Is the annual Malvern Memorial Parade the oldest Memorial Day Parade in America?
It has a strong claim to this honor; at least it is the oldest continuing memorial parade in the country. The first recorded memorial event was attended by hundreds of citizens and Revolutionary War veterans when the Memorial Marker was dedicated on September 20, 1817. Four hundred volunteer soldiers (militia) led the contingent in a “slow solemn march.” The Parade Grounds, operated by the state militia, was the center for memorial celebrations throughout the 1800’s. It was used for a “Corps of Instruction … for all eastern Pennsylvania” during the period of the Mexican War to the Civil War. In 1868, the veteran’s association, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), established a national “Decoration Day” the precursor of Memorial Day. The Paoli Massacre “Remembrance Day” was traditionally held on the September 17th anniversary but was changed to coincide with the national memorial celebrations. These events drew as many as 10,000 participants from around southeast PA.
