James Tanner Amphitheater

Designed by Montgomery C. Meigs and completed in 1873, this was the first amphitheater constructed in a national cemetery. Its layout guides visitors along an elliptical stone walkway beneath brick piers supporting a wooden trellis. A multi-year restoration finished in 2019 returned its historic finishes, revealing metallic bronze capitals and a yellow rostrum base. Renamed in 2014 to honor Civil War veteran and veterans' rights advocate James R. Tanner, who is buried nearby, the site offers a peaceful atmosphere within the wider grounds.