05/21/2026
Did you know that the Mountain State began what eventually became Memorial Day? In the years following the Civil War, communities across the divided nation struggled to cope with loss. West Virginia, born out of the Civil War, carried those wounds the deepest.
The practice of decorating soldiers’ graves with flowers for public remembrance became known as “Decoration Day,” the predecessor to modern Memorial Day. Historians note that these early observances emerged in West Virginia communities like Romney and Grafton before a national holiday was ever declared.
In the Town of Bath along Fairfax Street, there are prominent memorial monuments. The Morgan County Veterans Memorial honors local soldiers who served in conflicts throughout all of history. The monuments serve as a place of reflection where the names and sacrifices of ordinary citizens are preserved in public memory.
