First Memorial Day

The practice of decorating the graves of fallen soldiers goes back at least to ancient Greece and Rome, and possibly earlier. In the US the practice became more common during the civil war, both in the North and South. Warrenton, VA, Savanah GA, Gettysburg, PA, and Boalsburg, PA all have what appear to be viable claims to initiating the tradition during the Civil War. In 1868, John A Logan, Commander in Chief of the grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans, designated May 30th as a day of memorial for fallen soldiers. The day was referred to as Decoration Day in reference to women decorating the graves of soldiers with flowers, flags and wreaths during the Civil War. A transition to the title Memorial Day started in the 1880s, though “Decoration Day” continues to be used by many even today. Memorial Day became an official federal holiday in 1971 for honoring men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. This is in contrast to Veterans Day, which honors those who served.

Today, Memorial Day is a multi-day festival in Boalsburg that claims to be the “Birthplace of Memorial Day.” The celebration includes a memorial ceremony, parade, street food, carnival rides, music, craft vendors, Civil War battle re-enactments, and a run/walk. The Pennsylvania Military Museum and Boal Mansion with Columbus Chapel also are open for tours. The Boalsburg Cemetery behind St. John’s United Church of Christ Church and adjacent to the Zion Lutheran Church is a focal point where there is a life-size bronze statue commemorating three women - Emma Hunter Stuart, Sophie Keller Hall and Elizabeth Weaver Myers - who in October 1864 laid flowers on the graves of Emma’s father and Elizabeth’s son, both Civil War casualties.

Also pictured is Duff’s Tavern, which has been on the diamond (square) in the Village of Boalsburg since 1819. The tavern has gone through numerous owners and had to be partially rebuilt after a 1934 fire. It was a stop on a stagecoach route to Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh), which would have been a great financial benefit to the tavern.