Memorial Day Service 2018

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The origins of Memorial Day in Minneapolis and the G.A.R. Lot at Layman”'s Cemetery

CAROLINE FALKNER, CIRCA 1938 COURTESY OF THE HENNEPIN HISTORY MUSEUM
The Grand Army of the Republic Lot inside the Lake Street Gates circa 1938.

Martin L. Nicks, the first burial in the G.A.R. Lot

May 28, 2018, will be the 150^th anniversary of the first Memorial Day or as it was originally called Decoration Day. It was on May 5, 1868, that General John A. Logan, Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued General Order No. 11, which called for “The 30^th of May, 1868, [to be] designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion”¦ with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year”¦” The late date of the order made any organized celebration in Minneapolis unlikely, and although there were no documented celebrations, it”'s still quite possible that the local members of the G.A.R. made a visit to the city cemetery (Layman”'s cemetery) and paid their respects to their fallen comrades. By the following year, 1869, it was quite a different story. The Minneapolis Tribune reported; “A large concourse of our citizens met at the cemetery and at 3½ pm formed in procession and proceeded to the graves of our soldiers… The Rev.… Read the rest “The origins of Memorial Day in Minneapolis and the G.A.R. Lot at Layman”'s Cemetery”