128 episodes

If you've ever walked the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, you've heard the voices of the past. Even if you haven't, you can still hear them in podcast form. A history podcast about Arlington National Cemetery and the stories of those buried there, with new episodes available first thing every Monday morning.

Ghosts of Arlington Podcast Jackson Irish

    • History
    • 4.8 • 17 Ratings

If you've ever walked the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, you've heard the voices of the past. Even if you haven't, you can still hear them in podcast form. A history podcast about Arlington National Cemetery and the stories of those buried there, with new episodes available first thing every Monday morning.

    #1: The Need for a National Cemetery

    #1: The Need for a National Cemetery

    This week we talk a little about what Arlington National Cemetery looks like today, what the property started out as, and why a national cemetery was needed next to Washington, DC in the first place.This Week's Ghosts of Arlington are:George Washington Parke Custis (Section 13, Grave 6513)Mary Lee Fitzhugh Custis (Section 13, Grave 6512)For more information, including links to stream the show, visit the GoA website: https://www.ghostsofarlingtonpodcast.com

    • 24 min
    #2: The First Burials at Arlington - An Act of Necessity and Vengeance

    #2: The First Burials at Arlington - An Act of Necessity and Vengeance

    This week we discuss some of the firsts in Arlington's history - including the first burial, the first burial with family present, the first burial of a combat casualty, the first burial of a draftee, and the first officer burial. Included is also the history of arguably history's most famous bugle call, Taps. This Week's Ghosts of Arlington are:US Army Private William Henry Christman (Section 27, Grave 19)US Army Private William H. McKinney (Section 27, Grave 98)US Army Private William ...

    • 16 min
    #3: Arlington Returns to the Lees

    #3: Arlington Returns to the Lees

    First off, there is a partial retraction (or at least a semi-correction) of last week's story of the origin of Taps... that didn't take long! Then, after years of unsuccessful attempts to recover the property and buildings of the former Arlington plantation, the Supreme Court rules in favor of the Lee family. So, what is the US Government going to do with the 20,000 military members interred there?!This week's ghosts are some of the former slaves who became known collectively as Freedmen and ...

    • 28 min
    #4: Custis Lee Gives Up Arlington

    #4: Custis Lee Gives Up Arlington

    After the Supreme Court ruled that Custis Lee was the legal owner of Arlington and the US Government was forced to give the property back, how did it end up back in government hands? This week's ghost of Arlington is: Army First Lieutenant John Meigs, the 22-year-old son of the father of Arlington National Cemetery, General Montgomery Meigs (Section 1, Grave 1-SH)For more information, including links to stream the show, visit the GoA website: https://www.ghostsofarlingtonpodcast.com...

    • 12 min
    #5: Montgomery C. Meigs, Part 1 - Father of Arlington National Cemetery

    #5: Montgomery C. Meigs, Part 1 - Father of Arlington National Cemetery

    This week's episode is the first of a two-part story about the life of Brevet Major General Montgomery C. Meigs,, covering his birth to just before the outbreak of the Civil War, with a major focus on his two most enduring pre-war engineering projects: The Capitol Expansion and Dome, and the Washington Aqueduct project.For more information, including links to stream the show and pictures from these two major construction projects, visit the GoA website: https://www.ghostsofarlingtonpodcast.co...

    • 31 min
    #6: Montgomery C. Meigs, Part 2 - Master Builder of the Union Army

    #6: Montgomery C. Meigs, Part 2 - Master Builder of the Union Army

    This is the second of our two-part story about the life of Montgomery Meigs. Many people with high-profile positions in the US Civil have praised Meigs as an unsung hero of the Civil War, saying without his expert management of Union logistics, the war could have had a very different outcome. He continued to leave his mark on Washington, DC after the war - overseeing the growth of Arlington National Cemetery, the expansion of the Smithsonian Institution, and his "Big Red Barn."This Week...

    • 19 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
17 Ratings

17 Ratings

CharmantUn ,

Engaging, listened with my kids

I’ve lived near DC for the past ten years. I finally took my kids to Arlington NC today, and it was great listening to several episodes while driving them to and from the cemetery. They’re 7 & 9, and just starting to enjoy history. I hadn’t been to Arlington since the mid 90s; this podcast made me comfortable skipping spending $30 on the tram tour. It worked out well for us and was a great accompaniment to the Junior Ranger program at the Custis Lee Mansion. I hope he makes other history podcasts about places in the Mid Atlantic.

Chris A in VA ,

A Weekly Most Do!

The Ghosts of Arlington is a most listen. I work next to Arlington Cemetery and pass it everyday. This Podcast has helped me better appreciate the sacrifices of the Ghosts of Arlington and helped me connect with our history. Thank you for bringing their stories to life.

Jake in VA ,

Must Listen

Jackson is a master storyteller, and each episode is moving, funny, and impactful in its own unique way. Arlington National Cemetery is one of the most sacred places in our wonderful country, and Jackson gives these stories that weave in, around, and through Arlington’s history their deserved treatment.
BZ, my friend. I commend it to everyone.

Top Podcasts In History

The Rest Is History
Goalhanger Podcasts
Tides of History
Wondery / Patrick Wyman
American Scandal
Wondery
Everything Everywhere Daily
Gary Arndt | Glassbox Media
American History Tellers
Wondery
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin