Happy Memorial Day! Today is a day to remember those who lost their lives fighting for our country. While many of us may know the meaning of today, here are some additional fun, historical facts you may not know.
1. It was originally called Decoration Day
To honor the deceased, soldiers would decorate graves of their fallen comrades with flowers, flags and wreaths. Hence Decoration Day. Although Memorial Day became its official title in the 1880s, the holiday wouldn’t legally become Memorial Day until 1967 (Source).
2. The red poppy is the symbol of the Memorial Day
The red poppy is a traditional symbol of Memorial Day (many veterans wear them to commemorate the day). The poppy was inspired by (World War I-era) John McCrae poem “In Flanders Fields” (Source).
3. Waterloo, New York is considered the birthplace of Memorial Day
According to the town’s website, in 1966 Congress unanimously passed a resolution to officially recognize Waterloo as the birthplace of the holiday. However, it remains a contentious debate, with other towns, like Boalsburg, Pa., claiming the title of “Birthplace of Memorial Day” as well (Source).
4. Arlington Cemetery is guarded Memorial weekend
On the Thursday before Memorial Day, soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They patrol the cemetery 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing. This tradition, called “Flags In”, has been in place since 1948 (Source).
5. Millions travel during Memorial weekend
Memorial Day unofficially marks the beginning of summer for many Americans, meaning the roads are typically packed with the first rush of weekend travelers. The American Automobile Association estimates that 39.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more away from their homes this weekend (Source).
