Cemetery Overview
Although the first verified and recorded interment for where the cemetery is currently located was 1/21/1935, many of the headstones date back to 1879. This is because Carlisle Barracks was home to the Carlisle Indian School, established in 1879. The school was the model for a nationwide system of boarding schools intended to assimilate American Indians into mainstream culture. Many of those who died while attending the school are interred in the cemetery grounds but no recorded date of interment was made. After the school closed in 1919 and those graves were eventually moved to where the present cemetery location while better record keeping measures started to be put in place. The last interment occurred in 2005 and the cemetery has remained closed to new interments since. Small, orderly and historical, the Carlisle Cemetery offers visitors a glimpse into the unique past of the United States and Native American history. Launch Army Cemeteries Explorer for Carlisle Barracks Main Post Cemetery here to locate a gravesite.

 

Visit Our Cemetery
 Information
Because the Carlisle Barracks cemetery resides on an active U.S. Army installation all non-DoD, non-federally-affiliated visitors without proper government identification should call ahead for information on how to properly obtain gate access to the Carlisle Barracks installation before departing. Visitors can obtain access information and assistance from the Carlisle Barracks Visitors Center located at 870 Jim Thorpe Road, Carlisle Barracks PA 17013 or by calling 717-245-3721. There are generally no staff members present at the cemetery. The cemetery has general parking available and is fully wheelchair-accessible.

 

Hours
The cemetery is open to the public daily during daylight hours.

One Cemetery Responsible Official from Carlisle Barracks provides oversight and administrative support for all cemetery operations. Grounds maintenance for the cemetery is cared for by the Carlisle Barracks Directorate of Public Works. The Cemetery falls underneath the responsibility of the Carlisle Barracks Garrison Command and the U.S. Army's Installation Management Command (IMCOM).

 Established: 1879 
 First Recorded Interment: 1/21/1935 
 Location:  Intersection of E. North St. and Jim Thorpe Rd., Carlisle, PA 17013
 Burials: 231 (U.S. Military Personnel; Civilians; Unknowns; Native Americans) 
 Columbarium:  No
 Acres: 0.22 acres 
 Status: Closed to any future interments 
 Last Interment/Inurnment: 8/11/2005 
Carlisle Barracks is located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The nearest major airport is Harrisburg International Airport (MDT/KMDT). This airport has international and domestic flights from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and is about 23 miles from the center of Carlisle Barracks, PA. Another major airport is Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR/KHGR), which has domestic flights from Hagerstown, Maryland and is 45 miles from Carlisle Barracks, PA. Lancaster Airport (LNS/KLNS) has domestic flights from Lancaster, PA and is 48 miles from Carlisle Barracks, PA

Project Description: The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was established and operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs between 1879 and 1918. Many young Native American students died of illness or disease while attending the school. At least 180 Native American students are buried in the Carlisle Barracks Post Cemetery (CBPC). The Army is working with the families and tribes of the decedents to honor the families' wishes. Some families are seeking to return their ancestors' remains to tribal lands, while other families are choosing to keep the remains at CBPC or to modify headstones."

Further information on the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and the students who attended may be found at: http://carlisleindian.dickinson.edu/

CBPC Native American Decedent List
Disinterment Request Forms
Archival Research Report
Carlisle Indian Industrial School Tri-fold
Listening Sessions
Ground Penetrating Radar Survey (February 2017)
Notices of Disinterment
Federal Register Notice (2022)
Press Release - Disinterment Project Findings
Carlisle Barracks
Cemetery Responsible Official

Engineer Ave., Bldg. 330
717-245-3908