Following the end of the Civil War, many communities established a day to mark the end of the war or as a memorial to those who had died. These observances came together around Decoration Day, honoring the Union dead, and the several Confederate Memorial Days. Memorial Day was officially named on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, then commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were laid on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery, in Virginia. By 1890 Memorial Day was recognized by all of the northern states - the first observance was in Waterloo, New York on May 5, 1866. The friendship between General John Murray, a distinguished citizen of Waterloo, and General Logan was probably a key factor in the holiday's acceptance. On June 28, 1968, the US Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved three holidays from their original dates t o a specified Monday to create a convenient three-day weekend. The holidays include Washington's Birthday, now celebrated as Presidents' Day; Veterans Day and Memorial Day.