The Final Resting Place of President John F. Kennedy:

The Untold Story of a Lost Memorial

The national mourning accompanying the burial of President John F. Kennedy on November 25, 1963, also set in motion the creation of the President’s final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery. What is unknown is that a further memorial was planned as part of the grave, based on a concept by the French jewelry designer Jean Schlumberger of Tiffany & Co., and was almost implemented before being quietly abandoned in the early 1970s. New research at the Oak Spring Garden Foundation has located this forgotten memorial and brought to light its previously untold story. This video outlines the fascinating story behind President Kennedy’s lost memorial. You an also learn more by reading our press release, or an exhaustive article by Gretchen Henderson published in the journal Ploughshares’ Fall 2024 issue.

About the Oak Spring Garden Foundation 

The Oak Spring Garden Foundation in Upperville, Virginia (osgf.org) is an estate of Rachel ‘Bunny’ Lambert Mellon that includes the former Mellon home, an exquisite garden and large part of the former Mellon estate, including an exceptional library focused on the history of plant science, plant exploration, andthe development of gardens and landscape design. The mission of OSGF is to perpetuate and share the gifts of Rachel (“Bunny”) Lambert Mellon, to serve the public interest with a primary focus on inspiring and facilitating scholarship and public dialogue on the history and future of plants, including the culture of gardens and landscapes and the importance of plants for human well-being.