If indeed, April showers bring May flowers, we are in for a treat! May brings lovely weather and many events for celebrating. Mother’s Day was started May 10, 1908 in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, and back in 1881, Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross on May 21. The first Kentucky Derby was run on May 19, 1875 and this year the Indy 500 is celebrating 100 years, having been established May 30, 1911.
The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated May 30, 1922, and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge opened to the public on May 27, 1937. Babe Ruth hit his first home run as a Boston Red Sox player on May 8, 1915, and his 714th and last, as a Boston Brave on May 25, 1935.
Here in Benicia, we have very important dates to remember. This city was founded on May 19, 1847 and The Benicia Historical Museum was opened on May 19, 1985. This is the 26th year of operation. Current exhibits include photographs of the 1906 earthquake, remembrances of the Civil War and on May 29th, an exhibit on the Vietnam War will open.
Finally, Decoration Day began on May 5, 1866 in Waterloo, a small village in upstate New York, to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers killed in the Civil War. It was later renamed Memorial Day and expanded to remember all of our military killed in war. Benicia’s remembrance will take place on Monday, May 30 at 10am, at the Benicia Historical Society’s annual Memorial Day Ceremony at the Benicia Arsenal Post Cemetery (off of Military East). Everyone is welcome—do attend! It is a very touching service in a very beautiful cemetery.
