Hanna Decoration / Memorial Day

Exhibit by Bob Leathers

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1912

1912 Decoration Day: the United Mine Workers paraded from the Finn Hall (upper left) in No. 2 Town headed to the Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 Mine to honor the men who died in the 1903 and 1908 explosions.

The No. 3 in the pictures label below refers to the picture order, not the town number.

Decoration Day, Hanna No. 3 Town, 1912 (While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)

The No. 5 in the picture label below refers to the picture order, not the town number. The picture shows the Decoration Day  Parade moving through No. 1 Town returning from the No. 1 mine. 

Hanna, Decoration Day No. 5, 1912 (Gert Milliken Collection from Gary Milliken)

1912: Men Dressed for the Decoration Day Parade (Gert Milliken Collection from Gary Milliken)

1927

Memorial Day 1927 (Gert Milliken Collection) from Gary Milliken

Memorial Day Services

Memorial Day services were conducted under the auspices of the American Legion, the Hanna Band and the various organizations, and was attended by practically all the citizens of Hanna. Short services were held at the monument in front of the school and then the at old No. 1 mine; then all proceeded to the Carbon cemetery where services were held at the grave of Mr. Butler, who was a Civil war veteran, the American Legion firing squad firing a volley over the grave. The services were continued in the afternoon at the hanna cemetery where several selections were played by the band and he American Legion held their service for departed World War veterans. (Union Pacific Coal Company Employe's Magazine, July 1927)

1928

Men of the Hanna American Legion at Memorial Services in 1928 (UPCCEM, November 1928)

​Memorial Day services were conducted by the Ted Wilkes Post of The American Legion. A parade led by the Hanna Band and ex-service men in uniform started from the Band Hall at 9 o’clock and marched to the monument beside the school, where the members of The American Legion rendered their ceremony in commemoration of the death of departed comrades. From the monument the procession went to Old No. 1 Mine where an address was given by Mr. T.H. Butler of Rock Springs. The program was continued at the Carbon Cemetery, where Mr. Henry Jones gave an address. In the afternoon, services were held at the Hanna Cemetery, an address being given by Rev. Bacon. Music was rendered by the Hanna Band and at both cemeteries a volley was fired over the graves of the veterans by Ted Wilkes Post Firing Squad. 
(UPCCEM, 1928)

1930

Memorial Day Services

Memorial Day services were conducted by the Ted Wilkes Post of The American Legion. A parade led by the Hanna Band and ex-service men in uniform started from the Band Hall at 9 o'clock and marched to the monument beside the school, where the members of the American Legion rendered their ceremony in commemoration of the death of departed comrades. From the monument the procession went to the Old No. 1 Mine were an address was given by M. T. H. Butler of Rock Springs. The program was continued at the Carbon Cemetery, where Mr. Henry Jones gave an address. In the afternoon, services were held at the Hanna Cemetery, an address being given by Reverand Bacon. Music was rendered by the Hanna Band and at both cemeteries a volley was fired over the graves of the veterans by Ted Wiles Post Firing Squad. (Union Pacific Coal Company Magazine, July 1930)

1931

Hanna Memorial Day

​Memorial Day services were held under the auspices of different organizations. A parade of ex-service men, followed by the Boy and Girl Scouts and led by the Hanna Band marched from the Band Hall to the Mine office, where the procession was continued by cars to the monument at old No. 1 Mine, where services were held and a talk was given by Mr. T.H. Butler, of Rock Springs. The procession continued to Carbon Cemetery, where a volley was fired by The American Legion Firing Squad, and taps were sounded. A talk was given by Mr. Sam Dickinson, of Berkeley, California. In the afternoon the procession marched to the Soldiers’ Monument at the School House, where services were held after which all proceeded to the Hanna cemetery, where a volley was fired , taps sounded, Rev. W.R. Kessler speaking. It was a beautiful day and there was a large attendance at all services.  (UPCCEM, July 1931)

1932

Hanna Memorial Day

​Memorial Day services were held on May 30, beginning in the morning with a parade of The American Legion, Hanna Band, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Spanish War Veterans and citizens all assembling at No. 1 Mine Hill, where flowers were placed in memory of the men who were killed in the 1908 explosion. Selections were played by the Hanna Band and an address given by Mr. T.H. Butler of Rock Springs. All then proceeded to old Carbon where a salute was fired and taps sounded for departed veterans. Mr. Sam Dickinson of Berkeley, Calif., gave a very interesting address and selections were played by the Hanna Band. Services were continued in the afternoon at the veterans’ monument and at the Hanna Cemetery, where salutes were again fired, taps sounded and an address given by Rev. Wilson, with selections by the Hanna Band. Flowers were placed on the graves of departed veterans by The American Legion. (UPCCEM, July 1932)

1936

Hanna Memorial Day

​Memorial Day services were conducted much as usual, with Mr. T. H. Butler, of Rock Springs, speaking at the monument at No. 1 Mine; Mr. Sam Dickinson, of Berkeley, California, speaker at Carbon in the forenoon. Afternoon, Father O’Grady, of the Catholic Church, spoke at the Soldiers’ monument at the School, and Rev. W.P. Wood, of the Methodist Church spoke at the Cemetery. The services were under the direction of The American Legion.  (UPCCEM, July 1936)

1938

Hanna Memorial Day

​The Memorial Day program began with a parade led by the Hanna Band in their attractive new suits, preceded by the colors, and followed by the American Legion and other veterans and organizations. An address was given at No. 1 Monument by J.H. Crawford, who substituted for Mr. T.H. Butler because of his illness. Rev. Virgil Brown gave an address at Carbon Cemetery. The afternoon program consisted of a parade to the Monument at the schoolhouse from the band hall, where the American Legion gave their Memorial Day service, and concluded with an address at the Hanna Cemetery by Rev. H.M. Kellam.  (UPCCEM, July 1938)

1940

​Memorial Day

​Memorial Day was celebrated with the usual parade headed by the Hanna Band from the band hall to the Mine Office, then proceeding to the No. One Mine monument where an address was given by Mr. Hugh Renny. Father Harry Kellam, of the Episcopal Church, gave an address at the Carbon cemetery. The afternoon services began with an address at the monument by the school, given by Father Kearney, of the Catholic Church, followed by the American Legion services, and were concluded by an address at the Hanna cemetery by Rev. Q. Sommerfeld, of the Methodist Church. The Hanna Band played selections at all the services.  (UPCCEM, July 1940)

2018 May 27 
Memorial Day in Hanna Was Held at the VFW Park

VFW Park, Hanna ,Wyoming (Bob Leathers, 2018)