Join us as we commemorate the 105th Anniversary of the Battle of Cantigny with a reflection and wreath-laying ceremony, followed by presentations and family-friendly activities!
On May 28, 1918, the U.S. Army’s First Division successfully attacked and defeated German forces holding the small village of Cantigny, 75 miles north of Paris, in America’s first significant battle of World War I. That day, Colonel Robert R. McCormick, then Major McCormick, commanded the 1st Battalion of the 5th Field Artillery, leading his unit in providing crucial weapon support. Understandably, the experience had a major impact on Col. McCormick for the rest of his life. Upon returning from his service in Europe, he renamed his family estate “Cantigny.”
To commemorate the battle’s anniversary, the First Division Museum will offer a moment of reflection with a wreath-laying, followed by heartfelt presentations and family-friendly activities.
Scheduled Events:
Wreath Laying
Visitors Center, 11am
Join us in commemorating the Battle of Cantigny with a ceremonial wreath laying. Our keynote speaker will be Brigadier General Niave F. Knell, Deputy Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division.
Cycling to Find My Grandfather’s Battlefields
Visitors Center Theater, 4pm
Follow Brett Hawkes, grandson of a Battle of Cantigny veteran, as he retraces his grandfather’s footsteps through France.
Free with paid admission
2023/05/28 - 2023/05/28
First Division Museum at Cantigny Park
1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton, IL 60189
Cantigny's regular daily parking fee is $5 per car. Parking is free on the first Wednesday of every month. On Saturdays and Sundays, May through September, parking is $10. The $10 rate also applies on Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. Parking is free at all times for Cantigny Park members, Honor Club members, and those attending ticketed events or other fee-based programs.