U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center
Encyclopedia
The United States Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC), in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
, is the U.S. Army's primary historical research facility. Formed in 1999, the center consists of the Military History Institute (MHI), the Army Heritage Museum (AHM), the U.S. Army Conservation Center, and the Visitor and Education Services. The Army Heritage and Education Center is part of the U.S. Army War College
, but has its own 56 acres (226,624.2 m²) campus in Middlesex Township nearby Carlisle Barracks
.
The center aims to preserve and interpret the heritage of the U.S. Army. It acquires, preserves, and makes publicly available Army-related library and archival
materials. The current research collection contains military history books, military newspapers, technical and field manuals, periodicals, veteran’s surveys, photographs, and transcribes oral histories. The collections include material from as early as the French and Indian War to current U.S. Army operations. The USAHEC also provides interpretive exhibits and educational outreach programs to foster a greater understanding of the Army's central role in the growth, development and protection of the nation and its way of life. The USAHEC motto is "Telling the Army story, one soldier at a time."
forces in the Korean War
, Ridgway Hall opened to the public in 2004. Home of the Military History Institute, the 66000 square feet (6,131.6 m²) hall holds over 15 million items (books, periodicals, manuscripts, photographs, military publications) on U.S. Army history, covering the pre-French and Indian War era to current operations. The collections also includes one of the largest American Civil War
photograph collection in the world. The research facility is open to the public during normal operating hours, and enjoys use by scholars, students, genealogists, and researchers of all kinds.
Along with a reading room for researchers, the hall also has several small exhibits that display artifacts and photographs from USAHEC holdings. Currently, the Ridgway Hall exhibits includes a room covering the life and career of General of the Army Omar Nelson Bradley, the U.S. Army’s last five star general and an exhibit showcasing the USAHEC American Civil War photograph collection (under construction).
Staff in Ridgway Hall—including staff from the Army Heritage Museum and the U.S. Army Conservation Center—oversee the acquisition and conservation
of all USAHEC holdings, the cataloging
of books and other items, the processing of archival collections, the transcription of oral histories
, the writing of research bibliographies
and other finding aid
s, and patron and visitor service.
As of June, 2011, the new Conservation Facility is nearing completion. The new facility contains artifact and paper conservation laboratories, museum and curatorial office space, and will house the storage facility for the museum artifacts.
The Army Heritage Trail, a one-mile (1.6 km) walking path of outdoor exhibits and markers on various eras in U.S. Army history. Notable exhibits include:
The Army Heritage Trail is open for visitation dawn to dusk daily.
The buildings and structures on the trail are only open when the USAHEC buildings are open.
events. At the beginning of the summer, Army Heritage Days, in recognition of Armed Forces Day
in the United States, features re-enactors from all eras of U.S. Army History occupying the Army Heritage Trail. At the end of the summer, the event theme changes from year to year. In 2009 and 2010, the theme was 18th and 19th century U.S. Army history concentrating on the American Revolution
. In 2011, the theme will be the sesquicentennial of the first winter of the American Civil War
. At both events, various exhibits and demonstrations are held to allow the public to interact with the living historians.
. For most of its existence, the institute was housed in Upton Hall on Carlisle Barracks
. Built in 1941 as an academic building for the Medical Field Service School, Upton Hall was adequate as a library but ill-suited for the size and preservation needs of a major archive.
Secretary of the Army
Louis Caldera
formed the Army Heritage and Education Center in June 1999 as a means of bringing an Army museum to Carlisle and promoting the holdings of the institute. His successor Thomas E. White
approved the construction of a new facility, the present-day Ridgway Hall, in 2001. He stated:
"We will relocate its [the institute's] documents and holdings--the unofficial history of the United States Army--into a newly built state-of-the art archive, give that facility responsibility for administering historical documents and photographs Army wide, and associate it with an educational facility and a museum"http://www.carlisle.army.mil/ahec/AHEC_history.htm.
The center, including the holdings of the institute, relocated from Upton Hall to Ridgway Hall in 2004, officially opening on September 24. The Army named the building for former Army chief of staff General Matthew B. Ridgway (1895–1993), commander of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II and of United Nations
forces in the Korean War
.
The Army Heritage Museum, formed with the center in 1999, held its artifacts mostly in storage in various places on Carlisle Barracks before the construction of its interim storage facility beside Ridgway Hall in 2004.
By 2005, the center created the Army Heritage Trail and began placing historical markers and large artifacts such as tanks and field artillery on display for public view. The first permanent structures, the Civil War cabins, officially opened in October of that year. The Trail continued to grow and evolve over time, and continues to expand today.
In 2009, the USAHEC broke ground for the Visitor and Education Center as plans for the continued growth of the campus continued. In May 2011, the Center opened to the public and serves as the welcome and orientation site for all visitors to the campus. The building features a 7000 square feet (650.3 m²) exhibit space and two multipurpose rooms for conferences and other presentations.
Along with further expansion of the Army Heritage Trail, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center plans two additional buildings for the near future.
As of June, 2011, the U.S. Army Conservation Center is under construction, slated to open by winter, 2011, will improve paper and object conservation of USAHEC collections by providing facilities for conservation and analytical laboratories, artifact storage, conservation science research, and public educational opportunities. The building will not be open to the general public.
