Aspinock Memories
America's long history of Memorial Day
By Bill Pearsall,
Putnam Municipal Historian
The last weekend of May we look forward to celebrating a three-day holiday known as Memorial Day.
Here are some facts that you may or may not know about this holiday. Originally it was known as Decoration Day and originated in the years after the Civil war but did not become an official federal holiday until 1971. Many states were already observing the day with ceremonies, visiting cemeteries, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Memorial Day unofficially marks the beginning of the summer season.
So, you may ask, where did Memorial Day come from? The Civil War ended in the spring of 1865 claiming more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and led to the establishment of the country’s first National Cemetries.
On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War Veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month. That was May 30, 1868, and it was designated for the purpose of strewing flowers, saying prayers and decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion and now whose bodies lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.
The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.
On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried there.
Many Northern states held similar commemorative events and continued the tradition in subsequent years; by 1890 each state had made Decoration Day an official state holiday celebrated on May 30 each year. Southern states continued to honor the fallen on separate days until after WWI.
Memorial Day, as “Decoration Day” gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during WWI the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars including WWII, the Vietnam War, the Korean War and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date General Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.
Cities and towns across the United States including Putnam host Memorial Day Parades each year, often incorporating military personnel and members of veterans’ organizations. People also observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. Some people wear a red poppy in remembrance of those fallen in war – a tradition that began with a WWI poem, In Flanders Fields:
Each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. local time. Thanks go to History.com for the information in this article.
Aspinock Memories graces the pages of the Putnam Town Crier to keep Putnam’s history alive.
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A Memorial Day Parade in Putnam before 1925. Photo courtesy of the Aspinock Historical Society.
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'It will continue to inspire long into the future’
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The dedication of the newly completed pavilion at the Gertrude Chandler Warner Boxcar Children Museum to Fred Hedenberg tied together the distant past, the near past and the future.
Mayor Barney Seney thanked all who helped the museum grow, including the pavilion that was being dedicated to Fred Hedenberg May 19. Community support is big in Putnam.
Museum director Pat Hedenberg, wife of the late Fred Hedenberg, thanked two local supporters the Spirol Charitable Foundation and Rawson Materials, among others. Spirol donated $45,000 to complete the pavilion, which is used to help educate visitors by providing extra space for programs, crafts and more. Rawson donates materials.
Hedenberg said “It’s all of you … and as Barney said, it’s the town of Putnam. Everyone here is so giving and so wants to be involved, whether they give a dollar or they give $45,000. We are so grateful.”
In addition to Super Hero capes and masks, Jeff Koehl, president and CEO of Spirol International, and James Shaw, Spirol International board member, received heartfelt thanks for their generosity. Originally Pat Hedenberg came to Spirol with a request for $50,000 for replacement of the rotting rail ties under the boxcar and for a pavilion. The board OK’d $10,000 for the ties immediately. Hedenberg said Shaw asked her to go back and prepare a “dream proposal” for the pavilion. Her dream included electricity and lights for the pavilion, a fence, stones for under the fence, landscaping and picnic tables for the pavilion. The Spirol board approved $45,000 for the dream pavilion.
Shaw said it was “easy to give to organizations that have passion and drive and really are talking about inspiring and developing the imagination of children.”
Hedenberg also acknowledged Woodstock Building Associates for its help with the pavilion, Killingly Fence, the Aspinock Historical Society and all the volunteers at the boxcar museum. She also acknowledged Gerry Tetreault, one of Warner’s students.
Crystal Simonson, director of communications at Rawson, said it really is a community process. Hedenberg said Rawson donated a lot of crushed stone. “They never said no.”
Nicole Nichols said “The creation of the museum was the realization of a dream for my mother, Ruth Flagg. I recall her excitement, the day she and Fred Hedenberg drove out to see the old box car being offered to the Aspinock Historical society. Miss Warner was not only my mom’s favorite teacher, but truly one of her heroes inspired by her,” she said. She added on her mother’s tombstone it says “listen for the echoes.” The contributions of so many people “do indeed echo down through the generations with this tremendous community support. It will continue to inspire long into the future.”
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Epic ribbon cutting, dedicating the new pavilion at the Gertrude Chandler Warner Boxcar Children Museum to Fred Hedenberg. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page. Linda Lemmon photos.
'Super heroes' from Spirol and Rawson Materials.
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Champs celebrate at State Capitol
The Putnam Science Academy Men’s Basketball team traveled to Hartford May 6 to visit the Connecticut State Capitol after winning the 2025 National Prep Basketball Championship March 13.
“We want to thank the State Capitol for inviting us and honoring us for winning the 2025 National Championship,” said Head Coach Tom Espinosa. “It’s a huge accomplishment and it’s great for these kids to get recognized for all their hard work and dedication. People have no idea what it takes and what needs to happen to win a national title in prep school athletics”
PSA finished the season ranked #1 in the country after winning their last 31 games to finish at 41-2 on the season. After back-to-back losses in November the Mustangs never looked back, rolling over everyone to the 2025 National Championship. The 2025 PSA basketball team was Putnam’s fifth national championship, joining the 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2023 teams.
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The following charges were listed in the Putnam Police Department logs. The people charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. The Town Crier will publish dispositions of cases at the request of the accused. The dispositions must be accompanied by the proper documentation. The Putnam Police Department confidential Tip Line is 860-963-0000.
May 8
Jeffery D. Mylen, 40, Powhattan Street, Putnam; first-degree criminal trespass, sixth-degree larceny.
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