Military museum finds home downtown

FAIRBORN —The Miami Valley Military History Museum has finalized a location for its move to the heart of downtown Fairborn. The museum will be located at 4 East Main Street, the site of the former Faith Christian Bookstore on the corner of Main Street and Central Avenue, and museum curators say they hope to move into the site at the end of this year.

Curators estimate initial expenses and operating costs at $200,000. The money will be used to renovate the interior of the former bookstore, and fund new display cases, bookshelves and moving expenses.

Local business are invited to “sponsor a piece of history” as part of the museum’s latest fundraiser, according to public affairs officer Catherine Beers-Conrad. Businesses will be able to sponsor a display for one calendar year.

A large display sponsorship, such as World War II in the Pacific, or Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm costs $1,000. A small display sponsorship, such as Pearl Harbor, the 101st Airborne Division, or the POW/MIA table, cost $500. The business’s name will be on the display they’ve chosen to sponsor.

The museum has held other fundraising events in the past year, including a silent auction in May. Businesses that participated in the auction have first right of refusal.

The MVMHM is currently located on the Dayton Veterans Affairs campus. Moving to Fairborn will allow Beers-Conrad and her husband Mark Conrad, curator, to display more of the thousands of local military artifacts currently housed in Dayton.

“We would really like to be your neighbor. We have a lot to offer you, and we want to serve you,” Mark Conrad said at the time.

Sponsorships for the remainder of 2021 will be prorated. The museum will begin accepting sponsorships for 2022 on Dec. 1.

Submitted photo Dan Kirkpatrick and Pete Bales visited Yeager-Benson Memorial American Legion Post 199 in Harrison, Ohio to be presented with a generous donation from the American Legion Department of Ohio Charities, Inc. in support of the Miami Valley Military History Museum’s move to Fairborn.
https://www.fairborndailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2021/07/web1_MVMHM1.jpgSubmitted photo Dan Kirkpatrick and Pete Bales visited Yeager-Benson Memorial American Legion Post 199 in Harrison, Ohio to be presented with a generous donation from the American Legion Department of Ohio Charities, Inc. in support of the Miami Valley Military History Museum’s move to Fairborn.

By London Bishop

[email protected]

Reach London Bishop at 937-502-4532 or follow @LBishopFDH on Twitter.