By Sam Sedoryk, Museum Education Specialist
As we approach the 107th anniversary of the end of World War I, let’s take a moment to reflect on the origins of Veterans Day and how Windsorites celebrated the end of the Great War.
The origins of Veterans Day date back to the end of the World War I, also referred to as The Great War, in 1918, when a temporary ceasefire was declared. The hostilities ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when Germany declared their surrender. The Great War did not officially end until seven months later at the Treaty of Versailles on June 28th, 1919. It wasn’t until later that year that President Woodrow Wilson issued the day to be called Armistice Day to honor the veterans who served in World War I.
When news that the war was over hit Windsor, the town celebrated with music, fireworks and lots of commotion. The front-page article of the Windsor Beacon on November 14th, 1918 stated that on the night of November 11th, Windsor was the loudest it had ever been. “With the factory whistle blowing almost incessantly, fire sirens screeching, the band playing, anvils booming, people cheering and shouting at the top of their voices.” The following year, Windsor planned an Armistice Day celebration, but it was unfortunately disrupted by an unexpected Colorado snowstorm.
More than 4 million U.S. servicemembers participated in The Great War. While only a few Windsorites served on the front lines, many contributed to the war efforts through the Red Cross. One notable Windsor service member was Sergeant Angus McKay, who was deployed to France in 1917 and served on the front lines until he died from the Spanish influenza in October 1918. His legacy lives on in Windsor, where the American Legion Post 109 bears his name, “Forbes-McKay.”
In 1954, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day to honor all U.S. service members. You can join the Town of Windsor this Veteran’s Day, Tuesday, November 11th, as we place flags on veterans graves at Lakeview Cemetery, honoring all those who have served this country.
Image 1: Photograph of Sergeant Angus McKay, circa 1917.
Image 2: Front page headline of the Windsor Beacon, November 14th, 1918.