The History of Memorial Day
Today we honor all brave men and women who fought for and gave their lives for our country.
Memorial Day was first known as Decoration Day, initially created to honor fallen soldiers after the American Civil War. While its origins are unknown, Waterloo, New York, was named the official birthplace of Decoration Day because of its community-wide celebration when businesses closed and flags and flowers were placed on the graves of soldiers.
Northern and southern states originally celebrated Decoration Day on different days for decades. After World War I and World War II, Decoration Day became widely referred to as Memorial Day. Congress standardized the holiday as Memorial Day in 1971 and changed its observance to the last Monday in May.
Today, we continue the traditions established throughout the years. We hope everyone has a safe and happy Memorial Day!