Plans also include the construction of the 50000 square feet (4,645.2 m²) Army Heritage Center Facility sometime in the future. Museum staff will use the facility to exhibit its many artifacts relating to the service of individual soldiers in the U.S. Army.
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
, is the U.S. Army's primary historical research facility. Formed in 1999, the center consists of the Military History Institute (MHI), the Army Heritage Museum (AHM), the U.S. Army Conservation Center, and the Visitor and Education Services. The Army Heritage and Education Center is part of the U.S. Army War College
U.S. Army War College
The United States Army War College is a United States Army school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks...
, but has its own 56 acres (226,624.2 m²) campus in Middlesex Township nearby Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is part of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and is the site of the U.S. Army War College...
.
The center aims to preserve and interpret the heritage of the U.S. Army. It acquires, preserves, and makes publicly available Army-related library and archival
Archive
An archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization...
materials. The current research collection contains military history books, military newspapers, technical and field manuals, periodicals, veteran’s surveys, photographs, and transcribes oral histories. The collections include material from as early as the French and Indian War to current U.S. Army operations. The USAHEC also provides interpretive exhibits and educational outreach programs to foster a greater understanding of the Army's central role in the growth, development and protection of the nation and its way of life. The USAHEC motto is "Telling the Army story, one soldier at a time."
The current campus
, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center is undergoing extensive expansions to upgrade the facilities. The three primary working buildings are the Visitor and Education Center, Ridgway Hall, and the Interim Storage Facility. The new conservation facility is in its final stages and will house the artifact collections and conservation laboratories. The campus also includes a one mile (1.6 km) long outdoor Army Heritage Trail. The Trail consists of macro-exhibits showcasing various periods of the United States Army’s history.Ridgway Hall
Named after Army chief of staff General Matthew B. Ridgway (1895–1993), commander of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II and of United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
forces in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Ridgway Hall opened to the public in 2004. Home of the Military History Institute, the 66000 square feet (6,131.6 m²) hall holds over 15 million items (books, periodicals, manuscripts, photographs, military publications) on U.S. Army history, covering the pre-French and Indian War era to current operations. The collections also includes one of the largest American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
photograph collection in the world. The research facility is open to the public during normal operating hours, and enjoys use by scholars, students, genealogists, and researchers of all kinds.
Along with a reading room for researchers, the hall also has several small exhibits that display artifacts and photographs from USAHEC holdings. Currently, the Ridgway Hall exhibits includes a room covering the life and career of General of the Army Omar Nelson Bradley, the U.S. Army’s last five star general and an exhibit showcasing the USAHEC American Civil War photograph collection (under construction).
Staff in Ridgway Hall—including staff from the Army Heritage Museum and the U.S. Army Conservation Center—oversee the acquisition and conservation
Art conservation and restoration
Conservation-restoration, also referred to as conservation, is a profession devoted to the preservation of cultural heritage for the future. Conservation activities include examination, documentation, treatment, and preventive care...
of all USAHEC holdings, the cataloging
Library catalog
A library catalog is a register of all bibliographic items found in a library or group of libraries, such as a network of libraries at several locations...
of books and other items, the processing of archival collections, the transcription of oral histories
Oral history
Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews...
, the writing of research bibliographies
Bibliography
Bibliography , as a practice, is the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology...
and other finding aid
Finding aid
A finding aid is a document containing detailed information about a specific collection of papers or records within an archive. They are used by researchers to determine whether information within a collection is relevant to their research...
s, and patron and visitor service.
Visitor and Education Center
The Visitor and Education Center opened in May, 2011, to the general public. It serves as the welcome and orientation site for visitors to the facility. The building includes a 7000 square feet (650.3 m²) museum exhibit space, a gift shop, and two large multipurpose rooms for conferences and lectures.Conservation Facility and Interim Storage Facility
The 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) museum interim storage facility holds most of the Army Heritage Museum's artifacts and curatorial work space. It is not open to the public.As of June, 2011, the new Conservation Facility is nearing completion. The new facility contains artifact and paper conservation laboratories, museum and curatorial office space, and will house the storage facility for the museum artifacts.
Army Heritage Trail
- Replica American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
redoubt from the 1781 Siege of YorktownSiege of YorktownThe Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
, - Way-station cabin built to resemble those of the French and Indian WarFrench and Indian WarThe French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
- Cabins representing an American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
winter encampment - World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
inprocessing center - Recreation of a western front trench system from World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, shellhole-marked no-man's land, and a corresponding German pillbox. - Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
firebase with two M102 howitzerM102 howitzerFirst introduced during the Vietnam War, the M102 was the light-towed 105 mm howitzer used by the United States Army in the Vietnam War, the First Gulf War, and most recently in the Iraq War.- An Air Mobile Howitzer for the Vietnam War :...
s, a guard tower, and defensive berm - M4 ShermanM4 ShermanThe M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
Tank, M60 PattonM60 PattonThe 105 mm Gun Full Tracked Combat Tank, M60, also known unofficially as the M60 Patton, is a first-generation main battle tank introduced in December 1960. It was widely used by the U.S. and its Cold War allies, especially those in NATO, and remains in service throughout the world today...
