Presidential Funerals: From Private Family Affairs To Major National Events

George Washington set the precedent for many presidential traditions, including funerals. He was buried in a modest, private ceremony at his Mt. Vernon estate in Virginia.

"The expectation was that in retirement presidents returned to their private lives and that would then dictate where they were buried," said Matt Costello, the senior historian with the White House Historical Association, a private group that works closely with the White House.

"There's very much this older tradition of presidents being buried on family properties, near family properties, and a lot of the funeral arrangements are handled by family members," he said.

Today, presidential funerals are meticulously planned years in advance by a large military task force that works closely with the government and the ex-president's family.