12 Jun 2013 Museum honors state's military heroes
Residents in the 501 looking to learn more about the state and nation’s heroes should check out the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History in Little Rock.
Located in the historic Arsenal Building at 503 E. Ninth St., the museum features a variety of exhibits and artifacts that interpret the state’s military history while honoring the contributions of Arkansas servicemen and women.
Exhibits feature artifacts, photographs, weapons, documents, uniforms and other military items.
Among the current exhibits is “By the President in the Name of Congress: Arkansas’ Medal of Honor Recipients.”
The exhibit honors Arkansans whose service to the country has earned them the Medal of Honor. Twenty-five Arkansans, from the Civil War to Vietnam, have received this highest honor. The museum has two Medals of Honor on display, those received by Nathan Gordon of Morrilton and Gilbert Collier of Hunter (Woodruff County).
Another exhibit at the museum features a special collection of photographs – “Through the Camera’s Eye: The Allison Collection of World War II Photographs.”
During World War II, James Allison was a sports writer working for the Houston Press. He noticed that many photographs not printed in the daily newspaper were routinely discarded. He received permission to save these images, and by war’s end he had amassed a collection of more than 4,600 photographs. In August 1977, he donated his collection to the Arkansas Museum of Science and History, located in the historic Arsenal building in MacArthur Park.
Today, many of those photos are on display and can also be accessed on the museum’s website.
Several special events are planned at the museum this summer, including the first ever vintage military vehicle show 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 13. Classic and vintage military vehicles will be parked around the museum for the public to view. This event is free. (Owners of military vehicles who would like to show their vehicle are asked to contact the museum.)
For a complete list of exhibits and upcoming events, visit arkmilitaryheritage.com.
