It was created for soldiers from the Confederate States Army. These were soldiers from the southern states who were captured during the Civil War.
Sadly, nearly 2,000 Confederate prisoners died while they were held on the island. Many of them passed away because of the difficult conditions they faced. This separate cemetery was made to honor their lives as well.
Honoring Heroes: Notable Burials
Many important people are buried at Rock Island National Cemetery. These include brave soldiers who received special awards and other famous individuals.
Medal of Honor Recipients
The Medal of Honor is the highest award a person can get for bravery in the U.S. military. Two heroes who received this medal are buried here:
- Edward J. Moskala (1921–1945): He was a Private First Class in the United States Army. He earned the Medal of Honor for his amazing bravery during World War II.
- Frank P. Witek (1921–1944): He was a Private First Class in the United States Marine Corps. He also received the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions in World War II.
Other Important People Buried Here
- Gene Baker (1925–1999): He was a professional baseball player. He also worked as a coach and scout for baseball teams.
- Lane Evans (1951–2014): He was a Congressman from Illinois. A Congressman is a person elected to represent their area in the U.S. government.
- Jeff Pfeffer (1888–1972): He was a professional baseball player for many years, from 1911 to 1924.
- Thomas Jackson Rodman (1816–1871): He was a high-ranking military officer. He commanded the Rock Island Arsenal and helped create the famous Rodman gun.
- Ralph Ignatowski (1926–1945): He was a Rifleman in the United States Marine Corps. He fought bravely in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II.
