VALDOSTA — A day of remembrance for all those who died in service to the United States, Memorial Day was officially proclaimed by Gen. John Logan on May 5, 1868. Acting as national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, he did this in his General Order No. 11. The day was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers buried at Arlington National Cemetery, all this according to usmemorialday.org.
New York was the first state to officially recognize Memorial Day as a holiday in 1873. Today, nearly every state in the country recognizes the Memorial Day holiday on the last Monday in May, a day set aside by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971.
Looking for something to do on Memorial Day or over the course of the three-day holiday weekend?
• A Memorial Day service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday at Southside Recreation Center, 604 N. Oak St. County Commissioner Edgar Roberts will speak.
• American Legion Post 13 will host a Memorial Day service at Sunset Hill Cemetery on Oak Street at 10 a.m. on Monday.
• Reed Bingham State Park in Adel will kick off its three-day Memorial Day weekend celebration with a Gators in the Dark program on Friday. The fun will continue Saturday and Sunday with a Lowndes County and Creek Indian Era historical program, a kiddie fishing rodeo, pontoon boat rides, animal programs, a birding hike, and more.
Local News
Memorial Day events
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Two Memorial Day ceremonies will be held at Sunset Hill Cemetery Monday to honor the fallen veterans of our country’s past and current wars.
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