Photos from Memorial Day 2009

Where did it come from?

Although many towns, especially in the South, claim to have been the first to celebrate Memorial Day, (or Decoration Day as it was known then) and not disregarding the fact that in 1966 President Johnson proclaimed Waterloo, NY as the birthplace of Memorial Day, the earliest documented display of a memorial observance was in 1864 in a graveyard in Centre County, Pennsylvania

Meet Amos Meyer. Amos was a member of the 148th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers and was killed on the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 3rd 1863. On a Sunday afternoon in October 1864, Amos's mother, while spreading flowers on her son's grave, met a young girl, Emma Hunter and her friend Sophie Keller, who were spreading flowers on Emma's father's grave.

Mrs. Meyer spread some flowers on the grave of Emma's father, Dr. Ruben Hunter, a Surgeon in the Union Army, and young Emma spread some flowers on Amos's grave. The grieving parties made plans to meet in one year and again spread flowers on the graves of their loved ones. Thus in the graveyard at Boalsberg, Pennsylvania the celebration we now know as Memorial Day was born.

From the pen of Dr. John McCrae, Lt. Col., Surgeon, Canadian Army, written amid the blood and gore of the great battles in the Ypres saliant in 1915, came the immortal words that so poignantly portray those who gave their lives in service to their respective nations.

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks,

still bravely singing,

fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead.

Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throwthe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders fields.

Essex Farm Cemetary close to where Dr. McCrea wrote the poem: Circa 1918
A salute to all my fellow Veterans who sacrificed their energies so we can enjoy the freedoms that we take for granted today.

Our day today: