— Submitted photo. During Memorial Day weekend, American Legion Post 191 and local volunteers teamed up to adorn Graceland Cemetery, Webster City, with an annual tradition — The Avenue of Flags.

This is my ninth week writing about “Our Neighborhood,” the area in Webster City that I am so pleased to now call home. I’ve written, so far, about some of the former residents of this fine city; people I’m happy to have as neighbors, of a sort.

The home my wife and I purchased in August of 2022, after living the full-time RV life for seven years, is located across Ohio Street from Graceland Cemetery. We are happy to have quiet neighbors and to witness, daily, the care and sincere respect folks have for those who reside there.

I wrote this article a week before publication, so if this one seems a bit off, time wise, bear with me.

Yesterday, my wife and I had the marvelous opportunity to see many, many people “showing their love” in preparation for Memorial Day.

Volunteers aplenty there were, all with smiles on their faces as they put up the flags that become, for a short week each year, The Avenue of Flags. It’s a wonderful tribute to those men and women who have given so much to defend our freedoms.

Myself… well, this former sailor feels humbled and a bit overwhelmed by it all. As the morning progressed and more flags sprouted and began to wave, there were genuine tears.

Gratitude, memories, the sense of time passing… it can turn this historian into a blubbering mess.

I wrote to thank those honored on Memorial Day in an article two weeks ago, before I witnessed this community’s act of affection. Now I NEED to thank all of you who helped, who gave of your own time to honor and cherish their memory.

I began a search for “Avenue of Flags” in the Hamilton County Newspaper Archive website. This annual commemoration began in 1990, the same year I moved my family from San Diego to start a new chapter in Owatonna, Minnesota… two hours north of here.

I was surprised that I had never read or seen an article about this amazing event. Please don’t misunderstand; I do not intend to “let the world know about the secret”… unless you want me to.

I do, however, intend to become a help in it myself. I’ve already had the pleasure of speaking to the third graders of Webster City at the Heritage Day (in Wilson Brewer Park) a few weeks ago.

I’ll be presenting a talk on “Webster City and the American Civil War” later this month at the Mulberry Center Church. It’s what I do, and have done for some 20 or more years.

Along with loving my wife, being a grandparent and a dad, writing, studying history, a little fishing and traveling, I enjoy sharing history with anybody who will listen.

All this is to say that I will strive, earnestly, to be a citizen of this fine city — like those I saw this weekend… showing their love and honoring others.

In my heart, I truly believe this is evidence of what we all want to see around us, at home, at work and even (dare I say it), on the news.

So, to each of you reading this that helped out in “Our Neighborhood” on Memorial Day weekend… a very sincere “Thank You.”

When this new guy shows up to help, be gentle. I may get teary eyed a bit at first, but that will pass and I promise to help to the best of my ability.