Why does jfk have an eternal flame at his grave

Kennedy is one of only two presidents buried at Arlington. The other is William Howard Taft , who died in At the time of Kennedy's death, many believed that he would be buried in Brookline, Massachusetts, where he was born and raised.

Besides Taft, Woodrow Wilson was the only other president who had been buried outside of his native state and in the National Capital region. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy wanted her husband's gravesite to be accessible to the American public. In selecting a location, she consulted with the president's brother, Robert F. Kennedy , and Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara—both of whom are now also buried at Arlington.

The original gravesite was located on a sloping hillside along an axis line between Arlington House and the Lincoln Memorial. Millions of people watched live coverage of the funeral on television, leading to an unprecedented increase in demand for burials at Arlington National Cemetery.

The initial plot was 20 feet by 30 feet and was surrounded by a white picket fence. During the first year after Kennedy's death, up to 3, people per hour visited his gravesite, and on weekends an estimated 50, people visited. This message will appear once per week unless you renew or log out. Skip to main content Skip to main menu Skip to search Skip to footer. Search for:. Manage subscription. Subscribe to the Monitor. Monitor Daily current issue. Monitor Weekly digital edition.

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After John F. Kennedy was assassinated, his wife, Jackie Kennedy, was very specific about the type of memorial she wanted him to have.

She had previously admired the eternal flame at the tomb of the French Unknown Soldier in Paris, and felt that a similar tribute would be appropriate for her husband. The idea was approved, and the Washington Gas Company had about a day to design a propane torch that could be used at the funeral. They pulled it off, and the flame has been burning ever since. Well, sort of. First, there was the holy water incident.