Memorial Day Weekend in small town U.S.A.

I love living in Chicago but I get very nostalgic during the holidays for my hometown of Dupo, Illinois.  It’s the summer celebrations, like Memorial Day, that really make me wistful for days gone by in this small railroad town of 3,000 people set near the banks of the Mississippi River in Southern Illinois. And although I've appreciated the great parades in Chicago and its multiple street festivals, nothing can compare with the homespun touches that only a small town can offer. 

The parades in Dupo are a little bit different than anywhere else I’ve ever been.  For what they lack in size, they make up for with heart. The fire trucks (both of them) are polished for weeks leading up to the celebration and by the time they’re spritzed and spruced, you can see your reflection.  Kathy Donigan recalled the service. “The VFW service is what I remember. As girl scouts, we marched in a parade from the VFW to the memorial in the triangle by our church for a ceremony. I recall it being very solemn and an honor to be the flag bearers.  We got to wear white gloves.”

The American Legion Hall and the VFW are the top two hangouts in town and, throughout this weekend, little plastic American flags dot the tables and bars brightening up the dark wood. Townspeople who have served in wars pin medals on their shirts and walk a little taller. The pool tables in town were always crowded with new faces, many returning home from whatever wars we were fighting.

Besides the parade, THE highlight of Memorial Day for me has always been the Dupo Park picnic.  In times past, the whole town would show up for this must-attend affair where you got to see all of your old friends and classmates.  You could smell the fish frying from inside the little stands as families staked their claims on strategically placed picnic tables.  The beer stands had the longest lines and, being close to Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, everyone was loyal to their hometown brands.  Since you can reach out and touch the cornfields, the corn-on-the-cob was always a best seller, too. There were small carnival rides, live entertainment and sometimes even mouse races!  (And before you ask, “Straight track, 6 lanes, you bet on a mouse and, if he wins, you win money depending on the odds.”)  And don’t even get me started about the rooster crowing contests. I have no idea what the celebrations honoring our fallen heroes will look like this year. I hope it's similar. It would be a shame to lose these traditions.

I still miss my friends there, the wonderful pace of the town and the beautiful scenery. The village, founded in 1750, was originally a French colonial settlement named Prairie du Pont. I remember scouring the bluffs for arrow heads that were left in abundance by the Cahokia Indians. Town history states that at one time between 3 to 7 thousand Indian dwellings were on the ridge where Dupo Park is located.

So, on this Memorial Day weekend, not only will I be giving thanks and prayers for the veterans, the fallen and Gold Star families, but I will also be giving thanks for growing up in a small town, where life’s little pleasures become lasting memories. (First published May, 2021)

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