Honoring Those Who Perished

This Memorial Day, save the boating and barbecues for another sunny day, and take a trip to honor those who have given their lives in the service of our country. America's Byways lead you to many historic sites. From Civil War battlefields to the boyhood homes of former presidents, memorials across America stand as testaments to our remembrance of the past.

Cannon Emplacements at Vicksburg, Mississippi (MS) [1]

Traveling the Natchez Trace Parkway through Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee offers ample opportunity to stop off at battlefields and envision the clash of swords and gunfire between the North and South during the Civil War. Historians among you can recount the tale of the two-day Battle of Shiloh, a decisive but costly victory for the North. Or if your burgeoning historian needs to brush up on his or her history, adjourn to the Shiloh National Military Park Visitor Center for an orientation film before starting a ten-mile auto tour with fourteen wayside exhibits. Look for living history events available over Memorial Day Weekend. With other battlefields such as Brices Crossroads, Tupelo, and Vicksburg, the Natchez Trace Parkway brings the battles of history books to life.

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial Visitor Center in Indiana (IN) [2]

The boyhood homes of past presidents such as Taft, Grant, and Lincoln populate the fertile valley of the Ohio River, and driving the Ohio River Scenic Byway provides access to this rich bounty of presidential heritage. Visit the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial Center and explore the place that opened Lincoln's mind through books, adversity, and hard work. Park Rangers dressed in period costumes will guide you through typical farming activities, and you can tour the pioneer homestead, complete with a cabin, gardens, and farm animals.

The Military Cemetery at Stones River in Tennessee [3]

When thinking of monuments to soldiers who valiantly fought for the United States, one usually pictures Washington DC or Virginia's Arlington Cemetery. However, the Living Memorial Sculpture Garden, a point of interest along the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, pays tribute on the opposite coast to soldiers, refugees, nurses, and those left behind during times of war. Through abstract metal sculpture, the Living Memorial Sculpture Garden in California poignantly portrays the way war affects each of us.

America's Byways celebrate the cause for which so many perished. Memorial Day provides the opportunity to remember and honor those we have lost, as well as those who served and stand among us today.