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Memorial Day Events Honoring Veterans
Memorial Day, which was first known as Decoration Day, honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Each year a number of Memorial Day events celebrate the deeper meaning of the holiday.
Cold Water Cemetery
Close to home is the annual Memorial Day Service at Cold Water Cemetery, which is owned and operated the Daughters of the American Revolution. The cemetery is the burial place of veterans who fought in nine American wars all the way back to the American Revolution.
The service is Monday, May 29, at 10:00 a.m. in this tiny cemetery located at 15290 Old Halls Ferry Road in Florissant near the Pallottine Renewal Center. The service includes some reenactments, 21-gun salute, flags placed on each grave and a rose for DAR members, “Taps”, vocalists, and a bagpiper. Directions to Cold Water Cemetery are available at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~modarcwc/directions.htm.
Other Memorial Day Event honoring veterans include a Memorial Day Service at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery and the Alton Memorial Day Parade. The Cold Water Creek and Jefferson Barracks Memorial Services and the Alton Parade are free events.
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
The Memorial Service at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery honors all those who have served. It is held at 10 a.m. in the cemetery chapel amidst the headstones. Each year local boy scouts place an American flag on each of the nearly 190,000 headstone, making for an impressive sight. Jefferson Barracks is located at 2900 Sheridan Road, St. Louis, MO 63125; the phone number is 314-845-8320.
Alton Memorial Day Parade
Dating back to 1868, the Alton Memorial Day Parade is the oldest consecutive running Memorial Day parade in the nation. The parade honors American veterans and celebrates the history of this small Mississippi River town. The parade begins Memorial Day at 10 a.m., May 29 at the intersection of College and Washington Avenues in Alton. For information call (618) 462-7527.
