Vinton County Memorial Day program begins at courthouse, marches to Elk Cemetery
Vinton County's Memorial Day observance started at the courthouse and marched to Elk Cemetery, where veterans, scouts and families honored the county's war dead.
Veterans, scouts and families gathered at the Vinton County Courthouse and marched north through McArthur to Elk Cemetery as Vinton County again marked Memorial Day with its annual tribute to the dead of the United States Armed Forces.
The observance began at 9:20 a.m. at the courthouse, with the procession moving toward Elk Cemetery, also known as McArthur Cemetery, on North Market Street, Ohio State Route 93. The route has become a familiar one in Vinton County, with the courthouse serving as the starting point for a public gathering before the formal service at the burial ground.
The program was sponsored by the office of Veterans Services Officer Tim Reid, a county tradition that brings together veterans, school groups, local officials and residents to remember those who served and died for the country. Recent Memorial Day programs in Vinton County have included the Vinton County High School Band, Scout organizations lowering the flag to half-mast, a reading of the county war casualty list, wreath presentations, a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps.
The county’s observance reflects a broader national tradition. Memorial Day is held on the last Monday in May and is the nation’s foremost annual day of remembrance for service members who died in military service. It grew out of Decoration Day after the Civil War, was formalized in 1868 by a Memorial Day order issued by Grand Army of the Republic Commander-in-Chief John A. Logan and became a federal holiday in 1971.
Vinton County’s pattern has remained steady for years, with the courthouse gathering and cemetery service drawing participants from across the community. The procession typically reaches Elk Cemetery around 10 a.m., keeping the county’s remembrance centered on the veterans, families and local groups that carry the tradition forward.
Tim M. Reid directs Vinton County Veterans Services from 100 East Main Street in McArthur, where memorial affairs are among the services listed for veterans and families.
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