Monday, June 17th, 8pm

Originally scheduled for Memorial Day, but rained out, join us at the Civil War monument and flagpole for a special event during the Summer Kickoff on June 17th.  We will honor the history of Memorial Day and also the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization founded April 6, 1866 for veterans of the Civil war. The flagpole has been unused for several decades, and we will re-dedicate it and raise a flag on Memorial Day.

Beltrami Park has a unique history with the Civil War, including a monument dedicated to the Grand Army of the Republic.

On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan issued a proclamation calling for “Decoration Day” to be observed annually and nationwide; he was commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republicⁱ, thus the G.A.R. helped create Memorial Day as a national Holiday. In the half decade after the Civil War, the G.A.R. and its auxiliary were typically the sponsors of the ceremonies held at cemeteries on Memorial Day.  The last living member of the Grand Army of the Republic was Albert Woolson of Duluth, MN. He died on August 2, 1956, and thus the Grand Army of the Republic ceased to be.

Special guests include Minnesota National Guard, Color Guard, the Sunbeam Grange, and Brass Quintet performing an arrangement of music including Copland’s Lincoln Portrait.