Black Hills National Cemetery

This article is about the cemetery south of Sturgis, South Dakota, originally called Fort Meade National Cemetery. For the original cemetery at Fort Meade, see Fort Meade National Cemetery.
Black Hills National Cemetery
Several rows of uniform military headstones fill the image, stretching into the horizon line, interrupted by a few conifer trees. A few of the graves have floral bouquets laid against them. The Black Hills are just visible in the distance.
Headstones in the Black Hills National Cemetery
Map
Details
EstablishedOctober 3, 1948; 76 years ago (1948-10-03)
Location
Sturgis, South Dakota
Country United States
Coordinates44°22′08″N 103°28′33″W / 44.3688669°N 103.4757336°W / 44.3688669; -103.4757336
TypePublic, national
Owned byUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs
Size105.9 acres (42.9 ha)[1]
No. of graves23,000+[a][2]
No. of interments29,000+[1]
WebsiteBlack Hills Nat'l Cemetery
Find a GraveBlack Hills National Cemetery
Black Hills National Cemetery
NRHP reference No.16000258
Added to NRHPMay 17, 2016

Black Hills National Cemetery, originally named Fort Meade National Cemetery, is a United States National Cemetery near Sturgis, South Dakota. Named after the nearby Black Hills, over 29,000 interments of military veterans and their family members have taken place since its founding in 1948. It is administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which also operates the nearby Fort Meade National Cemetery. It was the first national cemetery in South Dakota and is currently the only one open to new burials.

Prominent features of the cemetery include its committal shelter, where memorial services and events are held, and the Avenue of Flags leading up to it. Although primarily hosting lawn graves, three columbaria were built in 2010, which allow the interment of ashes. Several memorial structures have been placed on the grounds since its inception, including one each for veterans of the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Multiple notable people are buried in the cemetery.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference va2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Erwin, Nicolas Z. (May 30, 2017). "Black Hills National Cemetery remembers fallen veterans, Ellsworth Airmen help honor them" (Press release). Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota: Ellsworth Air Force Base. Retrieved February 18, 2024.


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