Howard County Historical Society Schedules New Exhibit To Open On Veteran’s Day
The Howard County Historical Society is opening a new exhibit at the E.A. Williams Chapel and Museum on Veteran’s Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2020. The display features military photographs and artifacts focusing on Howard County residents’ participation in the Civil War through World War II. The artifacts are from the museum’s collection. The exhibit includes photographs, uniforms, and military gear such as a gas mask bag from WWI and a Nazi uniform and flag sent home as a souvenir by a local WWII soldier.
The exhibit begins with information on the Davis Blues, a Civil War regiment that was organized in Nashville, and a photo of the local participants in the Spanish American War of 1890. A portrait of Joel Chandler, the first WWI fatality from Howard County, is included in the exhibit as well as numerous artifacts from the WWII era.
The museum is hosting an Open House from 12-4 on Wednesday, November 11 (Veteran’s Day) and invites the community to attend and view the exhibit. Individually wrapped refreshments will be served and the first 20 children attending will receive a goody bag. Each attendee should wear a mask and all social distancing protocol will be followed.
The Historical Society assembled the exhibit to remember the men and women from Howard County who served our country. The exhibit was funded by a grant from the Small Museum Grant Program. This program is funded by the one-eighth cent conservation tax. Small Museum Grant applications are reviewed and evaluated against the goals, evaluation criteria and eligible activities of the Small Museum Grant Program by a panel appointed by the Director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage. The purpose of the Small Museum Grant Program is to increase the ability of community-based museums/organizations to research, preserve, present and conserve Arkansas history.
Photo Notes:
(The first photo is from a postcard sent home by a Howard County soldier. It pictures his WWI calvary unit. He marked himself with an X. The second photo was taken in Saarlautern, Germany in 1944. It pictures James Hughes Murray of Howard County with his unit. Out of 12 men, the 7 pictured made it back from the front.)
