Public Vault at the Congressional Cemetery
|
Public Vault
|
|
 |
|
| Location | SE Washington, D.C., U.S. |
|---|---|
| Built | 1832–34 |
| Architect | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Classical revival |
| Part of | Congressional Cemetery (#69000292) |
| Designated CP | NHL |
 |
|
 American Artifacts: Congressional Cemetery, Public Vault & Dolley Madison, C-SPAN
|
The Public Vault at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. is an early classical revival structure built 1832–34 with funds appropriated by the United States Congress to store the bodies of government officials and members of the public before burial. About 4,600 individuals were temporarily interred in the vault, including three U.S. presidents, First Lady Dolley Madison, and sixteen congressmen who died while serving in office.
As a contributing structure to the cemetery, the vault was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 23, 1969, and a National Historic Landmark in 2011.
Congress approved an expenditure of $1,000 on July 14, 1832, to build "a substantial brick or stone vault in the Washington Parish Burial Ground, for the temporary interment of members of Congress." Additional appropriations of $1,600 on March 2, 1833, and $194 on June 30, 1834, were approved to complete the vault. These two bills included the name "Public Vault" and allowed the use by members of the public. Use by the government was allowed without further payment, and members of the public were to be charged $5.00 per temporary use. The sexton of Christ Church was to be given $1.50 of this sum for his services, with the remainder given to the vestry of Christ Church, which owns the burial ground, "to be expended in the improvement of the grounds and in keeping the same in order."
A classical marble facade with baroque scrolls decorate the partially subterranean vault. Double wrought iron doors have the words “PUBLIC VAULT” displayed by means of vent holes. The vault is constructed of Aquia Creek sandstone, which was also used to construct many important early structures in Washington, including the White House, the Capitol, and the Latrobe cenotaphs in the cemetery. The vault does not have any niches or shelves to hold coffins, rather the coffins were placed on the floor and stacked if necessary.
Temporary interments have included three U.S. presidents: John Quincy Adams (February 26 – March 6, 1848), William Henry Harrison (April 7 – June 26, 1841), and Zachary Taylor (July 13 – October 26, 1850). President Harrison stayed in the vault almost three months, more than twice as long as the time he spent as president.
...
Wikipedia