Our Mission
The mission of the Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas is to honor our nation’s veterans, to educate the public about our country’s military history and the contribution of our service men and women, and to preserve important and unique historic artifacts. The Museum reflects a love of country and gratitude to those who serve it by remembering and celebrating their service.
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VISIT
EDUCATION
VOLUNTEER
SUPPORT
My father was a WWII combat veteran who lived here with me for the last 5+ years of his life. We discovered the museum in its first days at the Heritage Museum. It became simply the best thing in his life. He was treated like a celebrity: red-carpet (literally) welcomes, a seat of honor next to the mayor, photographed, interviewed, published, book-signings, Honor wall plaque, Quilts of Valor ceremony, his picture in the paper several times a year, great speakers and events, and always someone new saying thank you and please tell me your story. Never just an old man in a wheelchair but a man among heroes.
–John Luzena, Museum Volunteer
If you have never taken the time to browse through this particular museum, I highly recommend it. It is a travel through our country’s history through the eyes of those who made all our freedoms possible. You will hear the stories from those who can tell it with knowledge and compassion in their souls. You will leave with a humbled heart and a sense of gratitude for all of those who have sacrificed for our country. This is history you can’t learn from a textbook.
–Judy M., Brevard, NC
The Veterans History Museum Movie
“Through Their Eyes”
Depicting Americans at war from WWI to current day, through musuem artifacts, professional naration, photos, videos and veterans’ stories.
“Through Their Eyes” – Is a series of brief and powerful videos that offer a historical perspective and a learning experience for young and old.
Why the Veterans History Museum
The purpose of this veterans museum is to honor the men and women from North and South Carolina who served in our armed forces.
Some examples of what the museum features include one-of-a-kind artifacts, uniforms, weaponry, original newspapers, personal letters, etc.
All of these special items weave the great and proud stories of service in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
They display and help us empathize with the wonder, but also the danger of our involvement in these wars, and the unique sacrifice of our military men and women!
Love of country plus gratitude to those who served proudly equals the museum’s theme for all ages, both young and old.
Peek Inside the Museum
Our Honor Wall hallmarks the service of veterans across North and South Carolina.
The Honor Wall is the first exhibit a visitor encounters. Golden plaques recognize those who served and those who are serving. Many funeral homes are now providing plaques in honor of passed veterans.
When looking for a meaningful way to honor a family member or friend, please consider an honor wall plaque. Click here for more information on how to honor your veteran.
Golden plaques are available for one hundred dollars and can be etched with up to forty five letters of your choice. Four inch by eight inch golden plaques are also available for two hundred dollars and can be etched with up to fifty letters.
Living Histories
The Jolly Green Coasties
Submitted by Carl Burkhart[adapted from ‘The Coast Guard at War’ by Alex Larzelere] Smoke streamed from an Air Force F-105 Thunderchief as it flew south toward the demilitarized zone separating North and South Vietnam. It was the afternoon of 1 July 1968 when its...
Part 2 of Howard Hamilton Story
Geraldine Hamilton, wife of WWII veteran Howard Hamilton, speaking about her husband’s capture in WWII: This is from an article in the Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, May 21, 2000.They’d been married only three months when Howard Hamilton left. They’d known each other...
“When I got out of that plane, I kissed the ground.”
By Ed Cottrell Edwin Cottrell served in the Army Air Corps from August 1942 through 1945, then enlisted in the Air Force Reserves in 1950 and completed 28 years. His father, Dr. Elmer Cottrell, served in the U.S, Army in World War I. Also serving in the U.S. Army in...
News
How the American Front First Saw D-Day
By Mike Bazinet Greg Wilsbacher, Ph.D., a University of South Carolina faculty librarian and curator of the famous Fox Movietone News Collection housed there, will present a muti-media program, How the American Homefront First Saw D-Day on June 5 at 2 p.m. at the...
Museum Exhibit Honors Women in the Military
Exhibit features Women in the Military. This is first in a series of five articles on new exhibits at the Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas: Women in the Military, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marines, and U.S. Navy.A "bigger" way to honor women who...
The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11
CIA Senior Intelligence Officer David Tyson will share his experiences leading the CIA response to the 9/11 attacks Tyson was instrumental in helping the US get its first foothold in Afghanistan after 9/11. He was the partner of Mike Spann, the first U.S. casualty in...
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The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas
21 East Main Street
Brevard, North Carolina 28712
Call: (828) 884-2141
Admission: FREE
Open: Tues-Sat, 11am to 3pm
Join Our Email List
If you are interested in signing up for news about the Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas upcoming events and stories, please sign up for our on-line mailing list. Click Here.