Today is Memorial Day, a federal holiday dedicated to honoring and remembering the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who gave their lives while serving our country.

Originally known as Decoration Day following the Civil War, the holiday began in the late 1860s as communities gathered to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags. Over time, the observance expanded to honor all American military personnel who died in service to the nation. Memorial Day became an official federal holiday in 1971 and is observed each year on the last Monday in May.

In observance of the holiday, federal, state, and local government offices are closed today, including Chattooga County government offices, the City of Summerville, the City of Menlo, the Town of Trion, and the Town of Lyerly. Banks and post offices are also closed for the Memorial Day holiday.

Chattooga County officials say county dump sites and the transfer station will remain open and operate on their regular schedules today.

Transit services, administrative offices, and several other county departments are closed for the holiday and will reopen during normal business hours on Tuesday.

Officials remind residents that for emergencies or situations requiring crew dispatch, residents should call 911.