July 01, 2025
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Oswego museum’s annual ‘Remembering Our Veterans’ exhibit opens on Veterans Day

By BEST OF THE FOX

Jack (right) and Bill Wayne. All four sons of Arthur and Freda Wayne served overseas. They grew up on the family farm on Route 71 just south of Oswego. Jack served aboard the aircraft carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II. Fred served in the Korean War with the combat engineers of the 25th Division. Tom, the youngest, served in Europe. Bill served on a PT Boat Base in the Philippines during World War II. (photo provided by the Little White School Museum)

Oswego’s Little White School Museum invites all area residents to visit the annual “Remembering our Veterans” special exhibit at the museum, 72 Polk St. (Jackson at Polk), two blocks from historic downtown Oswego.

This is the 15th year the exhibit to honor area veterans has been hosted by the museum. It was canceled last year because of the pandemic.

The exhibit officially opens to the public Thursday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day, and will continue through Sunday, Nov. 28. Public exhibit hours will be 1 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The museum is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Admission to the museum and the exhibit is free, but donations are always gratefully accepted.

Curating the extensive “Remembering Our Veterans” exhibit is museum volunteer Bob Stekl, assisted by volunteers Stephanie Just and Darlene Stekl along with museum manager Annie Jordan, museum assistant Emily Dutton, and Oswegoland Park District Superintendent of Events & Cultural Arts Kristie Vest.

This year’s exhibit will completely fill the historic building’s main Roger Matile Room, and will include hundreds of rarely seen artifacts including dozens of vintage uniforms, war souvenirs, photographs and documents selected from the museum’s collections, each with a direct connection to Oswegoland residents who served from the Civil War through the current conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan. In addition, each year’s exhibit features a “Wall of Honor” recognizing the service of more than 200 local military personnel.

Back this year will be a digital slide show featuring Oswegoland residents who served during World War II. It will join the digital photo exhibits featuring Oswego area residents who served during the Vietnam War and the Korean Conflict.

Finally, this year’s exhibit again features a special section devoted to military personnel with Oswego connections, from the Civil War through Vietnam, who were killed in action, making the highest sacrifice to the nation.

For more information, call the museum at 630-554-2999, email info@littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org or visit the museum website at littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org.