Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) band members start to march. GAR was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army who had served in the Civil War. In 1868, General Order #11 of the GAR called for May 30 to be designated as a memorial day for Union veterans; originally called "Decoration Day," this later became the U.S. national Memorial Day holiday after WWI. Founded in 1866 by Benjamin F. Stephenson of Illinois, GAR was based partly on the traditions of Freemasonry, and partly on military tradition. Photo dated: June 5, 1930.
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