Celebrating Memorial Day in Pa.

Where did Memorial Day originate? Although Congress and President Lyndon B. Johnson declared Waterloo, New York, the birthplace of Memorial Day in 1966, various places across the country claim earlier origins for the holiday. 

One of those places is Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. 

Boalsburg: Birthplace of Memorial Day? 

Located in Centre County, minutes from State College, Boalsburg calls itself a “tiny old-fashioned American village” and the birthplace of Memorial Day. As the story goes, a young teenager named Emma Hunter and her friend Sophie Keller gathered flowers and placed them on her father’s grave on a Sunday in October 1864. Her father was Dr. Reuben Hunter, a surgeon in the Union Army. On the same day, an older woman named Elizabeth Meyer scattered flowers on her son’s grave – he was a private in the Battle of Gettysburg. 

The women made a pact to meet again on the same day the following year to honor their loved ones, as well as others who had no one left to remember them. In the following months, the women’s plans spread around Boalsburg, and the annual tradition, soon named “Decoration Day,” began. 

Four years later, on May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan issued an order naming May 30, 1868, as a day “for the purpose of comrades who died in defense of their country.” The village now claims this as the origin of Memorial Day. 

Memorial Day Celebrations Across Pennsylvania 

Regardless of where the holiday originated, Pennsylvania is home to various Memorial Day celebrations and traditions. Here are just a few from across the commonwealth. 

Boalsburg 

The claimed birthplace, Boalsburg hosts a Memorial Day Festival each year that lasts several days. The festival features food, music and craft vendors, as well as Civil War reenactments and exhibits at the Pennsylvania Military Museum. The village also hosts an annual Memorial Day Service in the Boalsburg Cemetery and the Annual Boalsburg Memorial Day Run. There’s also a parade and carnival. 

Philadelphia 

Philly offers numerous Memorial Day celebrations, including Memorial Day Weekend at the National Constitution Center, the annual ceremony at Laurel Hill Cemetery, the Bridesburg Memorial Day Parade, fireworks and more. 

Pittsburgh 

In Pittsburgh, remember veterans by going to the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum Celebration or the Submarine Veterans Memorial Day Ceremony. The Red, Wild & Blue Parade at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is another way to celebrate, offering special contests, meet-and-greets and more for kids and families. 

Harrisburg 

Over Memorial Day weekend, Harrisburg is hosting its 57^th annual Artsfest, featuring more than 170 artisans and craftsmen in Riverfront Park. The festival also includes live entertainment, Jazzfest, 25 food trucks and more. On Memorial Day, runners come together on City Island for the Annual Platinum Memorial Day 5k, benefiting the Children of Fallen Patriots. 

Gettysburg 

Gettysburg is hosting its annual Memorial Day Parade today. The parade draws a wide range of participants and spectators and is followed by the Memorial Day Ceremony at the Soliders’ National Cemetery’s rostrum.