Vietnam Exhibit

Soldiers in Vietnam

Photo Courtesy of Mike Clark,

Anoka County Vietnam Veteran

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Vietnam War

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“I left the war in September of 1967, but the war hasn’t left me. It never will.” Those words spoken by a Vietnam veteran from Anoka point out the impact the Vietnam War had on people in Anoka County.

Recognizing the importance of keeping history from all time periods, the Anoka County Historical Society embarked on a two-year project to record the stories of the veterans from Anoka County who served in Vietnam. These interviews with people from all over the county have resulted in a rich history of what veterans’ experiences were in the turbulent years of the 1960’s and 1970’s and provided the foundation for the newest History Center exhibit set to open on May 17, 2005, at 7:00 p.m.

Vietnam: The Veterans’ Experience leads visitors through the reasons the U.S. became involved in Vietnam, life for the soldiers, their service, and struggles both during and after their tours of duty. The exhibit makes no political statement about the involvement, it simply chronicles what people from Anoka County did during this time.

“We know the war did not happen in a vacuum,” said program manager Vickie Wendel. “A portion of the exhibit is dedicated to the social upheaval going on right here at home during those years, but our main focus is the veterans themselves. This exhibit is about their experiences and makes no judgments.”

The exhibit itself has been one of the most ambitious ever undertaken at the Anoka County History Center. The Vietnam exhibit includes a supply base building, jungle, grass hut, 1960’s living room scene, and convoy scene as the major settings. Each area of the exhibit is interpreted for visitors and requires no prior knowledge of the conflict. Much of the information is drawn from the oral history interviews with veterans. Interactive components in the exhibit allow visitors to share in some of the veterans’ experiences.

Come meet the veterans on May 17^th and share your own memories about those turbulent years.

The exhibit is expected to be open between 18-24 months. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for students 6-17 years,

The History Center and Library is open Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.