Honoring those who have served

We don’t often think about our veterans unless it is close to Memorial or Veteran’s Day, leaving a faint memory for those loved ones who have served with pride. Many came home to begin life all over again while others lost theirs on a battlefield.

But you will have an excellent opportunity to honor some of our Shelby County heroes over the next few weeks during the Open House, held at the Shelby County Museum.

The museum’s latest exhibit, “Men of World War II,” took countless hours over the years to gather information and photographs, copy them and put them into binders for safe storage. More than 800 veterans’ pictures have been put on display around the museum’s walls, reflecting Shelby County residents who enlisted during our last world war. For me, it reminded of my first visit to the Vietnam War Wall in Washington D.C. It’s daunting to see the many pictures of young men from Shelby County who served in World War II.

One item of interest is the newspaper article about the four Bussey sons from Timpson. Within a short time, all four brothers enlisted in various branches of the service in World War II. I cannot even imagine! As a mother of a son who enlisted in the Navy during the Mediterranean crisis, and now a grandmother of a former Shelby County resident who has enlisted in the Air Force and will be flying F-15 fighter airplanes, my worries are small compared to what their mother must have felt when she said goodbye to each son. I would love to find out what happened in the Bussey boys’ lives following their enlistment.

The current exhibit was researched and exhibited by the many dedicated museum volunteers, organized by Leonard Irish, one of the museum’s full-time volunteers. There are various interesting exhibits and displays set up during the year that can capture the interest of both residents and visitors.

As a Shelby County transplant, I find the museum fascinating and informative. I’ve lived here long enough to claim my small corner of the county, and love reading and finding out about the rich history of this area. One would be surprised at the number of visitors to our town who are inspired by our little East Texas city.

Why is our Shelby County Museum so important? If one drives by, it looks like a small home sitting on the corner of Pecan Street, looking very much like many other local older homes. But don’t let the exterior fool you. Inside is a wealth of knowledge of Shelby County history. The museum volunteers are kept busy as they work to keep the multiple volumes and publications of Deep East Texas history contained and preserved.

Dusting doesn’t sound like much, but dust and mold can ruin the priceless manuscripts and history books found on the shelves. When new material arrives through donations by the families of lost loved ones, those materials need to be categorized and stored on the shelves for future research.

Our Shelby County Museum is more than a building that holds books and archives. It tenderly holds our Shelby County lives, and who we are within the quiet, white stucco walls. It truly represents the foundation of grit, guts, and gusto of the pioneer families that are the glue of our Shelby County children and grandchildren.

The Genealogy Research Library and Archives are also housed in the building, with trained volunteers to assist in your search for family history. Additionally, there are displays of artifacts from local American Indians, early American and frontier and exploration, and collections of books and information on both World War I and World War II (currently on display). Also, a monthly newsletter that offers a variety of Shelby County history facts and stories, as well as current and past obituaries is available.

The museum building was built by E. H. Barron in 1900, as the Weaver-Oates house, and sits just a short walking distance from the downtown Center Square and Courthouse. Although small, it is filled with memories and artifacts of American Indian life, early Spanish, and European explorations as well as the history of our East Texas area, specifically Shelby County (Museumsusa. org website). It provides a wonderful environment for school-age children, young and old, to discover some of the very interesting moments in history in Shelby County.

The Shelby County Historical Society has served Shelby County since 1962, with the museum providing a “home” for various exhibits to showcase our Shelby County history, past and present. The society membership is around 125. Goals are to provide area East Texas rural communities with educational events and preserving Shelby County history, but there is always a need for more volunteers and benefactors to keep the museum up to date and restored, inside and out.

Again, the Open House for the “Men of World War II” exhibit began last week and will be available for several weeks. The museum is located at 230 Pecan Street Center in Center. Hours are Monday through Friday, 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Closed on Saturday and Sunday.