A drum and bugle and a collection of US and Confederate flags are on display in the Civil War section of the American Freedom Museum at Brook Hill School in Bullard. Herb Nygren Jr 050610

 

The American Freedom Museum in Bullard will become the latest local destination on the Purple Heart Trail.

The museum, located on The Brook Hill School campus, will be recognized as a Purple Heart Museum on Aug. 29.

As such it will join Smith County, the city of Tyler, Gun Barrel City and Brookshire Grocery Co., which already have been designated as Purple Heart entities.

It will be the first museum to receive this designation in Texas and possibly the United States, according to a news release.

“Receiving the award … just reminds us and lets us move forward in knowing that we’re going to constantly continue to pay tribute to Purple Heart recipients and all who were wounded or gave their lives for us,” American Freedom Museum Director Jan Hommel said. “And we pledge to continue to do that and to bring that into the forefront or memory of everyone who comes through here.”

Opened in 2010, the museum features almost 700 artifacts that share America’s story.

The 15,000 square feet is divided into the Hall of Presidents and the Hall of Freedom.

The former includes a document signed by every president starting with George Washington.

Some other items of interest include: a lock of George Washington’s hair, a handwritten poem from John Quincy Adams and a tally sheet from Andrew Johnson’s impeachment trial.

The Hall of Freedom has multiple galleries that highlight the major conflicts the United States has been involved in starting with the Revolutionary War through the present.

Ms. Hommel said when students tour the museum her hope is that they will realize “it’s not just America’s story, it’s their story.”

Nick Sciarrini, commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 1935 in Tyler, said designation as a Purple Heart entity recognizes “a community, a city, a county, or an organization that works for veterans issues in some way.”

The Military Order of the Purple Heart is made up of military men and women who received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered in combat. The organization works to support all veterans.

Twitter: @TMTEmily

If you go:

What: Purple Heart Museum Designation Ceremony

Where: American Freedom Museum, 1051 N. Houston St., Bullard

Date: Saturday, Aug. 29

Time: 3:30 to 5 p.m. free museum admission; 5 p.m. ceremony

Info: www.americanfreedommuseum.org for museum hours and prices