There is something awe-inspiring about seeing thousands of white marble headstones uniformly lined up throughout pristinely manicured grounds. Entering the iron gates of the Fort Scott National Cemetery, a quiet somberness descends as you take in the graves nestled into the hillside. While the cemetery has existed since the 1840s, it wasn’t designated as a national cemetery until 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln—making it one of the first to be dedicated to American military personnel.
Back then, it was common for cemeteries to have caretakers responsible for maintaining the grounds. These caretakers and their families often lived in houses built inside the cemeteries, and at the Fort Scott National Cemetery, the caretaker’s lodge is still standing. Not only is it still standing, but it’s currently used as administrative offices, dressing rooms and storage for today’s staff.
However, the historic Fort Scott National Cemetery Lodge needed a renovation—not surprising for a building that’s more than 150 years old. Originally built in 1871, the historic caretaker’s lodge renovation is being led by the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“Fort Scott National Cemetery is a deeply significant and historic site,” said Carlos Amezcua, construction control representative with the Kansas City District. “The cemetery provides a respectful and dignified place for families to honor and remember their loved ones. It also serves as an educational resource for visitors, offering insights into the history of those who served our country.”
According to Amezcua, various renovations to the Fort Scott National Cemetery Lodge have been completed over the years, but nothing as extensive as the current project. He explained the building’s current renovation includes electrical improvements, exterior and interior architectural improvements, improvements to the roof, mechanical and plumbing improvements and the restoration of various historical features.
While some features of the renovation are new, like a new HVAC system and a new fire alarm system, others are original to the 150-year-old building. Take the red brick exterior, the slate tile roof and the windows, for example. All of these are original to 1871, when the house was first built.
“We had to get historic masonry experts out here that knew exactly what they needed to do to get [the exterior brick] restored, not only for the aesthetics, but also for the structural component,” said Amezcua. “[The slate roof and the original windows] were all restored … so they’re very unique. We are trying to get them as close as possible to period specific.”
Renovating these original features has not been easy, according to Amezcua. In part because of how old they are, but also because of Fort Scott National Cemetery’s somewhat remote location.
“We have the challenge of being in a unique location and since the Fort Scott National Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1999, all work must comply with the Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Archeology and Historic Preservation,” said Amezcua.
Despite the challenges of this extensive renovation project, once complete, it will serve as a historically important facility in the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Association’s portfolio.
“The cemetery has a profound and lasting impact on both the fallen servicemembers and their families,” said Amezcua. “The success of this project has been a collaborative effort from the entire team. It’s been a real honor and privilege to be part of it.”
Overlooking the graves of those who rest there, the Fort Scott National Cemetery Lodge has filled the role as the cemetery’s caretaker. The historic building has stood watch over our nation’s fallen heroes for more than 150 years and because of this renovation project, it will continue to do so for many more.