Memorial Day Has Been Celebrated in Sandusky Since 1870

Since 1870, when it was known as Decoration Day, Sandusky area residents have been celebrating Memorial Day, a holiday which honors those who died in war. In Sandusky’s first Decoration Day celebration, there was a parade from the newly built Sandusky High School (later Adams Junior High) to Oakland Cemetery, where several city leaders gave addresses, and the Great Western Band played patriotic music, as the crowd reflected on those lost in war. Attorney Walter F. Stone served as “President of the Day.”

Below is a portion of the listing of the Civil War veterans buried in Sandusky, which appeared in the January 20, 1880 issue of the Sandusky Register.

The last name on the excerpt above is the name of Dr. R. R. McMeens, who lost his life while serving as a physician during the Civil War. The local post of the G.A.R. was named for Dr. McMeens.

 Sandusky’s Veterans Memorial Park, just west of the Erie County Courthouse, honors all local veterans from the Civil War forward. Visit the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center, to learn more about your own ancestors who served in the military. There are a wide variety of print and online resources to aid you in your research.