05/24/2026
Memorial Day; More than BBQ and backyard fun. Pay tribute to those friends and family that serve, have served, and died for us to have a day to celebrate.....
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on the last Monday of May to honor and mourn military personnel who died in service. Originally known as "Decoration Day," it emerged in the aftermath of the Civil War as communities gathered to decorate fallen soldiers' graves.
General Orders No. 11 (1868): On May 5, 1868, Major General John A. Logan—head of the Union veterans' organization known as the Grand Army of the Republic—established "Decoration Day". He selected May 30 as a date to decorate the graves of Union troops with flowers, specifically chosen because spring flowers would be in bloom.
First National Observance: The first large national celebration took place on May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery, where participants decorated both Union and Confederate graves.