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Article: Memorial Day origins date back to Civil War.(Neighbor)(Lake County Discovery Museum)
- Article from:
- Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)
- Article date:
- May 30, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Paddock Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Diana Dretske
Memorial Day is a national holiday that traces its beginnings to the Civil War (1861-1865) and is an important reminder of those who died in the service of their country.
Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It's difficult to pinpoint the origins of the day, but it seems likely that it had many separate beginnings, including women's groups in the South who decorated graves before the end of the Civil War. The first widely observed Decoration Day was on May 30, 1868, commemorating the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers by ...