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Tracy Mumford

Photos: A historical look at Memorial Day across Minnesota

St. Paul Decoration Day parade, 1903
Children formed a living flag for the 1903 Decoration Day parade in St. Paul.
Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society

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In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday, designating the last Monday of May as a day to honor the country's fallen service members.

The roots of the day, however, stretch back a century before to the first years after the Civil War. Beginning in 1868, communities around the country celebrated Decoration Day on May 30 by placing flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers.

A historical look at Memorial Day across Minnesota

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Memorial Day at Rice School, St. Paul, 1952
Children marched outside Rice School in St. Paul in observance of Memorial Day, 1952.
Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society
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St. Paul Decoration Day parade, 1870
St. Paul held its first official Decoration Day parade on May 30, 1870.
Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society
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Decoration Day in Carver, Minn., 1890
Young women in costume carried flags for the celebration in Carver, Minn. in 1890.
Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society