NMHC To Host Annual Poker Challenge

On Saturday, January 30 the National Military History Center will host the annual Classic City Poker Challenge. This is a charity tournament with all proceeds benefitting the NMHC.

This is a No Limit Texas Hold 'Em Tournament with $1-$2 No Limit Cash Games throughout the day. All proceeds benefit the National Military History Center, license number 119324.

Players in the main event will begin with $15,000 in tournament chips, and players in the last chance will begin with $5,000 in chips.

Cash Games start at 9:00am, with the Main Event at 11:00am and the Last Chance at 5:00pm.

For full tournament information, visit the events page and click on the logo.

January
Saturday, Jan. 30th.............................Classic City Poker Challenge

February
Friday, Feb. 19-21st..............................Louisville Auto Show
Saturday, Feb. 27th...............................Froggy Prom Show

March
Saturday, Mar. 20th................Northeastern Indiana Racing Reunion and Expo

May
Saturday, May 1st.................Froggy Kite Fly
Monday, May 31st.................Memorial Day Remembrance

July
Saturday, July 24- Sunday, July 25th...............HistoryFest

August
Sunday, August 29th......Auburn Kick-Off Car Show

September
Satuday, September 4th........Pancake & Sausage Breakfast
Sunday, September 5th.........Pancake & Sausage Breakfast

October
Saturday, October 9th.........."Today's Woman" Expo

November
Thursday, November 11th............Veteran's Day Celebration

December
Thursday, December 2nd............. A Night With Santa
Starting Dec 1st.......Auburn Festival of Trees

Barnum & Bailey Displays Grace the KAC

Bright lights and calliope music greet guests to the Kruse Automotive & Carriage Museum (KAC) where several pieces of the Barnum & Bailey Circus equipment are on display. Colorful clowns adorn the pieces, while an animal cage with a fearsome lion opens the exhibit. The display also includes a 1955 King Midget car and a horse-drawn historical popcorn wagon.

The Barnum & Bailey items are part of the wide collection of vehicles owned by auto aficionado Carl Casper. Casper is a large contributor to the KAC, which houses dozens of movie cars, celebrity vehicles and authentic classics.

The display can now be seen as a part of the vehicle collection in the KAC museum during regular business hours, and is included in general admission prices.

Exhibit Design In the Works at the Granatelli Hall of Fame

Upon the conclusion of construction at the Granatelli Hall of Fame, staff and supporters have been busily working to design, organize and create the exhibits that will line the halls and walls of the building. With everything from commemorative plaques and trophies from the racing years to photographs and memorabilia from Andy's early childhood, the exhibits are sure to provide a wide array of material and artifacts that will pique the interest of any visitor. Also featured are some key vehicles in racing circles, including a Camaro that broke the land speed record in the early 80's at the Bonneville Salt Flats and another record-breaking Caprice.

While progress is slowly but surely coming along, visitors to the area are invited to tour the building and artifacts by appointment only. The board and staff truly appreciates the enthusiasm, the excitement and the support of those who have called and visited.

The Operation Welcome Home celebration taking place at the World War II Victory Museum (now the National Military History Center) did more than embrace and thank the hundreds of veterans who poured onto the grounds to listen to music, grab a ride in a Huey helicopter, or gaze at the traveling Vietnam Wall. The event also benefited a local homeless shelter that was struggling to complete a suite of rooms designed specifically for homeless vets.

The Shepherd's House in Fort Wayne has been around for 10 years. Both the founder, Lonnie Cox, and the Director, Jim "Gunny" Zuber are Ex-Marines who are passionate about trying to help their fellow vets. When the organizers of Operation Welcome Home read about Shepherd's House and the problems the facility faced raising the last $3,000 they needed to complete the suite, they decided that it was a cause worth "rallying the troops" for. Mike Jackson and Tara Dixon-Engel, President and Vice President of the American Veterans Institute, which organizes the Operation Welcome Home celebrations, pledged the $3,000 to Lonnie Cox and his wife Barbara, who operate the center. Then, Robert Krafft, Director of the National Military History Center, and his staff began working with the AVI officials to raise the needed funds throughout the weekend celebration.

Dixon-Engel introduced the Shepherd's House officials during a moving Memorial Service on July 4. "These people are wholly dedicated to giving our veterans one of those second chances that America is so famous for...and no one deserves a second chance more than somebody who has defended America's freedom," Dixon-Engel told a standing room only crowd at the service.

During a US Air Force band of Flight concert Saturday night, Krafft, Jackson and Dixon Engel once again urged the crowd to support the shelter's efforts. Their pleas netted over $1,500 the night of the concert. Organizers were thrilled to announce that not only did they raise the $3,000, but many local organizations and churches have pledged support to Shepherd's House. "Many people who dropped money into our buckets Saturday night also told me that their churches were taking up a special collection on Sunday," Dixon-Engel said. "It was truly heart-warming to see how the citizens of northern Indiana responded to our veterans in need. And the folks at the National Military History Center deserve a huge pat on the back. They spread the word and worked tirelessly to raise that money. On Saturday night we had the museum volunteers and staff, their spouses, and even their kids working the crowd for donations. Every one of our Operation Welcome Home events is a little different, but this one will live on as the one that truly reinforced our belief in people and in good old fashioned faith!"

Jackson, Dixon-Engel and Krafft presented a check for $2,300, plus one for $650, donated by Mr. Roger Souder of Auburn, and one for $50 -- totaling $3,000 -- to Lonnie and Barbara Cox at 1 p.m. on July 6.

"This has been a wonderful blessing and we are hearing from other organizations and individuals in the community that they want to get involved in the our efforts," Barbara Cox explained. "When you are running a facility like ours, every little bit counts. The National Military History Center donated a whole pallet of hamburger buns the other night and people have organized toilet paper drives for us! Right now we could use several new beds for the veterans' facility, but after the outpouring of support and generosity recently, I know the Lord will provide. We have been overwhelmed by people's kindness."

This is more than a name change! This is the marking of the start of the next phase in creating a museum complex honoring our nation’s military and its remarkable soldiers, sailors and airmen who have guaranteed our freedoms for more than 200 years.

The complex will spotlight the service and sacrifice of America’s military through a variety of museum units and major galleries dedicated to Young America’s military, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, and today’s War on Terror. This newest phase of growth will create the unprecedented American Veterans Hall of Honor and Veterans Research Library. The library will not only be a research tool, but will preserve a variety of materials for future generations.

The World War II Victory Museum, which is one of the world’s most impressive collections of WWII military equipment, was the first phase of creating this center. Fundraising efforts are currently underway to create room for new exhibits and expand the Center’s educational programming.

There are also many other changes underway. Soon there will be a new National Military History Center web site which will grow to become a vital resource for students, teachers, researchers, history buffs, and anyone interested in learning more about America’s military.

The site will feature an updated look, easy to use navigation, eye-catching video and photo galleries, and more.  Educational materials and resources will be available at the click of a mouse.  An online museum store will also be offered in the near future.

Stop back and visit the site to see all the new updates!

For more information on the National Military History Center, you may download the Strategic Plan here (2.4 MB).