Veterans Day: Washington Soldiers Home Cemetery

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

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Here are a few photos from the Washington Soldiers Home Cemetery, near Orting, Washington. The day we visited, it was rainy and cold, with the temperature hovering around 45 degrees. Such a dank and moldy day added to the melancholy of the setting. This cemetery, set on a wooded hillside and surrounded by a short stone wall, looks like it has begun to slip a bit, with the earth sliding away, the rows lumpy and uneven. Mole hills dotted the graves and the flag drooped in the drizzle. A sad and somber day.

We took these photos last month, but thought they would be appropriate for today, Veterans Day. Many heartfelt thanks to everyone who has served in the armed forces or is on active duty defending our freedoms. Your valor and sacrifice have made our nation strong and proud. God bless you!



The men buried in these graves gave everything for our country. They fought in the Mexican War, Civil War, Indian Wars, Spanish-American War, The Great War [WW1], World War Two, Korean War, and the Viet Nam War. There are a few women buried here, too, who either served their country in uniform, or were part of the early Soldiers Home Colony. Many of the graves in the photographs at the top of the post [when enlarged] bear only the Company designation and name of the soldier, not his birth or death dates. They appear to be from the 19th Century.

After their years of service, many struggling Washington veterans moved into the Soldiers Home for care and housing. When the home was first established, many veterans came to the home temporarily, regained their health and a new lease on life, and returned to their families. Read a fascinating report about the history of the Washington Soldier's Home here.

Thank you and God Bless You, Veterans!