For 146 years now, Boalsburg residents have passed the story from one generation to the next.
Back in October 1864, as the account goes, a village teenager named Emma Hunter and her friend Sophie Keller were gathering flowers for the grave of Emma’s father, Reuben. He had been a doctor in the Union Army before yellow fever took his life in the Civil War.
As the young women walked to the cemetery in town, they came across another villager, Elizabeth Meyer. She lost a son, Amos, in the battle at Gettysburg. Emma and Sophie shared their flowers with Elizabeth, and trio visited both Reuben’s and Amos’ graves together.
Within a year, the women were leading a village-wide effort to decorate the graves of all Boalsburg’s fallen soldiers.
The tradition continues this holiday weekend with Boalsburg’s 146th Memorial Day festivities. Events are scheduled throughout the three-day weekend. Here’s a look at some highlights:
- The Boalsburg Volunteer Fire Company will host its annual carnival Friday, Saturday and Sunday behind the fire hall on East Pine Street. It’s scheduled to open at 6 p.m. Friday.
- An annual parade, also hosted by the fire company, will begin at 5 p.m. Saturday in the village.
- A World War II re-enactment will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Pennsylvania Military Museum, along U.S. Route 322. Re-enactors depicting U.S. and German troops will be on hand.
- On Monday, the 30th annual Memorial Day Run will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Blue Spring Park, on West Pine Street.
- A Memorial Day festival known as ‘A Day in Towne’ will start at 9 a.m. Monday in the village. It will feature live music, arts, crafts and an assortment of baked goods.
- To conclude the holiday events, the 146th annual cemetery service will be held at 6 p.m. Monday in the village cemetery, also along U.S. Route 322.
For more details, visit StateCollege.com’s complete guide to the Memorial Day weekend in the Centre Region.
