A sudden downpour of rain wasn’t enough to keep hundreds of residents, local officials and state officials from making their way Thursday to the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new and expanded Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives.

“It was fabulous,” Sandy Thompson, museum director, said. “We couldn’t have been happier with the turnout.”

The ceremony’s featured speaker was Gov. Kay Ivey, who also held the scissors for the official ribbon-cutting. The museum’s move to the former Limestone County Event Center has been in the works since at least 2019, though it wasn’t until this year that the museum was able to begin transferring its collection.

“We thought it was going to take six months, and we’ve done quite a bit in three and a half,” Thompson said.

On Thursday, Ivey praised the museum’s work to honor veterans and educate future generations.

“Whether in times of war or peace, veterans and their families devote their lives in the service of our country and the ideals we hold so dear,” Ivey said. “Because of this, it is incumbent of us to actively look for ways to honor and thank those heroes. I’m thrilled to say this museum will teach our future generations and our children the importance of honoring our veterans and the rich history of our state.”

She said nearly 1 in 10 Alabamians have served in the military, with many paying the price, and she trusts the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives “will protect the memories and artifacts of the great men and women who fought to keep our land free.”

The museum features items from the Revolutionary War to modern day, including uniforms, medals, photos and weapons. To grow the collection even more, the Tennessee Valley Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution presented Thompson and the museum with a special U.S. flag to display.

“This particular version of Old Glory has been flown at Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, who served as commander of the nation’s first veterans,” TVCSAR President Benny Hannah said during the presentation.

Other speakers at the ceremony included Sen. Tom Butler, R-Madison, who introduced the governor; Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks, who invited members of the Athens City Council to join him in presenting a check for $100,000 to the museum; and Limestone County Commission Chairman Collin Daly, who Jerry Crabtree of the museum’s board of directors thanked for his ongoing support of the museum. The Commission voted in November 2019 to transfer the property deed for the former event center from the county to the museum.

The building was renovated to split the large, open space into two, separated spaces. Visitors can now enter the front area, then turn right to visit the museum or left to attend an event. The event space can be rented and still includes the stage and kitchen area.

The museum is now open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Meeting young visitors

Several young residents got to meet the governor and give gifts or pose for a picture with her. One local resident, Will Thompson, said it was his first time visiting the museum, having to cancel previous plans due to the pandemic.

Thompson is not only a history buff but an autograph collector, so his grandfather, James Thompson, thought Thursday’s ceremony would be a great opportunity for his grandson. The younger Thompson got to walk through the museum quickly and meet Ivey, who provided him with his first state governor autograph for his collection.

He decided to store the autograph in a zip-close bag for safekeeping. The accompanying note reads, “Will — Continue to work hard!”

Thompson said Ivey also got a kick out of his shirt, which read, “Don’t rush me — I’m waiting til the last minute.” He told The News Courier to go back to the museum when it’s not as busy so he can spend more time checking out the exhibits and artifacts.