My grandmother often called today “Decoration Day”—and that’s exactly how we spent those mornings: decorating graves. As you walk through cemeteries, have you noticed the ways in which military veterans are honored? Many have an “Avenue of Flags” proudly lining the entrance, but some offer additional tributes within their grounds.
I volunteer with the Nemaha County Historical Society, and we were recently asked to contribute information about local veteran memorials to a site maintained by the American Legion. The request encouraged us to include not only the military wall in Seneca, but also a tribute located in a rural cemetery.
Adding the military wall, the military museum, and the courthouse memorials in Seneca was straightforward. With the help of another volunteer, we also submitted information for the memorial in St. Bede’s Cemetery (Kelly, Kansas).
Once we had documented that cemetery tribute, we began looking for others—and so far, we’ve identified four memorials in local cemeteries. As we continue visiting cemeteries this Decoration Day, we hope to discover and document even more.
Have you seen a veteran memorial in a local cemetery?
Help honor and preserve these tributes by posting them to the American Legion’s memorial registry site. Whether it’s a plaque, memorial board, or monument, your contribution ensures these sacrifices are remembered and shared with a wider audience.