Boalsburg honors Memorial Day founders, keeps 160-year tradition alive

May 15, 2024

by Zac Kaye

Tuesday, May 28th 2024

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Boalsburg is known as the ‘birthplace of Memorial Day,’ and members of the Boalsburg Memorial Day committee say the holiday brings the whole community together.

Emma Hunter, Sophie Keller, and Elizabeth Myers began the tradition of decorating soldiers’ graves in Boalsburg in 1864. The co-chair of the Memorial Day committee Annette Yorks says that these women started the tradition, and the town has kept it going strong for the last 160 years.

“This tradition means so much to this community, I mean people look forward to this, you can tell weeks before as the whole town is getting ready, it’s just a buzz, people can not wait until this weekend," said Yorks.

There was a Memorial Day run at 8 a.m. on Monday, and throughout the day there were historical reenactments, and the chance to learn more about the history of Memorial Day.

Van Winter is the chief of the Boalsburg fire company and says that the rain on Monday didn’t stop the people of Boalsburg from getting out and honoring those who gave the ‘ultimate sacrifice’ for this country.

“The community is invested with each other, they are all together, having the rain that we had, and having the amount of people who are here now even through the rain and those that came back after the rain, it just shows how much community support we have," said Winter.

One of the tents set up throughout the streets was by the nonprofit organization A Soldier’s Hands. Their founder Trish Shallenberger says that they send care packages to active military members, but today they remember those who passed away while serving.

“Not everyone comes home, so it’s important to recognize that and it’s important to always remember and reflect on why we have Memorial Day," said Shallenberger.

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