Leavenworth in Leavenworth County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Leavenworth National Cemetery
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 19, 2025
1. Leavenworth National Cemetery Marker
National Home
The Western Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (NHDVS) was authorized in 1884. It was the first branch west of the Mississippi River and the fifth one to be constructed. The City of Leavenworth, Kansas, donated 640 acres and funded enhancements to the grounds. The first resident was admitted on July 11, 1885.
Minneapolis landscape architect Horace W. S. Cleveland designed the park-like grounds. Leavenworth-based contractor James A. McGonigle constructed the original buildings in a variety of then-popular styles. The campus contained barracks, hospitals, entertainment, educational, and maintenance facilities. Veterans were trained and employed here.
The National Homes merged with the US, Veterans Bureau and the Bureau of Pensions to form the Veterans Administration (now US Department of Veterans Affairs) in 1930. Renamed the Eisenhower VA Medical Center, it continues to serve veterans. The campus was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2011.
Cemetery and Monument
Horace Cleveland likely designed the 113-acre cemetery that opened about a year after the National Home.
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Two noteworthy structures were completed in the early twentieth century. The "rest house," 1921, features stained-glass and a porch covering a cast-iron temperance fountain. In 1936, a Classical Revival-style rostrum with fluted Doric columns was built of limestone.
A large limestone obelisk dedicated to all veterans was completed in 1919. The cemetery was designated Leavenworth National Cemetery in 1973.
Medal of Honor Recipients
Four Civil War soldiers who received the Medal of Honor, and were later National Home residents, are buried here.
Pvt. William W. Burritt, 113th Illinois Infantry, for gallantry at Vicksburg, Mississippi, April 27, 1863 (Section 16, Grave 7).
Corp. Daniel A. Dorsey, 33rd Ohio Infantry, for actions associated with Andrews Raid near Big Shanty, Georgia, April 1862 (Section 11, Grave 8).
Sgt. John S. Durham, 1st Wisconsin Infantry, for extraordinary heroism at Perryville, Kentucky, October 8, 1862 (Section 33, Grave 18).
Sgt. William Garrett, 41st Ohio Infantry, captured artillery pieces
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 19, 2025
2. Leavenworth National Cemetery Marker
[Bottom right photo caption reads]
Civil War Army Medal of Honor
Erected by National Cemetery Administration, Dept of Veterans Affairs.
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Patriots & Patriotism • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the National Cemeteries series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 11, 1885.
Location. 39° 16.569′ N, 94° 53.454′ W. Memorial is in Leavenworth, Kansas, in Leavenworth County. It can be reached from Lakeside Drive. Marker is adjacent to the cemetery office. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 150 Muncie Road, Leavenworth KS 66048, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this memorial is in Eastern Kansas and specifically in Greater Kansas City. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, in the Corn Belt, on the prairies, and on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 19, 2025
3. Leavenworth National Cemetery View
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: War Memorial (here, next to this marker); Western Branch - National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (a few steps from this marker); Fourth Marine Division (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Memorial Rostrum (about 800 feet away); Carillon Memorial (approx. Ό mile away); A National Cemetery System (approx. Ό mile away); Address by President Lincoln (approx. Ό mile away); The V.A. Medical Center Chapel (approx. Ό mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Leavenworth.
Also see . . .
1. Leavenworth National Cemetery. (Submitted on October 22, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. Western Branch: Leavenworth, Kansas (National Park Service). (Submitted on October 22, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 20, 2025
4. Leavenworth National Cemetery View Toward Soldiers' Home/VA Medical Center in Distance
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 19, 2025
5. Leavenworth National Cemetery Sign
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 19, 2025
6. Leavenworth National Cemetery Entrance
Credits. This page was last revised on October 23, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 22, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 51 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 22, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
