Stars & Stripes officials plan new facility

Area officials and supporters of the Stars & Stripes Museum break ground Tuesday, July 9, on a 3,300-square-foot new building at Bloomfield.

Sherman Smith/Dexter Statesman

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — The Stars & Stripes National Museum held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday, July 9 for a 3,300-square-foot expansion project.

The new space will help the museum expand its efforts to share the history of the Stars & Stripes newspaper, as well as stories of members of the armed forces.

The new space will house four World War II vehicles and other exhibits, providing a dedicated area to showcase these artifacts, museum officials have said. The expansion will ensure ADA compliance, offering improved accessibility for all visitors. By enhancing their exhibit space, museum officials hope to offer more educational programs, better preserve collections and improve the overall visitor experience.

Museum executive director Laura Dumey recognized key donors Sam Rhodes, Steve Sears and Randy Kinder.

Board president Brian Brooks spoke about the popularity of the Stars & Stripes newspaper.

“We were flying into Fallujah at 9 a.m. with the editors of Europe and 500 copies of the Stars & Stripes. We walked into the mess hall, and 500 newspapers disappeared,” Brooks said. “The printed edition of the Stars & Stripes newspaper is still incredibly popular. ... It brings the soldier a little bit of home.”

Museum board member Mike Penny said, “The Stars & Stripes was first published by Union troops with stolen equipment 163 years ago in Bloomfield, Missouri.”

Prosecuting attorney and museum board member Sawyer Smith delivered the keynote address.

“It is an honor to be part of the Stars & Stripes,” Smith said. “The museum is important to all of us. Be generous and support the Stars & Stripes.”

The Stars and Stripes National Museum and Library documents, collects, preserves and exhibits materials related to the history, work, contents, scope and role of the Stars and Stripes military newspaper from its origins to the present.

The museum and library seek to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the Stars and Stripes’ important role in history by preserving, interpreting and making its archives available to those who are interested in using its resources for research purposes.