On May 5, 1866, the residents of Waterloo held the first complete, community-wide observance of Memorial Day, dedicating the entire day to honoring the Civil War dead in a solemn and patriotic manner. Throughout the village, flags draped in mourning flew at half mast, ladies prepared wreaths and bouquets for each veteran's grave, businesses closed, and veterans, civil organizations, and townspeople marched to the village cemeteries to the strains of martial music. There, with reverent prayers and patriotic ceremonies, the tradition of Memorial Day was born. Henry C. Welles first proposed a day completely devoted to honoring the Civil War dead, and General John B. Murray, the Seneca County Clerk who had commanded the 148th New York Infantry Regiment in the war, quickly advanced the idea and marshaled community support. Since that year, Waterloo has annually observed Memorial Day. In 1873, New York became the first state to proclaim Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, a public holiday. In May 1966, a joint resolution by the United States Congress and a proclamation by President Lyndon B. Johnson officially recognized Waterloo as the birthplace of Memorial Day.