Presidential history: Presidential gravesites and memorials

Presidential gravesites and memorials can be found across the United States — in small villages, bustling cities and quiet family estates. Some memorials are grand and elaborate; others are simple and understated. These sites serve as historical markers, commemorating the lives and legacies of the nation’s past leaders.

Thomas Luebke and Kay Fanning note in their recent book “American Shrines: The Architecture of Presidential Commemoration,” “unlike other countries, the United States has no established pantheon for its dead presidents, nor anything similar to Westminster Abbey, which hosts the remains of several British prime ministers.”

George Washington left clear instructions for how he wished to be remembered after his death: no speeches, no parades and that his remains should stay a