In 2002, a grassroots group of Missouri businessmen and citizens formed the "Missouri Civil War Museum, Library and Research Center", a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization. This organization, preserving the story of both sides of the American Civil War in Missouri and without bias to either side, is dedicated to the preservation and study of Missouri and its involvement in the American Civil War, and building a database of Missouri Civil War soldiers. While attempts were made to locate centrally in the State, the opportunity arose to locate instead at Historic Jefferson Barracks near St. Louis, the oldest, active military base west of the Mississippi River since 1826. To learn more about the history of Jefferson Barracks, the military gateway to the west, visit http://www.mcwm.org/history_jbtimeline.html

In 2003, the group acquired the old "Officer's Post Exchange and Gymnasium Building" at Jefferson Barracks, a beautiful old Federal-style building, built between 1903 and 1905, which is currently being refurbished to it's original state, and which will become the Missouri Civil War Museum. The group also acquired the neighboring, smaller officer's post exchange building, which was built during World War I in 1918, and which is being refurbished to it's original state for use as the Missouri Civil War Library and Research Center. To date, over 2000 volumes have already been collected for the library. Membership in the organization is quickly growing and is now over 400 members. To learn more about the Missouri Civil War Museum, Library and Research Center, please visit http://www.mcwm.org

Big plans are underway throughout the State of Missouri and at Jefferson Barracks, in anticipation of the many ceremonies and commemorances being planned for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in 2011 (only 2 short years away). The Civil War is still considered to be one of the most popular subjects in America, and State Tourism has stated that Civil War sites are still one of the biggest tourist draws. Jefferson Barracks is
currently going through a great renovation/revamping phase. The whole of the approximately 2000-acre Jefferson Barracks campus will become a destination for military historians from all over the country, with museums throughout Jefferson Barracks dedicated to all of the various wars. Thus, with the expected influx of visitors from all over the country, and most probably also from foreign countries to Jefferson Barracks, the Missouri Civil War Museum, Library and Research Center will be in a vital position to help direct visitors interested in Civil War history to other key Civil War sites located throughout the State of Missouri, including the well-known Civil War sites at Wilson's Creek (near Springfield), Pilot Knob (Fort Davidson), Westport (Kansas City), Cape Girardeau, Belmont, Palmyra, Lexington, Carthage, Nevada, Jefferson City, St. Louis and the many other Civil War sites throughout the State of Missouri.

The Missouri Civil War Museum (MCWM) wants the story of every county told, and wants every County in the State accounted for and represented at the museum. And, they are working on creating links from their website to the Civil War link of every County in the Missouri GENWEB system. As most of you know, soldier's military records and pension records, can sometimes contain a great wealth of family and genealogical information, often solving many of those "brick walls" and "dead ends". The MCWM hopes to some day have a file created for every Missouri soldier from every county, including military records and pension records, and this will include soldiers from other states who served in Missouri, or who lived in Missouri after the war, and/or who are buried in Missouri soil. If you would like to help, please send any information or pictures you have about any Civil War soldiers to the MCWM. Also, if you, or anyone you know, has Civil War artifacts or books (and especially Civil War books about your particular county), please consider donating them to the MCWM. All donations are tax-deductible and appropriate paperwork is supplied to the donor, and staff members will make arrangements to pick these items up from you, if you can't deliver or ship them.

Despite the tough times, good things are happening, and this memorial to our Missouri Civil War ancestors is long overdue. Here's a chance to make Missouri history and help preserve the memory of our Missouri Civil War ancestors. Please consider spreading the word about the Missouri Civil War Museum, and if you really want to help, please consider becoming a member at
http://www.mcwm.org/imgs/Museum%20Membership%20Form.pdf (put to the attention of "John")

For those who don't have computer access, please send us their names and addresses and we'll mail information to them.

Thanks for letting us have the time and space here on your mail list.

Sincerely,
John

John Maurath
Missouri Civil War Museum at Historic Jefferson Barracks
222 Worth Rd
Jefferson Barracks, MO. 63125
www.mcwm.org

jmaurath@mcwm.org MCWM phone number 314-845-1861