The Columbus Cemetery that Launched Memorial Day
columbus cemetary, culture, friendship cemetery, memorial day,
Trivia answer: In 1866, Columbus became the first American city to honor troops in what would later become Memorial Day.
During that year, many women in Columbus walked to Friendship Cemetery on the outskirts of the city and laid flowers on the graves of sodiers.
What made this occasion so momentous is that the women placed flowers on both Union and Confederate graves.
The next day, the New York Tribune printed a story about the unprejudiced acts of these women, and it eventually led to a widespread campaign to memorialize all fallen soldiers.
In 1873, Memorial Day was recognized as an official holiday when New York State designated it as a legal holiday, and other states soon followed.
