Memorial Day Weekend at Fort D

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – To volunteer Scott House and others at Fort D, this weekend in particular has a different feeling about it than others, in part because Memorial Day came about after the Civil War ended.

“When you’re on original ground like this, and you’re doing something the soldiers of the day would have done, that has special meaning to it,” House said.

House said people from far and wide have made the trip to the fort, and holiday weekends like this one are great opportunities to attract even more visitors.

“People come from other places, like our visitors today that were from Germany and Georgia and Illinois and Wisconsin, and they pick Cape Girardeau as an interesting place they want to go to, and so by being here on major holiday weekends, we give them something interesting to do that really you can’t do anywhere else in the Midwest,” he said.

One of those visitors, Charles De La Garza from Gainesville, Ga., takes a great interest in Civil War artifacts and activities.

“I was in the Navy for a few years myself, so it’s kind of neat to compare things that I was using and doing in the Navy with things and how they would do things back during the Civil War,” he said.

And De La Garza said, especially this weekend, it is important for us to remember and recognize the importance of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defending our freedoms. 

“I’m just like one of many people who have served and everything,” he said. “It’s those who have put everything into it and didn’t make it back from certain things who are really important. We all put our time in but those who have put everything in are really the important ones.” 

Memorial Day Weekend at the Fort will continue on Monday from 9 am to 3 pm.