By: Yvonne Dempsey
The Alabama Veterans Museum is pleased to announce the fulfillment of a dream — the Alabama Veterans Park as a beautiful addition to our museum complex.
As many of you may remember, the railroad depot next to the train tracks on W. Pryor was the initial home of the museum. Over the years and due to the accumulation of numerous historic artifacts, the museum became too small for the many displays. Thankfully, the solution to the space problem was close at hand in the form of the Limestone County Event Center across the parking lot from the museum, which was deeded to the museum by the County. Generous donations made it possible to renovate half of the large building for the museum while leaving the other half as a popular event venue that is available for rent.
In July of 2021, the museum relocated to the newly renovated building across the parking lot. The spacious, well-lit building is fully ADA compliant, affording visitors easy access to all the museum has to offer. With the museum’s move to the new building, the dream was then to purchase the adjoining property that held storage units and a small office building. The idea was to honor our veterans with a beautiful park that could be enjoyed by all for years to come.
Almost three years after moving to the new building, the museum was able to purchase the adjacent property. The buildings were torn down to make way for the planned park. Many long hours of planning, preparations, and hard work went into creating this beautiful addition to our museum and our city.
Visitors approaching the Alabama Veterans Park will notice the Bell OH-58A Kiowa helicopter displayed above the south side. This particular helicopter was used by the U. S. Army from 1969 through the ‘70s. A Lance missile launcher is displayed on the park’s north side. The fenced park is beautifully landscaped with benches along the winding sidewalk. The center of the park has three flagpoles, monuments, and a fire pit that will be used for the flag retirement ceremonies for U. S. flags no longer in service.
Although a date has not been set, an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication will be held and the public will be invited to the event. An announcement about the date and time will be made in the news media.
The museum board and staff would like to thank all who made contributions of money, time, talent, and hard work, to make our park a reality. Without the generosity of our supporters, we would not exist for future generations.
Just a reminder that Coffee Call is held in the event venue on the first Saturday of each month at 8 a.m. It is a free breakfast for veterans and their families. It is a great time for food, fellowship, and even touring the museum afterwards.
By: Yvonne Dempsey
October 4, 2024
