Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families Celebrates 50 Years of Service at Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery
ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 1, 2026) — The Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families today celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery in Dorchester County, honoring five decades of service to Maryland veterans, military families, and the Eastern Shore community.
Established in 1976, Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery was the first Maryland state veterans cemetery and served as the foundation for what would become today’s Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. Over the past 50 years, the cemetery has conducted more than 9,215 burials and maintains 7,711 graves, providing a dignified final resting place for veterans and eligible family members while serving as a place of remembrance, reflection, and military honors. Today, Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery remains one of five state veterans cemeteries operated by the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families.
“Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery is more than a cemetery—it is a promise kept,” said Secretary Ed Rothstein, Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. “For five decades, this hallowed ground has served as a place where families find comfort, communities gather in remembrance, and Maryland honors those who answered the call to serve. I am proud of the role this cemetery has played in the fabric of Dorchester County and the Eastern Shore, and proud of the dedicated individuals who have cared for these grounds with reverence and respect. As we mark 50 years of service, we celebrate a legacy that will endure for generations and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to those who have worn our nation’s uniform.”
During the ceremony, officials reflected on the cemetery’s history and its important role in Maryland’s veterans cemetery system. As Maryland’s first state veterans cemetery, Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery established the model for the state's cemetery program and helped lay the foundation for today's Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families.
“Marylanders have a strong history of serving their country and for five decades, the Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery has become a place that honors those who answered the call for our country,” said Secretary Jake Day, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. “This site reminds all of us of the sacrifice the service members buried here - and their families - experienced while pursuing something meaningful, even when there is a cost.”
The ceremony also recognized the thousands of veterans and family members interred at the cemetery, including Private John Henry Blades of the First Maryland Infantry, Company K, and Corporal Nicholas Waters of the 19th United States Colored Troops, whose service reflects the courage, sacrifice, and legacy of Maryland veterans throughout history.