05/25/2026
Memorial Day is more than the unofficial start of summer. It is a day to remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives serving in the American armed forces.
Originally known as Decoration Day, the holiday began after the Civil War as a way to honor both Union and Confederate soldiers. On May 5, 1868, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), an organization of Union veterans, established the observance as a time to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. Over time, the tradition evolved into the Memorial Day we know today.
Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Arundel have lost many servicemen and women throughout our nation’s history, dating back to the Revolutionary War. Recently, the Brick Store Museum received a donation of personal belongings and archival materials relating to one of these individuals: Wallace Boothby (1909–1945), son of Abner and Eugenia Boothby of Lower Village on Port Road.
Wallace Boothby died on May 5, 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, one of the deadliest battles of World War II. His Purple Heart is currently on display in the Museum’s summer exhibit, From Many, One: Results of Revolution.
This Memorial Day, we remember Wallace Boothby and all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. From all of us at the Brick Store Museum, we wish you a safe Memorial Day as we honor and remember those who never returned home. We also hold in our thoughts the families who have lost loved ones in service.
Photo credit: Kennebunk Memorial Day parades, 1920s
