The Union Veterans Union Western Division has some big plans for 2008. This is the tenth anniversary of the Civil War Tree Memorial at Historic City Cemetery. We will be discussing plans to commemorate the event. Top priority is being given to creating a historic marker for the Memorial. In addition, the GAR marker needs replacing along with the General George Blake Crosby (CSA) marker, which fell last year and has not been replaced by the cemetery. Bob and Jacque Bundy continue to care for the Tree Memorial along with the groundskeepers at the cemetery. They also updated the brochure and it is available at the cemetery office.

     Memorial Day will be held at Historic City Cemetery starting at 10 am. This is the traditional gathering spot to honor our Civil War Veterans started in 1867 when General John Logan issued the first order for Memorial Day. Because we can no longer compete with the big money ceremonies around town---namely Mount Vernon in Fair Oaks--we will be scaling down and doing things a little different this year. This will be a simple, down home type Memorial Day this year. "Sacramento's Civil War Heroes Tour" is being proposed in place of our Memorial Ceremony. This will be an hour long tour which will start at the main gate and will visit the GAR Monument, The Memorial Tree Grove, GAR Plots #1, #2 and #3, the graves of Sacramento's Civil War Women, The Fire Bell and the graves of Generals Wright (USA) and Cosby (CSA). There will be a flag raising at each of the GAR Sites. Meet at the main gate of the Historic City Cemetery at 1000 Broadway at 10am. Parking is available across the street from the main gate. This event is free.

    In addition, the UVU is starting work on a small booklet of local history--"THE GRAND ARMY AT THE HISTORIC CITY CEMETERY--A LOOK AT MEMORIAL DAY'S PAST". It is hoped that this booklet will be published by this fall.