A Decade of Honoring America’s War Veterans

Communities across the nation will be celebrating America’s 239th Independence Day today, honoring the country’s history. As barbecues and fireworks mark July 4, one local organization will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in its current location, ensuring that no veteran is forgotten.

The Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis, located off of Exit 77 on Interstate 5, had a humble beginning. Lee Grimes, the founder of the museum and former executive director, chartered the museum in 1995. 

The goal was to create a little museum in the corner of a small town where veterans could come together and enjoy each other’s company.  Little did Grimes know the museum would later move from its 2,000-square-foot building in Centralia to a facility of 20,500 square feet. 

“It was just a giant step forward and everyone was so elated that this type of facility could be built, especially in a small town area,” he said. “It was like it was a whole new world opened up for us.” 

According to current Executive Director Chip Duncan, the museum held its grand opening celebration at its current location on July 2, 2005. Donations and a couple of small grants helped raise the $1.5 million needed to construct the new building. 

Now with a 9,000-square-foot main gallery, 85 display cases and hundreds of displays honoring veterans, Grimes said it was a great experience to watch the museum expand.

“I had no idea it would progress to this point,” Grimes said. “It took on its own life basically, it became its own entity … It’s fantastic to see it has succeeded to this point.” 

At the end of this year, the museum will celebrate its 20th anniversary of the organization as a whole. 

The museum continues to expand, and Grimes said it is currently working on acquiring some more vehicles for its display in the parking lot. In addition, it recently opened a unique exhibit focusing on the role of the military’s involvement in one of the nation’s favorite pastimes: baseball. 

The exhibit focuses on some local connections between military members and their role in baseball, many of whom quit their professional careers to fight in both the World Wars, Korea and Vietnam. 

To ensure a variety, approximately 30 percent of the museum’s displays are changed out every year. A library focuses on military history, and a United Service Organizations area provides veterans with a place to sit and have coffee. 

Many out of state visitors are “shocked” at the quality and the quantity the museum has to offer, Grimes said, adding that it leaves a lasting impression on its visitors. 

“I think it’s imperative that everyone stops by,” Grimes said. “The local history we have in here, most people don’t realize how many local people have served in the military and the contributions they made to our freedom.”