‘We pulled out all the stops’, Nebraska National Guard Museum unveils new exhibit for year 250
SEWARD, Neb. (KLKN) – As the entire country preps for the nation’s 250th anniversary, the city of Seward is pulling out all the stops this year.
The Nebraska National Guard Museum has been planning for several years to ensure this year’s Independence Day celebrations are spectacular as they unveil their newest exhibit, USA250.
Channel 8 got a sneak peek at the display on Wednesday, which exuded pride from the moment you stepped inside the museum.
“This will probably be one of our biggest exhibits we’ve had since the museum moved here in 2014,” said the museum’s director, Gerald ‘Jerry’ Meyer.
“Seward is the tip of the spear for Nebraska. We were chosen to be that.”
Meyer says no expense was spared to create USA250.
It cost about $100,000 in total, with each mannequin worth nearly $30,000.
“We pulled out all the stops,” said Meyer.
“It’s the soul of the Nebraska National Guard. This is where you go to see our history and to feel our history in this building. It showcases a lot of our service members from the time of the Revolution, which we weren’t a state yet.”
He adds that many people in the community of Seward are tied to Revolutionary soldiers.
Meyer also talked about the impact of John Cattle, of Cattle Bank and Trust, who is considered a hero of WWII.
“We’ve had a lot of great supporters that have put their efforts into this one, and it’s turned out really well. We are pleased with where it’s at,” he said.
“I think it’s just a bow wave of patriotism that you see all around the country gearing up for this week. Being part of a military museum during this time, we get to showcase some really, really interesting people.”
One of those people is President Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, played by Robert Mergel.
Mergel is a senior lecturer at Ohio State University and is one of four actors portraying the faces of Mt. Rushmore.
“They are not just pieces of stone on an edifice in South Dakota. I hope that what we do here this weekend here in Nebraska basically puts the real person behind those faces,” he said.
Mergel also gave Channel 8 a history lesson, while maintaining character.
“In 1900, I was a vice-presidential candidate with William McKinley. I visited 40 cities in Nebraska because Nebraska was a pretty key state that we had to win…and we won Nebraska,” he said.
“Then, in 1904 when I was presidential candidate, re-running for office, 61% of the Nebraskans voted for me.”
Mergel hopes Nebraskans show up on the Fourth to see him, alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.
The display will be dedicated at 9 a.m. on July 4.
Meyer says it will be a moment you won’t forget and neither will he, since he is retiring this year.
