Country's oldest parade continues in Ironton

The Ohio town has not missed a year since its first parade in 1868.
IRONTON, Ohio (AP) -- The Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day parade will roll through town Monday for the 136th consecutive year.
The parade is the oldest continuing Memorial Day observance in the country, parade organizers said. An Ohio Historical Society marker noting that accomplishment will be erected Friday afternoon on the courthouse lawn in this southern Ohio town near the Kentucky state line.
"We have never missed a year," said Jim Adkins, who was the grand marshal in 1993, and serves as spokesman for the parade planning committee.
Ironton held its first parade in 1868, the same year the Grand Army of the Republic established May 30 as a day of remembering fallen comrades. Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress in 1971.
Changes over the years
The early parades in Ironton were small and featured 40 yokes of oxen, Adkins said.
In the 1950s, all schoolchildren were expected to march in the parade, holding flowers in one hand and waving a handkerchief or flag in the other. After the parade, they were given their report cards.
This year's parade -- with a theme of "One Nation Under God" -- was expected to have more than 3,000 marchers -- including high school bands, 4-H clubs, beauty queens and Smokey Bear, the forest fire prevention mascot.
Organizers expected 50,000 people to watch the parade. Ironton has a population of about 11,500, the mayor's office said.
The Ironton parade has stayed close to its roots as a day of remembrance. Don't expect silly or outlandish outfits, Adkins said.
"We are sticklers for dress in the parade. We have people come down in a Superman costume and we had to say sorry, but this is not a comedy show," he said. "We honor the veterans. We have no political advertisements, and no commercial advertisements are allowed in the parade."