Exhibit: Byron Goes to War

The Byron Museum recently unveiled its newest permanent exhibit, “Byron Goes to War” on Veterans Day. This exhibit focuses on profiles of local men and women who served our country over the years. Civil War veterans in the Lucius Read family are featured as well as a World War I helmet worn by Leo Piper and a WAVE uniform worn by Joy Strub during World War II.

This exhibit also explores how war affected the citizens of Byron on the home front. Featured home front objects include local war bond advertisements, ration cards, recipes from a Victory cookbook, Red Cross memorabilia, and a nurse‘s uniform worn by Cleo Boger. Museum visitors will also have the opportunity to view an interior replica of a home front kitchen and victory garden. Quotes taken from oral histories will highlight how children and young people were also supporting the war efforts in Byron.

The exhibit unveiling also hosted World War II re-enactors from the Second Infantry Division. Re-enactors participated in living history demonstrations while dressed in authentic uniforms. The re-enactors displayed military equipment for visitors to view from their own personal World War II collections.

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