Upstate New York: The Birthplace of Memorial Day

The tradition of honoring our fallen heroes started in a small town outside of Syracuse.

It has been a national holiday since 1971, but honoring our fallen soldiers became a tradition back in the 1860's according to the History Channel. But one town in Upstate New York earned the honor of being declared the official birthplace of Memorial Day.

The History Channel says several communities had 'Memorial Days' but Waterloo, New York was named the birthplace because of the Memorial Day ceremonies they first held on May 5, 1866 were community-wide and organized, and included businesses shutting down for the day.

Memorial Day first became a nationwide day on May 30th to honor the soldiers we lost in all wars. The History Channel says when it became a national holiday in 1971 is when it was moved to the last Monday of the month.

While it is neat to have a NY town recognized as the birthplace of such an important day, the long-standing tradition of honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom is one that was born in and is a part of the fabric of all communities across the nation. This Memorial Day, we all remember.