In April 1986, the state of Vermont purchased 314.8 acres of land, formerly the Langevin Farm. The property was conveyed with the following stipulation: “. . . shall use the premises conveyed herein solely for the agricultural and educational purposes, as exemplified by Vermont Technical College, . . . in addition, may use a portion thereof as a veterans’ cemetery. . . .” It was decided that 110 acres be set aside for a cemetery. Planning for the Veterans Cemetery began soon after, and the dream was realized when it opened in 1993. The chapel was added in 1988, and dedicated in 1989.

At our present rate of burials and adding prequalified veterans, spouses, and dependents, it was projected that currently developed plots would be filled during the 2020 burial season. A few years ago, the Cemetery Advisory Board, in conjunction with the Office of Veterans Affairs and Buildings and General Services, began the process of creating a master plan for the entire cemetery acreage. This work resulted in the production of a 100-Year Master Plan. A grant application was submitted for the first phase of this plan in early 2014.

In October of 2014, Vermont was notified that its application to the National Cemetery Administration had been accepted and approved for a grant of $4.57 million. The master plan was accepted in October, the schematic design completed and accepted in late December, and the design development phase in February 2015. Construction design drawings and documents were completed, bid documents prepared, and the project was bid in May 2015. Based on the minimum bid, we had to amend the amount of the grant application. The National Cemetery Administration accepted the increase to the grant application and approved the grant for $5,695,359 on July 7, 2015; construction began in late August. Substantial completion was met in the fall of 2017, paving was completed in May of 2018. Inurnments at the columbarium began the first week of August 2018.

Informational Data:

Cemetery acreage: 110

Current gravesites: 5,480

Currently developed: 18

Graves maintained: 2,620

Expansion (Phase 1): 12

2018 interments: 179

Prequalified: 3,485

 

The Expansion Adds:

1,640 Burial Plots:

• 410 preplaced crypts for in-ground casket burial

• 390 in-ground cremains plot

• 840 columbarium niches

 

Public information center: 1,230 square feet

Maintenance facility: 2,652 square feet

In addition to the above, the grant will allow year-round operation of the cemetery. The old section is currently open only from May through the first week in December. The new road system will more directly connect visitors to the chapel and allow a secondary exit from the site.

by Robert E. Burke, Director

State of Vermont Office of Veterans Affairs