The gallery sparkles with fresh paint on new walls, a velvety black ceiling, and brilliant coat of wax on the tile floor. It echoes when we speak; it’s ready to be filled with moving, emotional stories about the Carver County men and women who have served our country. It’s ready to memorialize those who made the “ultimate sacrifice” for us. This won’t be an exhibit that glorifies war – it will be a way to remember and honor those who served.

This gallery has been in the back of my mind for several years. We have an amazing collection of military artifacts, some with strong local ties and others that represent typical equipment used by all branches of the armed forces. Visitors to the former gallery shared stories; some reacted with great emotion to the old displays. Incorporating these local stories into a new, interpretive exhibit with improved handicap access has long been a dream of mine. Now it’s happening, and the hard work begins!

On June 1, a team of four top students from Bethel, St. Thomas and the University of Missouri will meet for the first time to begin dividing up the research. They will interview local servicemen and women, consult military records and local archives, and pull together a cohesive story that spans the period from the Civil War to the present conflicts in the Middle East. They will tell Carver County’s stories in a global context, explaining the “whys” and “wheres” along with the “whos.” They will be advised by a team of local veterans who will help guide us in deciding which stories to tell and how to tell them.

As the interns conduct research, other volunteers sort and inventory the collection. Vaughn Shepherd and Dave Lovaasen, both knowledgeable veterans themselves, continue to identify objects, gather “like” objects together and assign them to time periods. Damien Parsoud completed an inventory of the existing memorial cases, which will travel throughout our communities in Carver County.

I will continue to work on the construction of new exhibit furniture, artifact mounts and conservation issues. For example, we have a large G.A.R. banner, resembling an American flag approximately six feet square. The white silk stripes and painted lettering are shattering, but the red stripes and blue field are in good condition. The banner will be carefully stitched to a muslin background with the damaged areas sandwiched in transparent silk crepeline. The whole assembly will be mounted on a padded board that is slanted to reduce the effects of gravity and covered with a large piece of Plexiglas to protect the banner from dust. It’s fussy, tedious, time consuming work – just my cup of tea!

Don’t forget that all of this work can be expensive! A conservation-grade mannequin can cost $1,000 or more, and we hope to exhibit at least 12 uniforms at a time. Your donations are very welcome, and donations of all sizes will be acknowledged in the gallery. Memorial gifts are especially meaningful. Thank you for your support!

Submitted by Larry Hutchings,
CCHS Curator of Collections and Exhibitions