By Frank Passic
ALBION’S FIRST DECORATION DAY
Decoration Day, as it was originally called, was once a major event in our community to decorate the graves of Union Soldiers that had served in the Civil War. The local Post No. 210 of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), the Civil War veterans organization, was in charge of the ceremonies for many years. The duties were handed over to the American Legion in the 1920s. Decoration Day ceremonies at Riverside Cemetery were conducted for many years in the G.A.R. lot, located just south of the Monroe Mausoleum where there is a large G.A.R. monument today.
In a quirk of local history however, Decoration Day in Albion was not started by the G.A.R. The first Decoration Day here was held on May 30, 1882. It was conducted by the local Knights Templar Masonic Lodge, as the local G.A.R. post had not yet been formed (December, 1883). Albion Republican newspaper editor Benjamin Baxter Bissell wrote an historical account of this first parade/ceremony in Albion, which we are sharing with our readers this week in our Historical Notebook.
Bissell wrote, “There was then no Grand Army post here, and it does not appear that the old soldiers had any part in it except in common with other citizens. The exercises of the day were under the direction of the Knights Templar, who were reinforced by a large accession from Marshall. The committee of arrangements was composed of Frederick W. Sheldon, Robert J. Frost, Augustus J. Gale, Charles W. Dalrymple, and F.A. Alsdorf.
The procession did not form until 3 o’clock. It was headed by the band and Knights in full uniform, presenting a very attractive appearance. The Ancient Order of United Workmen, the fire department and several other organizations were also in the column, including as many of the veterans of the War as could be got together.
The teachers and pupils of the schools marched on the sidewalks and made a lengthy procession of which the twenty little misses selected to scatter flowers upon the graves were complimented by one of the speakers as the flowers in full bloom. For the entire distance, to the cemetery, the sidewalks on both sides of the street were crowded with citizens, while the street was filled with carriages two and three abreast for a distance of a quarter of a mile. One thousand persons were counted as they passed a given point returning from the cemetery. The address was given by Dr. Lewis Ransom Fiske, president of Albion College, and a poem was read by Professor E.C. Thompson, superintendent of the city schools. The graves of 17 soldiers were decorated,” wrote Bissell.
From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photograph of the 1886 Decoration Day parade in Albion, then sponsored by the Albion Post No. 210 of the G.A.R. The view looks north on N. Superior St. from just south of the Michigan Central Railroad tracks. Notice there is no hill at the tracks as there is today. On the left is the Maher Planing Mill building, presently the site of the Hurley Block (Lopez Taco House). Across the tracks is the home of F.M. Manning (1817-1897), demolished in 1912 and site of today’s Albion Post Office. On the right is the Hotel Albion, demolished in 1930 and today the site of the Shell Gas Station.
Marching the center are Albion’s Civil War veterans, holding the G.A.R. banner. Only a few are identified. The man on the horse is Dr. Frank Palmer, with the man standing in front being Frederick Pahl, Sr. In back standing on the tracks is Levi Warren. In the front row of marchers, beginning on the left, the man to the left of the snare drummer is Charles Kilmer, and the man with the fife between the drummers is Bradley Waterman. On the far-right end is Frank Glascoff, and two rows behind him is Oscar Hubbard with his hat off. Behind Hubbard with his hat off is Willard Durkee. Across the tracks on the right standing in front of the horse and buggy is Benjamin Cook.
Today of course, Decoration Day is known as Memorial Day which is observed on the last Monday in May. This year the date is May 26. Make plans to attend Albion’s Memorial Day parade at 10 am. on S. Superior St. to Riverside Cemetery, and the subsequent service at the Veteran’s Memorial Stage. I hope the newly installed locked gates at the Cemetery by the Stage will be unlocked for this event.
