Hoboken Buses To Be Rerouted Wednesday When Memorial Day Parade Starts

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken doesn't wait until Memorial Day to remember fallen members of the military. The mile-square city will hold its parade on Washington Street this Wednesday, May 24, at 6:30 p.m.

The evening commuter buses and The Hop will be rerouted (see more about that below).

Residents are invited to attend the 123rd annual parade.

The parade, hosted by American Legion Post 107 and the city of Hoboken, will assemble at 6 p.m. and step off at 6:30 p.m.

The line of march will run from City Hall at 94 Washington St. north on Washington Street to the viewing stand at the Hoboken Elks Lodge at 10th and Washington streets.

Washington Street will be closed between Observer Highway and 11th Street from approximately 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

NJ Transit buses will be diverted to Hudson Street and Bloomfield Street at that time. Drivers and Hop riders can expect delays and traffic to be re-routed during that time.

Updates will be here.

What's Happening On Memorial Day Weekend?

Memorial Day weekend may be quiet in Hoboken, but some organizations are holding events.

Grace Church is hosting an event on Memorial Day, May 29, from 2-4 to get together with neighbors, and all are welcome. Get more details here.

History of Memorial Day

The history of Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, dates back to 1868, when Gen. John A. Logan called for a day of remembrance to honor the Northern lives lost amid battle during the Civil War that had ended just a few years earlier, according to History.com. As time passed, more and more people called it Memorial Day, and it became a federal holiday in 1971.

Waterloo, New York, is considered the birthplace of Memorial Day. The town’s observance on May 5, 1866, predated Logan’s call for a day of remembrance. Local businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags.

Until World War I, the holiday honored only those soldiers who died while fighting for the Union in the War, as Southern states honored their war dead on a separate day. After the 116,000-plus American deaths in World War I, the tradition changed to remember all who have died while serving in the military.

Every year, a national moment of remembrance is held at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day. No matter where they are or what they’re doing, Americans are asked to pause for one minute in silence to remember military personnel who have given their lives in service to their country. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the midday time was chosen because it’s a time when many Americans will be enjoying their freedoms on a national holiday.