Memorial Day weekend is only days away now and while most of us are dreaming of beach getaways or rooftop barbecues, the actual origins of this long weekend are surprisingly close to home. 👀
Just a scenic drive away in the Finger Lakes region lies Waterloo, a tiny upstate New York village with a massive historical claim to fame.
Back in 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson officially designated this charming spot as the birthplace of Memorial Day.
While a few other towns have tried to steal the crown, Waterloo’s history is baked into the very fabric of the holiday we celebrate today.
Here’s the full story. 🇺🇸
The story behind Waterloo’s official title
Back in the summer of 1865, a local druggist named Henry C. Welles had a vision.
He believed that honoring the living veterans of the Civil War just wasn’t quite enough.
Setting aside a specific day to decorate the graves of the fallen felt like the perfect tribute to him, so he teamed up with General John B. Murray, a local county clerk and war hero, to make this dream a reality.
By May 5, 1866, the village of Waterloo went all out.
Businesses shut their doors, flags were flown at half-mast, and residents gathered for a massive community-wide observance, according to the town’s website.
They marched through the streets to martial music, carefully laying evergreens and flowers across three local cemeteries. This wasn’t just a fleeting moment.
The town kept the tradition alive year after year, eventually cementing its status on a national level.
The battle for the birthplace crown
Now, any good history lesson comes with a little drama.
Take a deep dive into the historical records and you will quickly find that over two dozen cities claim they actually started the tradition first.
Boalsburg, Pennsylvania and Columbus, Mississippi are just a couple of the contenders pointing to their own local grave-decorating ceremonies dating back to the 1860s.
Some historians even argued that Waterloo’s 1866 date was a mix-up in an old newspaper and that the real origins lie further south.
But despite the ongoing debate, Waterloo holds the ultimate trump card.
Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller recognized the village in 1966, and shortly after, the U.S. Congress and President Johnson unanimously passed a resolution legally crowning Waterloo as the holiday’s official birthplace.
How to experience Waterloo today
Looking for a unique escape from the city this weekend?
This Finger Lakes gem is packed with history.
You can actually step back in time at the National Memorial Day Museum, which is housed in a meticulously preserved pre-Civil War mansion right in the center of town.
The museum opens its doors every year on Memorial Day weekend, offering an intimate look at a traditional 1860s mourning parlor and original artifacts from the founders themselves.
Beyond the patriotic history, the village is perfectly situated for a gorgeous early summer road trip.
It sits just 15 minutes from Seneca Falls, another legendary town known as the birthplace of Women’s Rights.
Add in a stop for a classic root beer float at the old-school Mac’s Drive-In, and you have yourself the ultimate upstate NY adventure.
