5 Things About Memorial Day

On Monday, the public can flock to the , where an estimated 200 people will pay tribute to fallen soldiers. 

But, before then, you can brush up on your Memorial Day trivia with these interesting facts about the holiday:

• According to www.usmemorialday.org, Memorial Day was officially proclaimed May 5, 1868, by Gen. John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, but was first observed May 30, 1868. At that time, flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery
• Waterloo, NY, was declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966. However, the specific origins of the holiday have been debated.
• Moina Michael started the notion to wear red poppies in honor of fallen soldiers.
• Some are pushing for Memorial Day to be restored to its original May 30 date each year and for it to no longer be part of a three-day weekend, as declared in the National Holiday Act of 1971. That's because critics of the act say the long weekend diminishes the relevance of one solemn day of respect.
• Memorial Day differs from Veterans Day because it's meant to pay tribute to soldiers who died in service or from wounds sustained in service while living veterans are also honored on Veterans Day.