Text by Candace Kanes Images from the Maine Historical Society,
Patten Free Library, Monson Historical Society, and Waterford
Historical Society. America's Memorial Day holiday has its roots
in the post-Civil War era when survivors decorated the graves of
those who had died in the war, but the holiday has expanded
since its official beginnings in 1868. Now, Memorial Day often
involves public parades honoring veterans and private
observances by family and friends who visit cemeteries and
decorate grave sites as part of the holiday. Images of parades
suggest the ways in which Maine communities have remembered
veterans. Images of gravestones in various communities are
reminders of the deceased's contributions to life. Some stones
also feature carved symbols that speak not only of the person's
life, but were intended to aid their passage into the afterlife.
The holiday is one that requires looking back to reflect on the
ways in which past events and particular people have brought us
to the present.