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Reviving a Tradition: Duluth Veterans to March from Armory to Depot on Veterans Day

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Local veterans, including Durbin Keeney, a veterans' activist, have been working to revive the tradition of a Veterans Day parade in Duluth. The practice, which started after World War I, fizzled out soon after World War II ended in 1945. However, Keeney and a group of local veterans are determined to bring back the parade, which they believe will allow veterans from different eras to march together and honor their service. The revival began with a conversation between Keeney and local veterans, who asked, "Why wasn't there a Veterans Day parade in Duluth?" The march, led by the Duluth Honor Guard, will start at the Duluth Armory and proceed to the Depot, a distance of about a mile.

Key Takeaways:

  • The revival of the Veterans Day parade in Duluth was initiated by Durbin Keeney, a local veterans' activist, and a group of local veterans.
  • The tradition of a Veterans Day parade in Duluth began after World War I and continued until after World War II, when the practice fizzled out.
  • The Duluth Honor Guard will lead the march from the Duluth Armory to the Depot on Veterans Day.
  • The march will allow veterans from different eras to march together and honor their service.
  • The revival is an effort to bring attention to local veterans and provide a platform for them to be honored.
  • Dan Hartman, program director for the Veterans Memorial Hall, supports the revival and believes it will bring awareness to local veterans who "don't get enough honor."

Statistics:

  • The march will cover a distance of approximately 1 mile from the Duluth Armory to the Depot.
  • The Lake Superior Railroad Museum has donated the use of a railcar for a "Troop Train" to carry veterans who cannot walk the entire distance.
  • The train will depart from the Depot at 9:30 a.m. and make a stop near the Armory before returning to the Depot.
  • The traditional Veterans Day ceremonies and festivities will take place at the Depot at 11 a.m.

Sources:

  • Duluth News-Tribune, "Veterans' march from Armory to Depot revived," by Janna Goerdt, Nov. 7, 2006.

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