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The Stars and Stripes Museum/Library Association, Inc.® is a dedicated group of men and women who are committed to preserving the history of the United States most important military newspaper, at its birthplace, and giving everyone a chance to appreciate its impact and research of unique information. We will build a museum of national importance in Southeast Missouri. Sufficient funds ($125,000) have been raised to construct our first building. A number of artifacts and newspapers are being readied for display. Our complete complex will cost about $3,000,000. A local and near-local capital campaign is being launched, which will be followed by an expanded campaign.
On November 9, 1861, soldiers of the Illinois 11th, 18th and 29th Regiments, after forcing the Confederates south, set up camp in Bloomfield, Missouri. Upon finding the newspaper office empty, they decided to print a newspaper for their expedition, relating the troop's activities. They called it The Stars and Stripes, after their beloved flag and our nation's symbol of freedom. This was the beginning of the 137 year history of the "Soldier's Newspaper" which has been treasured by virtually every service man and woman who has since served their country.
"I do not believe that any one factor could have done more to
sustain the morale of the
American Expeditionary Forces than the Stars and Stripes".
General John J. (Blackjack) Pershing.
In
1991, the Stars and Stripes Museum/Library Association, Inc.® was founded.
There have been generous donations from all over the United States and other
countries. Many donations have come from the Stars and Stripes Association, which
strongly supports our efforts. A number of donations, some of them quite large, have
come from Japan. The Stoddard County Commissioners granted us 7.5 acres of land just
south of Bloomfield.
The Missouri Department of Economic Development awarded us over $60,000 in Neighborhood
Assistance Tax Credits, at a 50% rate. A facility was constructed whit funds from
local donors and others who have a keen interest in the preservation of the Stars and
Stripes military history.
This first building will house our print shop display, have reading-research-display room and will showcase some of our most important artifacts. In addition to an authentic, period print shop, which includes a military teletype facility, we have 3000 copies of The Stars and Stripes newspaper, including an original November 9, 1861 edition, and any complete sets of the 71 issues from World War I. These will be available for reading and research by historians and those interested in particular items of United States military history. All will be catalogued with names, dates and events and will be available on a database for easy reference in our reading and research room.
There are numerous offers of artifacts for display in our museum/library. Many are available from members of the Stars and Stripes Association. Our architects, one of whom is the son of a former "striper", have designed a facility which can be developed in phases as funding allows and needs for display space increase.
The Museum/Library will be developed in increments, at a cost of about $500,000 each. There will be a continuous need for general support during development. The facility will be available at a minimal cost, so no one will be excluded from using our facility and enjoying our artifacts. We will develop five phases, at approximately 2 year intervals, making this a 10 year project to achieve a museum/library of national stature.
Dr. Frank Nickell, of our board, and Director, Center for Regional History at Southeast Missouri State University, and his associate, Robert White, professor of Museum Studies at Southeast Missouri State University have been valuable in planning the construction and utilization of our present and planned facilities. I am personally very interested in local history and am a trustee of the State Historical Society of Missouri and former member of the Missouri State Historical Records Advisory Board. Mr. Jim McGhee Exq, and I co-authored Missouri Grays. Our Office Assistant who has a background in tourism, will be attending a comprehensive training course this year, on the operation of museums with a military theme.
Obviously, we feel very strongly about preserving the history of the Stars and Stripes Military newspaper, but we feel that the completion of this project will bring something to Southeast Missouri which is without parallel. The importance of such a museum/library would be lost in the complexity of the Smithsonian Institute or the cultural amenities of a large city, but will be of major importance in a rural area, where people are so dedicated to preserving this piece of history. Our site is less than 3 hours drive from St. Louis and Memphis and is within an easy drive of six Universities and four junior colleges, representing more than 60,000 students. There are 44,000 tourists passing through this area each year and this will increase with continued improvement of Missouri State Highway 60. The museum will be a landmark attraction of the area. The economic impact on the area will be significant.
Our objective is to increase the opportunities for students, historians and tourists to see the important role the "Soldier's Newspaper" played in the lives of our armed forces men and women in all major wars, beginning with the Civil War and continuing through the Gulf Conflict. They will be able to sample the lives and duties of the journalists and the impact on the lives of the men and women of the Armed Forces. They will also be able to research particular aspects, people and events of our conflicts, resulting in increased awareness of the role of the Stars and Stripes and the military and also instilling an increased sense of patriotism.
Our project will continue until there is adequate space to properly display all the artifacts that are available to us that will make the Museum/Library. Expansion will continue until the facility is complete and appropriately displays the entire record of The Stars and Stripes and the part it played in our military history. We estimate that we will attract 10,000 visitors per year during the first five years and that number will continually increase as we market the facility and more people learn of our site.
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The Stars and
Stripes |
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The Stars and Stripes Museum/Library Association, Inc.® is a 501(c)3 Corporation |
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