Dwight D. Eisenhower Gravesite, Abilene, Kansas

General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, was laid to rest in Abilene, Kansas.

The fountain, in operation since 1966, was clean and in good working order.

The crypts are inside of a building called the Place of Meditation on the grounds of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home.

The fountain is round; it appears misshapen from the angle of this photo.

Completed in 1966, the Place of Meditation is free to visit, and the doors to this building are open even when the museum and library are closed. Parking is also free here.

The building has the appearance of a chapel, but there are no services conducted here, and it is not a place of worship.

“According to General Eisenhower’s wishes, it was hoped that visitors would reflect upon the ideals that made this a great nation and pledge themselves again to continued loyalty to those ideals.”

The building, which serves as a mausoleum, is approximately 75 feet long and 35 feet wide in the center, tapering to about 25 feet at each end. It is about 35 feet tall, the tower in the front is over 50 feet tall, and the aluminum spire attached is 24 feet tall.

Designed by James Canole, Kansas State architect, it is built of native limestone quarried in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. Source

The rear of the chapel, photo by Scott Hearne.

Described as a “non-denomination meditation chapel,” the building does feature a cross over the Eisenhower crypts, the only religious symbol found here.

Photo by Scott Hearne

The interior of the building includes travertine marble from Germany, Italy, and France.

The chipped glass windows that line the walls were designed by Odell Prather of Pennsylvania.

Odell’s vision came to life through the Conway Glass Studio of Minnesota, who made the windows he designed.

The recessed crypt space is lined with quotes from General Eisenhower.

“Every gun made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed … This is not a way of life at all … Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.” The Chance for Peace Address, Washington, DC, April 16, 1953

“Humility must always be the portion of any man who receives socialism earned in blood of his followers and sacrifices of his friends.” Guildhall Address, London, June 12, 1945

“The real fire within the builders of America was faith – faith in a Provident God whose hand supported and guided them: faith in themselves as the children of God … faith in their country and its principles that proclaimed man’s right to freedom and justice.” Abilene Homecoming, June 4, 1952

Doud Dwight Eisenhower (1917-1921)

Doud Dwight “Icky” Eisenhower was the first child born to General Eisenhower and Mamie Doud Eisenhower and the first in the Eisenhower family to be interred here. “The greatest disappointment and disaster” of General Eisenhower’s life occurred when Doud died from scarlet fever at age three in 1921.

Abilene Daily Reflector, Abilene, KS, Jan 1, 1921

Little Doud was buried in his mother’s family plot in Colorado, thirty-two years before his father became President. Before the Place of Meditation was complete, General Eisenhower had Doud moved from Colorado and reinterred in the Place of Medication.

Doud’s plaque is affixed to the recessed crypt where he rests between his parents.

Photo by Scott Hearne

Dwight David Eisenhower (1890-1969)

Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower wasn’t born in Abilene, but he considered it to be his boyhood home, having spent many formative years there.

Ike lived in this home in Abilene from age two to nineteen, and sporadically after that.

I won’t spend too much time rehashing the life of Ike, or his incredible military accomplishments (like serving as supreme commander during the Allied invasion of Normandy) and his non-military accomplishments (like establishing our nationwide interstate system that makes it so much easier for us to get around), but you can read all about him in the links at the end of this article (or better yet, visit Abilene).

That Ike chose to be buried in the Place of Meditation seemed to be an open secret until his death. Visitors to the construction site who saw the crypts asked “what are you putting those 4-by-8-foot holes down there for?”, and construction workers did not give an answer out of respect for the General. After the reinterment of little Doud from Colorado to Abilene, speculation increased that the General would be buried beside him, but he never publicly confirmed it while he was alive.

The Salina Journal, Salina, KS, Jun 5, 1966

General Eisenhower died of a heart attack on March 28, 1969. His body was placed in an $80 government-issue casket, per his request, and after a multi-day mourning event, his body was transported by train from D.C. to Abilene, “the way any common soldier would have gone home for burial — and the way Ike wanted it to be.” The train was greeted “by a hushed crowd, a tolling bell, booming cannon, by prayer and by the haunting melody of “Taps”.”

Following a public ceremony in front of the library in Abilene, General Eisenhower was privately laid to rest inside in the Place of Mediation. You can view photos of his funeral here.

Mamie Doud Eisenhower (1896-1979)

Mary Geneva “Mamie” Doud was born in Boone, Iowa but was raised in Colorado. She married Dwight when she was 19 and he was a 26-year-old second lieutenant. Mamie was an army wife, supporting her husband’s 37 year career through 33 different moves, which she admitted was depressing and lonely. Aside from navigating the death of her first child, Mamie endured other hardships—from living in a jungle to dealing with rumors of Ike’s unfaithfulness.

Mamie and Ike, 1916. Source

To keep herself busy as an army wife, Mamie volunteered with different organizations and became well-known for hosting parties for soldiers and their wives. As First Lady, Mamie expertly managed the White House and hosted many guests. She also became well-known for her iconic “Mamie bangs” and her love of the color pink, sparking a design trend of “Mamie pink” fixtures and finishes. The next time you are lucky enough to see a pink bathtub or pink wallpaper from the 50’s, think of Mamie.

Ike said Mamie had an “unaffected manner.” The public called her youthful, fashionable, and approachable look “Mamie style.” She lived for a decade after her husband died, spending lots of time alone in her bedroom. Near the end of her life, she voiced public support for the Vietnam War and opposition to the women’s liberation movement. She died of a stroke November 1, 1979.