On October 15, 2026, the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) marked a historic milestone with the groundbreaking of the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery – North Alabama. A standing-room-only crowd gathered to celebrate the occasion, reflecting the deep appreciation and shared commitment of state leaders, veterans, families, and community members to honoring those who have served our nation.

Congressman Dale Strong and James Earp of the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) joined state and community representatives for the ceremony, commemorating the beginning of a project designed to bring dignified burial services closer to home for North Alabama veterans and their families.
Located near Maysville in Madison County, the new cemetery is planned for approximately 150 acres and is projected to accommodate as many as 150,000 burial sites over an anticipated 200-year lifespan. The facility will significantly expand access to veterans’ burial benefits in a region where more than 42,000 veterans live over 75 miles from a state or national veterans cemetery.

The project’s initial development plans include 2,800 pre-placed crypts for casket burials, 800 in-ground cremation burial sites, 960 columbarium niches, and 100 memorial wall sites. Supporting infrastructure is planned to include roadways, sidewalks, storm drainage, fencing, cemetery signage, a memorial walk, committal shelters, an administration building, and maintenance facilities.

Plans also include an amphitheater with seating for approximately 150 to 200 people, creating a gathering place for commemorative events and community observances. These features will help establish the cemetery as more than a final resting place—it will also be a setting for remembrance, reflection, and education for generations to come.
The cemetery represents a major investment in the future of veterans’ services. The project has received approximately $18.9 million in federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, along with state funding supporting land acquisition and construction. An additional $875,000 in federal funding has been awarded for a vault section.

Construction is expected to take approximately 16 to 18 months following the groundbreaking. Once completed, the cemetery will provide eligible veterans and their qualifying family members with a dignified place of rest closer to the communities they called home. Eligible burial services are planned to be provided at no cost to veterans and qualifying family members.

The groundbreaking marks the beginning of a lasting commitment to the men and women whose service and sacrifice have helped preserve our nation’s freedoms. For families across North Alabama, the cemetery will offer a place to honor loved ones, reflect on their service, and pass their stories on to future generations.