ELYSIAN — The name in part explains why people in Elysian still gather each Memorial Day and march to the cemetery, honoring all those who have worn the nation’s uniform and paying respects to their departed loved ones.
There are 150 fallen soldiers buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery, including two soldiers from the War of 1812, one from the Mexican War and 59 from the Civil War.
No one knows when the march in their honor to the cemetery first started in this town, named for the mythical Elysian Fields.
Locals who still participate each Memorial Day only know the walk they joined as youngsters has been an Elysian ritual for a long, long time. A photo from the county’s historical society provides evidence, based on the buildings and people’s clothing, that the procession from town’s main street to Cedar Hill Cemetery dates back to about 1900.
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Memorial Day tradition thrives in Elysian
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