Birthplace of Memorial Day - Fun Fact
The tradition of Memorial Day was started in Waterloo, NY, on May 5, 1866, when they held their first observance of Memorial Day, an idea of Henry C Welles. It was a day dedicated to honoring the Civil War dead. In 1873, New York became the first state to proclaim Memorial Day, Decoration Day, as a public holiday. In 1966, the Federal Government formally recoginized Waterloo, NY as the Birthplace of Memorial Day.