Established in 1866 as "Decoration Day, by the 1880s, the holiday came to be known officially as Memorial Day. A federal mandate in 1971 set the observance on the last Monday of May. This ensured long weekends for those of us lucky enough to have the day off to grill, travel, visit with friends and family, and do whatever else we want on Memorial Day. But it's not just about beer and burgers, so we hope you'll take a moment each Memorial Day to remember and appreciate those who made the ultimate sacrifice to assure this grand experiment we call the United States of America.
