Nevada's only Civil War cemetery is on Angel Street, near the intersection of West Tenth Street is in Downtown Reno. The Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery is the final resting place for Nevada soldiers that lost their lives in the Civil War.
"We had about 1,200 Nevadans go into the Civil War, luckily we only have about 84 buried here," said Brian Johnson, Commander of American Legion Post One. "Nevada went into the Union during the Civil War, that's how we got the nickname Battle Born."
The history of Memorial Day dates back to the Civil War era.
"Memorial Day started as Decoration Day in 1868 and it was just for the Civil War veterans that passed away during service," Johnson said. "After World War I they changed it to all veterans in any conflict that died in service. In 1971 the federal government made it a federal holiday, which people think nowadays is barbeque time, and they forget the real meaning of Memorial Day. So if you could just take a second to give a little bit of gratitude for the patriots that served and gave their lives for our country, it would be greatly appreciated."
Usually the Post holds a ceremony here on Memorial Day.
"We usually have about a hundred people come out, we do ours early and then go out to Fernley for the big one," Johnson said. "Unfortunately, during these times, we can't have large groups so everyone is doing it privately. The cemetery is always open to the public, you can come here and pay your respects any time, same with the one in Fernley."
The Post is asking people to still remember the fallen today.
"The American Legion has asked everyone to light a candle and put it in their window, or on their front porch," Johnson said. "There are different colors that mean different things. A white candle is for the POW/ MIA's, blue is the eternal love they have for our country and red is for the blood they shed for our country."
