Baltimore National Cemetery

Established in 1936, Baltimore National Cemetery was one of seven national cemeteries the federal government established between 1934 and 1939 to provide more burial space for an increasing veteran population. At the time, space was quickly running out at existing national cemeteries, including Loudon National Cemetery in Baltimore which is located a few miles to the east Around 72 acres in size, the cemetery is the smallest of the seven that were constructed in that five-year span and contains nearly 46,000 burials. The structures on the property include a lodge built in 1938, the administrative building, and the assistant superintendent's lodge. There is also a memorial consisting of granite monuments and an interpretive plaque honoring the 1st through 6th Marine Divisions that served in World War II. The cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

Before the cemetery was established, the property was originally owned by the Baltimore Iron Ore Mining Company, which was founded in 1731. It was very successful (as a result of using enslaved labor) and became one of the largest iron producers in the colonies. The company dissolved after the Revolutionary War. Part of the property, lot 115, was sold to a signer of the Declaration of Independence and member of the Second Continental Congress, Charles Carroll, in 1810. Carroll then sold lot 115 to another individual named James Cox, who expanded the property to 79 acres by the time he passed away in 1845. He built a two-story house around 1810 as well and named the estate Cloud Capped. Parts of the house were used to build the present lodge building in 1938. After Cox died, subsequent owners, including the prominent Randall family, enlarged the property to about 90 acres by 1918 and built more structures including a stable and cottage.

By the late 1920s, space at the Loudon Park National Cemetery, which is located not far to the west, was beginning to run out. It was established in 1862 as one of the original 14 national cemeteries and was the only national cemetery in the Baltimore area. There were also around 30,000 World War I veterans living in the city at the time and it was clear that Loudon Park National Cemetery would not be able to accommodate them all. In 1936, Congress appropriated funds for a new national cemetery in Baltimore and tasked the War Department (the precursor to the Department of Defense) with finding a suitable site. Cloud Capped was chosen for its size, its location next to Frederick Road, and its access to the streetcar system.

Development of the cemetery occurred in phases, with the first lasting from February 1937 and ending in August the next year. The house was mostly demolished and the lodge was built, the cottage and stables were renovated, and the grounds were landscaped. The work was funded by the Works Progress Administration, which was one of several "New Deal" federal jobs programs implemented during the Great Depression. The first burial was that of George Edward Culver, who was interred on December 22, 1936.

The cemetery was developed further in the next few years. This included converting the cottage into the assistant superintendent's residence. The cemetery was considered for expansion in 1951 but high costs prevented that from happening. In 1970, it ran out of space and was closed to new burials.

"Baltimore National Cemetery." National Cemetery Administration. Accessed July 29, 2022. https://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/baltimore.asp.

Bennett, Alec et al. "Baltimore National Cemetery." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. March 8, 2016. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/61baeb62-d4bc-4a3b-9e69-f8afcb80eb82.