Lakes Region Memorial Day Observances
By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper
“When duty calls, that is when character counts.”
— William Safire
A special time is set aside each year in May to honor those who have sacrificed all for our country. Memorial Day takes place at the time of the year when flowers are in bloom. This has traditionally allowed families of fallen soldiers access to florals for decorating the final resting places of loved ones.
You may see people wearing a red poppy on Memorial Day and wonder what the flower stands for. The answer is that during World War I, in 1915 to be exact, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae saw red poppies blooming in abundance in Flanders Field in Belgium. He was so moved that he wrote the poem, “In Flanders Field.” The poignant poem was about fallen soldiers and it became a famous piece of writing. Thus began the practice of wearing a red poppy on Memorial Day.
We know Memorial Day as a time to honor the fallen who served our country, whether in the distant past, or at any time in the history of the United States. Memorial Day was once called Decoration Day, and it has always been a time for observances and decorating the graves of those who died while in service.
Decoration Day began in the 1860s, after the Civil War. The practice of decorating the graves of war dead with floral wreaths is where the name Decoration Day originated. The name was changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day in 1971 and it was scheduled to be observed on the last Monday in May.
The Civil War was a time of great distress but also determination to put an end to slavery and societal issues. One person (among thousands of others) who served with courage was Civil War nurse Harriet Dame. Born in Barnstead, New Hampshire in 1815, Dame lived a life of service far from her origins. She cared for her aging parents and in the 1850s, after her parents had died, Dame turned her family property into a boardinghouse.
When the Civil War broke out, Dame wanted to serve her country. The best (and only way) for a woman to do so at the time was to be a nurse. Dame volunteered to work as a nurse in the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment from Concord. She had no formal medical training, but she learned fast. Consequently, she nursed the soldiers until the group disbanded in 1865.
Dame’s courage knew no bounds and she worked in the camps, and later when her Regiment fought in the battle of the First Bull Run, she insisted on being on the front lines. Those in power tried to stop her request to be at the front lines, saying it was “no place for a woman.” Dame, however, did not give in. She joined a team of doctors to attend the sick and wounded.
Her service was risky and dangerous. At one point, Dame was captured by the Confederates and taken to be a spy. This nearly got her shot, but Confederate General Stonewall Jackson ordered her to be released.
After the war, Dame lived in Washington, D.C. and worked as a clerk and later became the president of the Army Nurses Association. She was an advocate for helping war veterans, and she worked to fund the building of veteran’s homes. As a testament to her respect among the troops, over 600 soldiers signed a petition asking the United States Senate to give Dame a pension for her service. The Senate agreed, making Dame among the few women to hold such an honor.
Memorial Day parades and commemorations listed take place in the Lakes Region:
The New Hampshire Veterans Home (NHVH) Memorial Day Ceremony will be held Monday, May 26 at 11 a.m. in the NH Veterans Home ‘Town Hall’ Great Room. The keynote speaker, Ed Harrington, is a Brigadier General (Ret.), Vietnam Veteran and Camp Resilience Board President. The NH Veterans Home is located at 139 Winter Street, Tilton; the NHVH ‘Town Hall’ Great Room ceremony parking lot entrance is on Colby Road at the corner of Winter Street and Colby Road. For more information, contact Sarah Stanley, NH Veterans Home Public Information Officer, at 603-527-4425.
Observances in Laconia will take place on Monday, May 26 with a Memorial Day Remembrance at 11 a.m. held at Veteran’s Square in Laconia with a wreath laying and speakers. After the Remembrance, there will be a free luncheon open to the public at the VFW on Court Street in Laconia. For information, call 603-524-9725.
Gilford observances will be held on Monday, May 26 with parade participants gathering in the parking lot of the Gilford Community Church on Potter Hill Road at 9:45 a.m. The parade will proceed to the WWI / WWII Memorial and Pine Grove Cemetery, where Reverend Michael Graham will lead a prayer. All veterans are invited to join in the parade. Please call the Gilford Town Hall at 603-527-4700 for further information.
Wolfeboro’s observance will be on Monday, May 26. According to American Legion Post Parade Marshal Paul Vivian, all veteran’s graves in Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro will be decorated. The annual Wolfeboro parade will form at 8:45 a.m. in Brewster Field (next to the Congregational Church). The parade will start at 9 a.m. and proceed from Main Street to dockside (downtown) for a lowering of the flag to half mast, and a ceremonial salute. Following this, flower petals will be placed into the lake water. There also will be a playing of Taps and the national anthem and patriotic music by the Kingswood Regional High School band. For information on the Wolfeboro observances and parade, call Paul Vivian at 703-798-8978. Vivian adds that all veterans are welcome to march in the parade.
In Alton, Memorial Day observances will be held on Monday, May 26. The parade will line up at 9:30 a.m. at Monument Square in downtown Alton and step off at 10 a.m. The observance will be under the Auspices of Claude R. Batchelder Post 72, American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion and American Legion Riders. Services will be held at Riverside Cemetery and Monument Square. Following the services, everyone is invited to Post 72 for refreshments. In the event of rain, all services will be held at Post 72 on Rt. 28 in Alton. For information, call the Alton Town Hall at 603-875-3461.
Center Harbor’s observance will be held on Monday, May 26, with parade participants gathering at 11:45 a.m. at Chase Circle near the downtown area. The parade will begin at noon. There will be a wreath laying at the War Memorial. The parade will proceed to the Town Docks where there will be music by the Inter-Lakes Marching Band. Music will be “The Star Spangled Banner” and Echo Taps. There also will be a wreath tossing into Lake Winnipesaukee.
The final stop will be at the Lakeview Cemetery across from the Congregational Church in Center Harbor with music and a wreath laying. For further information, please email the Center Harbor Parks & Recreation Department at parksandrecreation@centerharbornh.gov.
Moultonborough will hold observances on Monday, May 26, with the parade gathering at the elementary school on Blake Road at 10 a.m., and proceeding to the Moultonborough Town Hall, located at 6 Holland Street. At the town hall there will be a remembrance ceremony. For information, call 603-476-8868.
The village of Center Sandwich will hold a Memorial Day Remembrance Program at the Honor Roll next to the post office on Main Street in Center Sandwich on Monday, May 26 at 11 a.m. During the ceremony, veterans will lay a wreath and other observances will be held. For information call 603-284-7139.
The town of Meredith will observe Memorial Day on Monday, May 26 stepping off at 10:15 a.m. from the American Legion Post, 6 Plymouth St., proceeding to the Meredith Library for opening remarks and Taps, followed by the parade going to Lang St. Cemetery, then finishing at the Hesky Park POW MIA memorial for a wreath laying. A free lunch for all will follow at the American Legion. Call 603-937-4278.
with a parade in the downtown area. No further information was available at press time. For updates visit www.meredithnh.org.
Plymouth will observe Memorial Day with a parade on Monday, May 26 starting at the Plymouth National Guard at 10:30 a.m. The parade will proceed south to Main Street and stop in front of the Town Hall for a ceremony starting at 11 a.m., concluding at that location after services. Participating in the parade will be police, fire, two bands, some state representatives, select board members, and the National Guard and Scouts. Call 603-536-1397.
While not technically in the Lakes Region, a Women in Military Service Memorial will honor the courage, sacrifice and contributions of New Hampshire women in the military with the unveiling of a meaningful tribute. The dedication ceremony of the memorial will be held on Thursday, June 12 at 1 p.m. at the New Hampshire State Veteran’s Cemetery at 110 Daniel Webster Highway in Boscawen with light snacks and beverages served. For information, call 603-796-2026 for information.