Veterans Mark 50 Years of Washington Square Flame

Veterans and families gathered at Philadelphia's Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier to mark half a century since the eternal flame was dedicated.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Awards

Eternal flame burning atop a weathered grey stone tomb in a quiet historic park, with red brick townhouses and trees behind it. — Veterans and families gathered in Philadelphia's Washington Square Park on Veterans Day to mark 50 years since the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier was dedicated. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Veterans and family members gathered at the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier in Washington Square Park for a Veterans Day ceremony. The event marked 50 years since the eternal flame's dedication in 1976.

Why it matters

The eternal flame serves as a lasting reminder of the service of those who fought in the Revolutionary War, and the commemoration honors Philadelphia's role in that history. The ceremony recognizes both the veterans of today and the soldiers buried at the site.

The ceremony marked 50 years since the 1976 dedication, which was timed to the nation's 200th anniversary. An estimated 2,000 soldiers were buried in the area during the British occupation of Philadelphia between 1777 and 1778.

The players

National Park Service

The National Park Service is the federal agency that maintains Washington Square and the eternal flame within it.

Justin Nurin

Justin Nurin is a bugler who played taps during the Veterans Day ceremony.

The details

Five red, white and blue wreaths were placed in front of the tomb, and bugler Justin Nurin played taps. The flame is fed by a gas line and monitored with a gas meter near the perimeter wall along Seventh Street, and it has burned consistently since installation apart from one or two times the gas went out.

1777-1778: British occupation of Philadelphia, when soldiers were buried in Washington Square.
1976: Eternal flame dedicated to mark the nation's 200th anniversary.
November 11, 2026: Veterans Day ceremony marks 50 years of the flame.

Season Trajectory

The Veterans Day ceremony continues a longstanding local tradition of marking the Revolutionary War burial site in Washington Square during the British occupation of Philadelphia from 1777 to 1778. Its 50th-year marker places the 1976 flame's commemoration within Philadelphia's ongoing observance of its colonial-era history.

Visitors to Washington Square Park can view the eternal flame and the tomb that honors the unknown Revolutionary War soldier. The flame continues to burn as a permanent local landmark for residents and tourists alike.

The takeaway

The 50-year anniversary of the eternal flame shows how a single site can keep a piece of Philadelphia's Revolutionary War history visible for generations. Visitors can see the tomb and flame for themselves at Washington Square Park.