Togus National Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Togus National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery
located at Togus
, a facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
at Chelsea
in Kennebec County, Maine
. It encompasses 31.2 acres (126,262 m²), and as of the end of 2005, had 5,373 interments. It is closed to new interments.
Native American
word for mineral water
, the area the cemetery resides on was formerly a hotel and resort known as Togus Springs. The resort failed as a business due to the outbreak of the Civil War
, and its owner died shortly thereafter. The federal government purchased the property for 50,000 dollars and established a veteran care facility
. The first veterans were admitted on November 10, 1866. The facility was expanded and eventually had the capacity for 3,000 veterans.
The cemetery itself is divided into two plots, the West Cemetery and the East Cemetery. The older West Cemetery was first established in 1865 and moved to its present location in 1867; it closed for interments in 1936. The East Cemetery was opened in 1936 to provide additional interment space. It was closed for interments in 1961.
United States National Cemetery
"United States National Cemetery" is a designation for 146 nationally important cemeteries in the United States. A National Cemetery is generally a military cemetery containing the graves of U.S. military personnel, veterans and their spouses but not exclusively so...
located at Togus
Togus, Maine
Togus is a facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in Chelsea, Maine. The facility was built as a resort hotel, and housed Union veterans of the American Civil War prior to being converted to a veterans hospital....
, a facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
at Chelsea
Chelsea, Maine
Chelsea is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,559 at the 2000 census.-History:Chelsea was incorporated as a town on March 1, 1851 separating from a portion of Hallowell. The town was named after the town of Chelsea, Massachusetts...
in Kennebec County, Maine
Kennebec County, Maine
Kennebec County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 122,151. Its county seat is Augusta. The center of population of Maine is located in Kennebec County, in the city of Augusta....
. It encompasses 31.2 acres (126,262 m²), and as of the end of 2005, had 5,373 interments. It is closed to new interments.
History
Named for an AlgonquianAlgonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
word for mineral water
Mineral water
Mineral water is water containing minerals or other dissolved substances that alter its taste or give it therapeutic value, generally obtained from a naturally occurring mineral spring or source. Dissolved substances in the water may include various salts and sulfur compounds...
, the area the cemetery resides on was formerly a hotel and resort known as Togus Springs. The resort failed as a business due to the outbreak of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and its owner died shortly thereafter. The federal government purchased the property for 50,000 dollars and established a veteran care facility
Old soldiers' home
An old soldiers' home is a military veteran's retirement home, nursing home, or hospital, or sometimes even an institution for the care of the widows and orphans of a nation's soldiers, sailors, and marines, etc.-United States:...
. The first veterans were admitted on November 10, 1866. The facility was expanded and eventually had the capacity for 3,000 veterans.
The cemetery itself is divided into two plots, the West Cemetery and the East Cemetery. The older West Cemetery was first established in 1865 and moved to its present location in 1867; it closed for interments in 1936. The East Cemetery was opened in 1936 to provide additional interment space. It was closed for interments in 1961.
Notable interments
- Private David John Scannell, Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient for action in the Boxer RebellionBoxer RebellionThe Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
.
See also
- United States Department of Veterans AffairsUnited States Department of Veterans AffairsThe United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
- United States National CemeteryUnited States National Cemetery"United States National Cemetery" is a designation for 146 nationally important cemeteries in the United States. A National Cemetery is generally a military cemetery containing the graves of U.S. military personnel, veterans and their spouses but not exclusively so...