Clear skies in Cook County as fallen military members honored in Grand Marais

Today is Memorial Day.

The federal holiday originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War, according to the Minnesota Historical Society. This changed after World War I, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.

In Grand Marais, the American Legion Post 413 held a Memorial Day program at the Cook County Courthouse lawn at the Veteran’s Memorial.

Following the program, lunch was available at the Birch Terrace Supper Club, with meals honoring veterans provided to service members.

Down the shore, Silver Bay’s Minnesota Veterans’ Home also held their Memorial Day service, which was open to the public. The Memorial Day service was not available the last couple of years during the COVID-19 pandemic in Silver Bay.

All photos by Joe Friedrichs from the Memorial Day service in Grand Marais on Monday, May 29. 

Joe Friedrichs May 29, 2023