FARMINGTON —  Memorial Day, a day for remembering those who died in service to this country, was observed Monday in Farmington with a parade, the laying of wreaths, and a service hosted by the Roderick-Crosby Post 28 of the
American Legion.

“The town pays homage to its own who served and died in American wars with several monuments,” attorney Paul Mills, guest speaker for the service, said.

Mills provided a history of each monument, from the Post Memorial outside the Legion Hall for those who died in all wars to the Civil War monument in Meetinghouse Park.

In the late 1800s the park had become an eyesore in the village, a place for cows, horses and old carts, “an embarrassment,” he said. One citizen stepped forward offering to pay for and give the town a Civil War monument if the townspeople would clean up the park. They did. It was dedicated in 1904.

A second monument followed, an honor roll for World War II veterans. A third monument for all post-WWII wars was also set within Meetinghouse Park. The town remembers the WWI soldiers with a monument on North Main Street.

Wreaths were laid in remembrance at each site, along with a wreath at Center Burying Ground behind the Franklin County courthouse.

In addition to remembering servicemen, Mills encouraged people to remember lives given on our own soil and shores. He related stories, untold for decades, of a ship destroyed by the Germans just 9 miles off Portland’s coast, and one of a woman and children killed while on a picnic in Oregon when they discovered a Japanese balloon bomb, one of 9,300 such bombs launched at American targets, he said.

During the service, Legionnaire Jim Harris sang the national anthem and chaplain Langdon Adams offered prayers while First Vice Commander Tim Callahan led the service.

Main Street was lined with people for the 10 a.m. parade that followed. The parade included veterans, the Color Guard, the Old Crow Band and Boy Scouts from Troop 546 in Temple.

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