Rooted in tradition and honor, nearly every town in Wisconsin, small or large, will pause May 25 to recognize the nation's veterans. To experience Memorial Day traditions across Wisconsin, and to see some of the state's most revered memorials, check out these five great Memorial Day ceremonies.
Remember our country's fallen soldiers in Madison. American Legion Post 151 will host a ceremony at Sunset Memory Gardens Cemetery at 2 p.m. See the 54th consecutive Memorial Day parade in nearby Monona, then check out some of the area's memorials. Madison is home to the Camp Randall Memorial Arch, a memorialized entryway to the former Civil War training grounds. As the center of Wisconsin military activities at the time, Camp Randall also held several Confederate prisoners, some of which are buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, one of the first national cemeteries created, and the northernmost Confederate cemetery in the country.
Milwaukee holds one of the state's largest Memorial Day parades. Beginning at Fourth Street and Wisconsin Avenue, the parade finishes at Veteran's Park, with an honor ceremony at the park's reflecting pool shortly after the parade's conclusion. While in Milwaukee, check out "Milwaukee's Victorious Charge," one of the most important statues in Wisconsin. Finished in 1889, the bronze monument was the centerpiece of the city at the time. The monument, located on Wisconsin Avenue, was restored in 2003. war-veterans.org/Parade.htm.
The Highground, a memorial park in Neillsville, will dedicate their Fountain of Tears statue, in addition to a Memorial Day ceremony. The monument, depicting a G.I. with his wife and child, is a memorial to all who have lost loved ones to battle. The expansive rural area features nine separate monuments, including tributes to veterans from Vietnam, WWI, WWII and women veterans. The park also features 4 miles of hiking trails and a meditation garden. thehighground.org.
If you're looking for a small town Memorial Day celebration, look no further than Prairie du Chien's parade. Organized by the local American Legion, the parade finishes at Fort Crawford Military Cemetery, home to veterans of the Black Hawk War of 1832 and their families. With only 64 plots, it is one of the smallest cemeteries in the United States. Later, check out the Fort Crawford Museum, which details the history behind the site of Chief Black Hawk's surrender to Colonel (and future President) Zachary Taylor. cem.va.gov/cems/lots/fort_crawford.asp.
Superior hosts a Memorial Day program at Greenwood cemetery, with a flag raising at the Richard I. Bong WWII Heritage Center later in the day. The center serves as a WWII museum, and hosts rotating exhibits in addition to their usual collection. Bong was a WWII ace pilot, winning the Congressional Medal of Honor. He died at the age of 24 while test piloting a new jet. An additional outdoor memorial in his honor is located southeast of Superior in Bong's hometown of Poplar. bongheritagecenter.org.
