Stones River National Cemetery Rostrum

Stones River National Cemetery Rostrum

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Significance:

Structure is where Memorial Day and other commemoration events take place.

Amenities

2 listed

Audio Description, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Only a handful of original rostrums still exist in the United States. Formal platforms for speakers and dignitaries were common in national cemeteries and provided focal points for decades of patriotic speeches and ceremonies during veterans’ reunions and Memorial Day activities in the years following the Civil War. Some even served as bandstands for summer concerts. The original 1883 Stones River rostrum was torn down in 1941-42 after it had deteriorated beyond repair. The current rostrum was built in 2007 in the same location and looks like the original rostrum.