Memorial Day Originates in Central PA!

On an October Sunday in 1864, three women unknowingly started a tradition that continues each year. Emma Hunter and her friend Sophie Keller gathered wild flowers and set out to place them on the grave of Emma’s Father, Dr. Reuben Hunter, at Boalsburg Cemetery. Dr. Hunter was a Union Surgeon during the civil war and died in service. Once the two young women had gathered enough flowers they set out to the cemetery to pay their respects.

Upon entering the cemetery, the two girls came across another woman by the name of Mrs. Elizabeth Meyer who was also placing flowers. She was there to pay respect to her son Amos. Amos had died while in service to the Union during the battle of Gettysburg. The three women talked for some time and then proceeded to lay flowers on the other loved ones graves. Little did they know that at that time they were participating in the nation’s first Memorial Day service. Before leaving the cemetery, the three women made a promise to meet and pay memorial the next year as well.

By the next year, word spread about Ms. Hunter, Ms. Keller, and Mrs. Meyer’s intentions to pay memorial. Soon more people from the Boalsburg community wished to participate. On July 4^th of 1856, the community gathered and Clergyman Dr. George Hall gave a sermon proceeded by flowers and flags being placed on the graves of soldiers. This tradition continued each year until May 5^th of 1868 when General John Logan issued that may 30^th 1898 would be the date of memorial. Later the date would become the last Monday of May as it is today.

As a little side note, there are over 24 communities nationwide the “claim” to be the originators of Memorial Day. However, only Waterloo, New York and Boalsburg, Pennsylvania have strong historical documentation and political backing. Also Memorial Day only paid homage to Union soldiers. The date would later grow to honor Confederate soldiers and then all military that died in service.

Today, Boalsburg holds its claim to Memorial Day very seriously. A Memorial Service is held each year in the Boalsburg Cemetery sometime around 6 o-clock in the morning. After the service many food, music, and craft venders line the streets of Boalsburg. Many of the shops in Boalsburg are also open including the historic Duffy’s Tavern that was once an Inn and stop between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Besides the venders, civil war reenactments and car shows are normally part of the event as well. Also the Pennsylvania Military Museum and the Boalsburg Mansion Museum are open to the public. Event goers can also visit the Columbus Chapel that dates back to 16^th century Spain. The chapel was shipped to Boalsburg in 1909 when a descendent of Christopher Columbus married a member of the local Bowl family, Col. Theodore Davis Boal.

After attending the Memorial Day event at Boalsburg, I received a newfound respect for our military and also Pennsylvania’s rich history. Boalsburg is right off of Route 322 just a little West of State College in Centre County.