President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11, 1919, as the first commemoration of Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I. In 1938, the U.S. officially adopted Nov. 11 as a legal holiday, to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day. In 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor all those who have served in America’s military.
Here are some upcoming events in the greater Fredericksburg region.
- The City of Fredericksburg honors veterans and their contributions Monday, with a walking procession from Memorial Park to the Fredericksburg Area War Memorial. Beginning at 10 a.m., visitors are invited to line the Washington Avenue mall to watch the procession from Mary Ball Street, down Washington Avenue to William and Barton streets. The procession will conclude at the site of the Fredericksburg Our Fallen Heroes War Memorial, where the traditional Veterans Day Ceremony will begin around 10:45 a.m.
- At the Caroline County Courthouse, a service will begin at 11 a.m. Monday, This year’s keynote speaker will be the Rev. Kieron Buford, a Navy veteran and senior pastor of historic Shiloh Baptist Church on Main Street in Bowling Green. Refreshments served after the ceremony.
- A Legacy of Loyalty and Service is the theme of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) 2024 Veterans Day Observance and Veteran Affair Event Wednesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the University of Mary Washington’s (UMW) Dahlgren Campus. The free event is open to the NSWCDD workforce, veterans and their families and the community. It will feature a video message from U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-1) and other speakers.
