Museum Day Stroll 'n Roll

  • Published
  • By Debi Smith
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The Heritage Center will partner with the Wichita Falls Museum Coalition for the 2nd annual Museum Day Sept. 11 to showcase the heritage and history of the 82nd Training Wing and Sheppard Air Force Base.

Sheppard's Heritage Center is the only state historical landmark on base, dating back to its role as the first municipal airfield in North Texas in the late 1920's. In 2002, the center received a major renovation and the dynamic mission of educating the military and civilian population on Sheppard's past and the region's significant contributions to aviation history.

More than $1 million was dedicated to facility improvements and outdoor landscaping, including a 2,500 square-foot-addition in 2002 with half the funds donated by the newly formed Heritage Foundation.

The Heritage Foundation, comprised of ten local partners and three outside the local area, molded plans to raise and sustain funds to develop the center.

Chartered to bring the vision to life and work with the Heritage Foundation, curator George Strader managed the interior design changes of three museum quality exhibit rooms, 28 display cases, and 38 uniformed mannequins to tell the story of technical training at Sheppard from 1941 to the present. Other additions included a new conference room, theater, archival room and staff offices.

The renovations turned a neglected facility in to a vibrant masterpiece that tells the story of the base's training mission.

The center won both the Air Force and Air Education and Training Command's Heritage Award in 2003 and the AETC Heritage Award in 2007.

George Strader speaks with a love and passion for the center.

"I have the best job. I get to capture, record and display the history of Sheppard for all future generations. I have a part in that," he said.

"I think we complement the base. The base does technical training and we get to educate people on the past and present of the museum and we get to educate and share how important Sheppard is to the Air Force. "

The center renovation inspired other features. In 2004, the First Sergeants Council wanted to create a POW/MIA memorial and within two years raised the $30,000 needed to commission local sculptor Jack Stevens to create a relief plaque designed to represent all veterans, in all wars, from all services. In the past few years, a marble bench and inscribed stone have been added to the outdoor monument.

Additionally, the Wichita Falls Leadership Class program created the MANE Event with fiberglass horses placed around the city depicting landmarks and art in 2008. Roby Christie, creator of the Hotter n' Hell 100 International Bicycle Race, donated a horse in recognition of the tremendous partnership and volunteerism of Sheppard Air Force Base with the annual race held each August. The horse, also painted by Jack Stevens with Sheppard scenes on its sides, is tethered to a hitching post in front of the "Little Adobe" center on Heritage Way, just off the Missile Road gate entrance.

Continually looking to the horizon, Mr. Strader said he has future plans for an indoor mock simulator display and outdoor bronze aircraft models, a third the size of a real aircraft. The JN4 "Jenny" for WWI, the P-51 for WWII, the F-80 to depict the Korean War, the F-4 as most recognized for Vietnam, the F-117 for Desert Storm and the F-22 for the future.

The Heritage Center is one of 11 tour stops for Museum Day, which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 11.

A continuous trolley and bus service for downtown stops will be available by parking at the Multi-Purpose Events Center in Wichita Falls and riding to any of the tour locations including the Museum of North Texas History, the Wichita Falls Railroad Museum, the Wichita Falls Fire & Police Museum, the Kemp Center for the Arts, the Kell House Museum, Friends of Riverside Cemetery, River Bend Nature Center, Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU, Juanita Harvey Art Gallery, and the WWI Call Field Aviation Museum. Visitors to the base should go to the Missile Road Visitors Center and a tour van will escort them to the Heritage Center.

Normal operations for the Heritage Center are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If visiting from off- base, call Mr. Strader at 676-2787 to arrange a tour.