Tomb of Woodrow Wilson

What it is

This is a photograph of the interior of the chancel of the Washington National Cathedral. A pale stone sarcophagus-style tomb with arched panels stands in the center. Its top bears inscription lines. In the floor in front is a circular seal of the President of the United States. Tall Gothic pillars and stained glass windows surround the space. The photograph was taken in March 2006 by a visitor who uploaded it to Wikimedia Commons.

Why it matters

Wilson died in 1924, and his tomb marks where his body rests. The uploader noted that, at the time of the photograph, Wilson was the only U.S. president buried in the District of Columbia. The tomb shows how a nation chooses to honor a leader after death, and the seal in the floor reflects the office he held.

Look closer

• What symbols in the tomb and floor seal suggest what the nation wanted to remember about Wilson?
• Why might a memorial be built in a church rather than a park or public building?
• What does a photograph of a tomb not show about the person buried there?