Starr King Post #52, GAR - Santa Barbara's Civil War Veterans

I came across a rather interesting webpage concerning the founding and commemorative activities of Santa Barbara's GAR post: the Starr King Post #52. Most of the information is typical - dates, names, places...what you might expect. And I particularly enjoyed descriptions of GAR Comrades parading down State Street to the beach. I am a little suspect on the analysis, however, and troubled by the sloppy research. King died in '64 not '66. But hey, why pick at the details? The author emphasizes the forgetfulness of the Union veterans suggesting that the former soldiers had long forgotten all war-time issues. Well, I do know that that the Post invited Confederate veterans in the area to participate in some Memorial Day commemorative activities - but it's a bit of a leap to assume that the old soldiers had left the war behind. Reconciliation and forgetfulness are not the same thing - not at all.

Who knows? Maybe I'm wrong. But it's worth it to have a look for myself, and a trip to Santa Barbara would be fine and dandy. I'll be looking closely at any Memorial Day speeches, news articles, and post minutes that I can find. If our friends in Santa Barbara are anything at all like their comrades throughout the rest of the country, I doubt that they forgot much of anything.

With compliments,

Keith