Main Battle Tank, Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopter, Pak 43 88mm German World War II era artillery cannon, 12 pounder Napoleon Civil War era cannon, and many more vehicles and weapons
The Army Heritage Trail is open for visitation dawn to dusk daily.
The buildings and structures on the trail are only open when the USAHEC buildings are open.
Living History Events
Each year, the USAHEC hosts two large living historyLiving history
Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is...
events. At the beginning of the summer, Army Heritage Days, in recognition of Armed Forces Day
Armed Forces Day
Several nations of the world hold an annual Armed Forces Day in honor of their military forces. - Armenia :Բանակի օր is celebrated on 28 January to commemorate the formation of the armed forces of the newly independent Republic of Armenia in 1992....
in the United States, features re-enactors from all eras of U.S. Army History occupying the Army Heritage Trail. At the end of the summer, the event theme changes from year to year. In 2009 and 2010, the theme was 18th and 19th century U.S. Army history concentrating on the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. In 2011, the theme will be the sesquicentennial of the first winter of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. At both events, various exhibits and demonstrations are held to allow the public to interact with the living historians.
History of the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center
The U.S. Army Military History Institute pre-dates the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center by over 30 years. Formed in 1967 as the Military History Research Collection, a branch of the U.S. Army War College Library, the institute became the primary repository for unofficial Army historical materials. Official U.S. Army records and other materials belong to the National ArchivesNational Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
. For most of its existence, the institute was housed in Upton Hall on Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is part of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and is the site of the U.S. Army War College...
. Built in 1941 as an academic building for the Medical Field Service School, Upton Hall was adequate as a library but ill-suited for the size and preservation needs of a major archive.
Secretary of the Army
United States Secretary of the Army
The Secretary of the Army is a civilian official within the Department of Defense of the United States of America with statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Army: manpower, personnel, reserve affairs, installations, environmental issues, weapons systems and...
Louis Caldera
Louis Caldera
Louis Caldera was Director of the White House Military Office from January 20, 2009, until May 22, 2009, and served as the 17th United States Secretary of the Army from July 2, 1998, until January 20, 2001.-Family and education:...
formed the Army Heritage and Education Center in June 1999 as a means of bringing an Army museum to Carlisle and promoting the holdings of the institute. His successor Thomas E. White
Thomas E. White
Thomas E. White, Jr. is an American businessman and former United States Army officer who served as senior executive at the now collapsed Enron and as the United States Secretary of the Army from May 31, 2001 until April 25, 2003.-Military career and education:In 1963 White graduated from Cass...
approved the construction of a new facility, the present-day Ridgway Hall, in 2001. He stated:
"We will relocate its [the institute's] documents and holdings--the unofficial history of the United States Army--into a newly built state-of-the art archive, give that facility responsibility for administering historical documents and photographs Army wide, and associate it with an educational facility and a museum"http://www.carlisle.army.mil/ahec/AHEC_history.htm.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
forces in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
The Army Heritage Museum, formed with the center in 1999, held its artifacts mostly in storage in various places on Carlisle Barracks before the construction of its interim storage facility beside Ridgway Hall in 2004.
By 2005, the center created the Army Heritage Trail and began placing historical markers and large artifacts such as tanks and field artillery on display for public view. The first permanent structures, the Civil War cabins, officially opened in October of that year. The Trail continued to grow and evolve over time, and continues to expand today.
In 2009, the USAHEC broke ground for the Visitor and Education Center as plans for the continued growth of the campus continued. In May 2011, the Center opened to the public and serves as the welcome and orientation site for all visitors to the campus. The building features a 7000 square feet (650.3 m²) exhibit space and two multipurpose rooms for conferences and other presentations.
Future plans
As of June, 2011, the U.S. Army Conservation Center is under construction, slated to open by winter, 2011, will improve paper and object conservation of USAHEC collections by providing facilities for conservation and analytical laboratories, artifact storage, conservation science research, and public educational opportunities. The building will not be open to the general public.
Plans also include the construction of the 50000 square feet (4,645.2 m²) Army Heritage Center Facility sometime in the future. Museum staff will use the facility to exhibit its many artifacts relating to the service of individual soldiers in the U.S. Army.
Affiliated organizations
The U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center is supported by a private foundation, the Army Heritage Center Foundation, which helps the center with development and educational efforts. It oversaw fundraising for the construction of the Visitor and Education Center and is raising funds for the Army Heritage Center Facility.External links
- U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center official website
- U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center research catalogs
- U.S. Army Heritage Center Foundation
- U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks
- The Army Historical Foundation website (National Museum of the United States Army)
- United States Army Center of Military History
- "What is USAHEC?" See the "Today's Focus" section of U.S. Army online publication Stand-To!, dated February 7, 2007.
- The Carlisle Sentinel described the center in a 2005 article.
- The Army Heritage Museum sends traveling exhibits to museums, colleges, and conventions. "Designing for Victory 1914-1945" was one such exhibit, described here from its exhibition at Dickinson College in 2005-06.