The federal government owns more historic properties than any other entity in the United States, by a long shot. But what do government agencies do with all those old, well-constructed, and often architecturally significant buildings when they can no longer be put to beneficial use? Maybe they find someone else to use them. Well, that’s just what the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) hopes to do with some of its vacant historic Superintendent Lodges.

Established in 1862, America’s first National Cemeteries were created for the purpose of burying the Civil War’s mass casualties. After the war ended, Congress passed an act to protect these places of honor with perimeter fortifications and built residential lodges for cemetery superintendents, or “caretakers,” who were usually veterans. Today, the lodges are no longer used by caretakers, but five of the 59 structures are still residences for NCA directors or assistant directors. Most of the others have been converted to administrative or office space, and many are being used by other agencies like historical societies or the National Park Service. Still, about one third of these lodges are vacant and need repair, rehabilitation, and updated systems, so the NCA is looking to section 111 of the National Historic Preservation Act for guidance.

Ed Hooker, III, historic architect with the NCA says that section 111 allows for the leasing and adaptive re-use of federally owned historic properties no longer needed for current or projected agency purposes. “Ideally people would sign a 50-year inexpensive lease, and then take advantage of tax credits to rehab the buildings,” says Hooker. “These places are really integral to the design of the cemeteries, and we’d love to see them occupied, so at this point we are open to anything that would be considered light-duty use.” Hooker sites the Staunton and Winchester lodges as prime examples. “They are in town and would be good for a small tech or design firm.”

Built between 1869 and 1952, many of the vacant lodges need new mechanical systems, wiring, plumbing, connectivity, and HVAC, so the lease amounts would be anywhere from $1 to market rate depending on the investment the tenant is willing to make toward rehabilitation and maintenance. As a requirement of these leasing arrangements, tenants would also be responsible for adhering to standards and procedures outlined in the National Historic Preservation Act, and the physical condition of each lodge would be monitored by NCA once every 18 months.

So far, the plan to lease these buildings is working out. A bed-and-breakfast operation has recently submitted a proposal to lease the Finn’s Point Cemetery lodge in Pennsville, New Jersey. Hooker says that the lodge in Jefferson City, Missouri, will also soon be put back into use. “Historic City of Jefferson [Jefferson City’s local preservation group] is doing fundraising now to complete preservation work and establish the lodge as their headquarters,” says Hooker. “What space it doesn’t need, it will sublease to other organizations.”

As many of the original National Cemeteries were established near areas of heavy Civil War casualty, so too many of vacant lodges are in the Southeast. Architectural styles range from Second Empire and Dutch Colonial to Classical Revival, Bungalow, and modern ranch. Because this program is still being developed, information about leasing these historic lodges is not yet widely available, but details will be published soon at www.cem.va.gov.