Stones River National Cemetery Headstone Alignment Project - 2025

Wreaths adorn headstones in Stone River National Cemetery following the 2024 Wreaths Across America event.

NPS PHOTO - VIP Photographer Buddy Secor

One of the defining characteristics of national cemeteries is the rows of stones aligned in all directions with every stone standing at the same height. Maintaining that special feature takes hard work and experience applied regularly as the stones settle and shift over time.

Stones River National Cemetery is undertaking a significant restoration project to raise, straighten, align, and clean about 2,300 of its more than 7,000 historic, marble headstones. This effort is part of the National Cemetery Investment Initiative, a multi-year program to preserve and protect the 14 national cemeteries managed by the National Park Service (NPS).

Stones River National Cemetery, established in 1864 as a solemn memorial to those who served our nation, honors more than 6,100 soldiers, most of whom fought in the Civil War, including 2,562 unknown soldiers and nearly 1,000 veterans from conflicts through the Vietnam era.

A restoration contract has been awarded to a local veteran-owned company, underscoring the project’s commitment to honoring those who served. Work is planned to begin the week of September 8, 2025. We will provide updates as this important work progresses.