Kentucky Historical Society
Kentucky Military Treasures on View in Online Exhibition

FRANKFORT, KY — (August 20, 2009) — A new online exhibition by the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) showcases Kentucky’s military treasures through the stories of Kentuckians who fought in battles spanning nearly 200 years, as well as those who supported the troops on the homefront.

The online exhibition, which covers military engagements from the War of 1812 to more recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, provides visitors with the real-life stories of Kentuckians who served and sometimes lost their lives in these conflicts. “Kentucky Military Treasures” is available here.

Up-close views of artifacts, including uniforms, weapons, medals, photographs, personal letters and other items are part of the online exhibition. The site allows visitors to zoom close enough to actually read the documents, which include broadsides, postcards, pamphlets and even a Kentucky soldier’s so-called ‘floating letter,’ a letter to his mother that was temporarily lost at sea and eventually forwarded to her.

“People who visit this online exhibition will leave it knowing that treasures are more than just things of the past; treasures are the stories behind them,” said Marilyn Zoidis, assistant director of KHS.

The online exhibition also includes oral histories, allowing visitors to hear the stories from soldiers in their own words. Among these are the recollections of an African American soldier who fought in the trenches during World War I, a soldier who was forced to participate in the Tiger Death March and an airplane mechanic who witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor.

This new online exhibition offers a virtual experience of what Kentuckians can see when they visit in person this fall when “Kentucky Military Treasures” opens in the Keeneland Changing Exhibits Gallery at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in Frankfort.

The gallery exhibition will feature signature stories of Kentucky military personnel. It returns selections from the KHS military collections to public view. Many of the artifacts have been in storage while renovations are underway at the Kentucky Military History Museum, one of the museums on the KHS history campus.

The “Kentucky Military Treasures” online exhibition was made possible by generous support from the Kentucky Veterans Trust Fund and the KHS Foundation.

For more information about visiting KHS, visit www.history.ky.gov.

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An agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Kentucky Historical Society, since 1836, has provided connections to the past, perspective on the present, and inspiration for the future.  KHS operates the Old State Capitol, the Kentucky Military History Museum, and its headquarters, the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History.   Since 1999, the thirty-million-dollar Center has welcomed more than one million visitors.   For more information about the Kentucky Historical Society and its programs, visit the Web site at www.history.ky.gov.