We started out the day at the new
National Infantry Museum at Ft Benning, it's located at a location
where you don't have to pass through any of the gates manned with
guards. This museum opened in 2009, prior to that would had to go
through an MP check point and get a pass to go to the back section of
the base to the old museum. I'm going to start with telling a little
about the old museum, it was in an old three story building that was
one of the originals on the base, if you saw the movie “WE WERE
SOLDIERS” it was filmed on this base and the housing where the
soldiers family's lived was the same street that the museum was on.
Across from the museum at the Park/Parade grounds there were about
two dozen different monuments to the different units and such. I
think that we were the only ones there that day, the museum had tons
of one of a kind artifacts on display and half of the displays were
out in the open. On the one floor every unit had a large stained
glass window of their unit insignia hanging, what I'm saying is that
the old museum was great, so If I don't sound to excited about the
new one you'll know that I'm comparing it to the old. Which thank
God we were fortunately able to tour years ago.
And now the NEW Museum, OK, If you
have never been here this new museum is fantastic, after entering the
lobby and being greeted by a docent you climb the last hundred yard
ramp. This takes you from the first American infantry in battle
right up to our current conflicts. This walk is filled with video
displays and very well done, once you reach the second floor you
start the exhibit area, They have so much squeezed in here that I
found it a little confusing to follow and be sure to see everything,
but there are some great artifacts here so don't miss them.
The new museum is much more family or
kid oriented with a rifle range (not open yet) restaurant, snack bar,
Imax theater and more.
The thing we didn't like was that two
displays were gated off and closed, The Revolutionary War and the War
of 1812, when we asked why they were closed they said that they were
still trying to raise funds to finish them. Now they had the funds
for a restaurant, a snack bar, an Imax and a rifle range (all of
which require admission charges) but not for the two displays that
started this country on it's way to greatness and the first footsteps
of the American Infantry Soldier which this museum is named after.
Please don't let me discourage you, if
you are in the area this museum is defiantly worth your time to stop
and see.
Here's a few pictures:
Statue in the lobby
Click to enlarge, these rules still make a lot of sense.
One of the two closed sections that we wanted to see
A few miles down the road and you'll find the National Civil War Navel Museum, it was originally named the Confederate Navel Museum but has since changed.
A few miles down the road and you'll find the National Civil War Navel Museum, it was originally named the Confederate Navel Museum but has since changed.
This museum gives you a great history
of both Navies during the Civil War. One room is dedicated to the
CSS Jackson, which was designed to be a blockade runner, it was
constructed of Pine,Oak and they encased in Iron siding. This vessel
was sunk and after 100 years the hull was found and raised. It's on
display and they have made an aluminum frame work that shows what the
ships original design was.
They have a section of the Gunboat CSS
Chattahoochee on display, there is a life size replica of the turret
from the Monitor, which is much larger then I ever imagined. They
have recreated a section of the USS Hartford, Admiral Farragut's flag
ship, with displays showing what navy life about ship was like. I
think they made it look much nicer then it really was.
Hull of the CSS Jackson with aluminum framing showing her full size.
more of the hull
Another room holds a large collection of flags, all of them are original, and explain the ship they were from and it's role in the war and battles. There is much more there to see.
Gun turret of the Monitor, life size.
Model used in making the TNT movie "The Ironsides"
USS Hartford, Admiral Farragut's flag ship
USS Hartford, Admiral Farragut's flag ship
Click to enlarge and read about the amazing Horace King, for years now it seems like every time we turn around we're running into something about Horace. We even stumbled over his grave one year.
After you leave the museum you can walk out back and enjoy a stroll along the Chattahoochee River Walk.
On the way out of town we spotted the
Columbus Botanical Gardens. This is a work in progress and from what
we found out it is run by volunteers. We walked through it in about
30 minutes, they have a 20 years plan and it should be fun to watch
as they keep adding new sections.
We found a guy through Camping World
that is coming out Thursday to replace it for us. Hey it's only
money, what ever we don't spend the kids will.
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