Local museum teaches history in order to honor military veterans

Mel Smith turned a 40-year hobby into a museum honoring veterans and educating young people about history and heroes.

For most of his life, Smith collected military memorabilia and displayed at special events or inside libraries. He called his collection the Michigan Traveling Military Museum. He still travels with his exhibits, but in the summer of 2018, Smith realized a long-time dream and opened a bricks-and-mortar museum at the corner of Center and Washington avenues in downtown Bay City.

From the sidewalk, the century-old building looks like any other downtown business. Inside, though, the museum’s displays pay tribute to the sacrifices people serving in the military have made throughout the nation’s history. War-era posters promoting liberty loans fill open walls. Medals, weapons, uniforms, and documents fill tabletop display cases. Uniformed mannequins stand in cases lining the walls.

Whenever possible, placards near the exhibits tell the stories of the sacrifices and victories behind the artifacts. “This is a business where there’s a lot of sacrifices,” Smith said.

Smith, director of the museum, loves telling the stories behind the exhibits.

There’s Command Sgt. Maj. Lonnie Johnson, a Vietnam War soldier who descended from sharecroppers. Johnson’s grandparents raised him in Flint. The family faced financial struggles. Johnson’s shirts were made from flour sacks. One pair of overalls was expected to last him for a full year.
 

Johnson overcame his obstacles to find success in the U.S. Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets. His story is told on the website and in the museum.

 

 

 

 

 

The local office is wrapping up an extensive renovation project now and hopes to hold an Open House on Nov. 8. The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency gave the county a $76,000 grant to renovate its offices inside the Bay County Building, 515 Center Ave. The Veterans office was in a small space on the 2^nd floor. It moved to a 1^st floor suite including offices, a break room, conference room, waiting room, and new furniture. Goulet is excited to reveal the space to local veterans.

Events and information are posted on the Bay County Veterans Affairs Facebook page.