Veterans Museum: from a dream to a landmark
A Local Legacy: How the Miami Valley Veterans Museum grew from a dream to a landmark
The Miami Valley Veterans Museum in Troy sits on a sprawling five-acre site with 5,000 square feet of museum space. The museum contains artifacts from war, a full-color 42-foot mural that serves as a historic timeline, and a research library with interviews from more than 250 veterans. Today, the museum stands as an impressive tribute to veterans, but it began humbly born from nothing more than a simple idea.
Inspiration for the museum came on the Fourth of July in 2009, when a group of people started talking about how veterans should be honored all the time, not just a few times a year. So that group got to work and began assembling various military items. And what started out as a small, one-room office in the Stouder Building has grown into what it is today. Museum President Ted Jones explains how this museum differs from others. “Unlike other museums, the Miami Valley Veterans Museum's main focus is on the ‘Person’ and their service to our country,” said Jones. “The museum showcases military uniforms, artifacts, weapons, documents, and personal stories from veterans located in and around Miami and the surrounding counties. One of the most unique aspects of the museum is our focus on local stories and contributions from veterans who served from the Miami Valley area. The museum also hosts events, ceremonies, and educational programs throughout the year.”
Jones is a veteran himself. He served in the United States Coast Guard from 1965 to 1969 on active duty and then two years inactive reserve duty. He says most of his service was aboard a ship, for a total of 3 years and 8 months of sea service. Jones began volunteering at the museum in 2010, gradually taking on greater responsibilities. Today, he not only leads the museum but also champions its mission to serve the entire community, including those who have never worn a uniform.
“As a way of serving the community, we also maintain a place where educators, authors, and the public can do historical research. The library maintains a video library that contains the first-person account of not less than 250 video recordings available for research. The Miami Valley Veterans Museum is working directly with the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, to add to their collection of video recordings. Recently, the Miami Valley Veterans Museum delivered 47 recordings of area veterans to the Library of Congress for inclusion in the Library's Veterans History Project,” said Jones.
Additionally, the museum hosts a free breakfast for all active duty, veterans, and guests every first Wednesday of the month. The museum also provides an off-site learning program called History-In-A-Box. Boxes containing examples of period equipment that servicemembers would have typically worn or used during that period would be explained in a program format. They cover from the beginning of the frontier period through more recent conflicts. The Museum has moved a few times over the years as the collection expanded but since 2019 it has been housed at the former Erwin Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership on South County Road 23 in Troy. The owner, Ron Erwin, along with help from the Troy Foundation, made the move possible. The dealership was a godsend as the artifacts grew but the property needed a lot of work. It was an old, dark garage, with a leaky roof, and wasn’t up to code.
“In the real estate business, it's known as a "Fixer Upper." But never underestimate the power of a few dedicated volunteers who have a vision and the will to carry it through,” said Jones. The Miami Valley Veterans Museum relies on grants, volunteers, and donations to stay running. In June it received a $2,500 grant from the Tipp City Foundation to help fund a new security system, which will help safeguard more than 10,000 artifacts in the museum’s collection. “We have been fortunate in that we have had excellent support from our area foundations and businesses. But even those sources are not limitless, which is why our board is in a constant state of fundraising. We need to raise a minimum of $2,720 every month just to make our property payment, so it takes a lot of oars in the water to keep the boat moving, so to speak,” said Jones.
For those who want to help by volunteering or supporting the museum financially there are several options. Financial support can be directed to the Troy Foundation’s fund to support the museum. There are two funds set up there, one to help with general operational costs and the second is to help build a new multi-purpose gallery and learning center. You can also donate directly to the Miami Valley Veterans Museum.
For those who want to volunteer or visit the museum, it is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Currently, there are no weekend hours, but Jones is hoping to change that eventually, if he can get enough volunteers.
