Butler High School JROTC member Travis Brown, who is a ninth-grader, places flags on veterans' grave sites Wednesday at Butler County Memorial Park Cemetery in Butler Twp.

In preparation for Memorial Day on Monday, area residents have been preparing the graves of the men and women who served their country with American flags.

Memorial Day dates back to the Civil War as Americans wanted a come up with a unique way to honor our military veterans.

Gen. John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, designated the holiday in May 1868 in his General Order No. 11. In his proclamation, he designated the purpose of placing flowers and decorating the graves of soldiers who died in defense their country. He picked the day as it did not correspond with any particular battle.

The first state to recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. It was then recognized in all the northern states by 1890. The federal holiday is now observed on the last Monday in May.