Stars and Stripes Museum seeks expansion

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — A survey is expected in the next month of land located behind the Stars and Stripes Museum that may be used to expand the tourist attraction.

The museum would like to construct a new building and asked the Stoddard County Commission in March to donate property for the project. They estimate the expansion would require about 7 acres.

"We consider the Stars and Stripes Museum as the major tourist attraction for Stoddard County," Sue Tippen told commissioners in March on behalf of the museum. "We are looking to build a new building. We have about 1,000 visitors per year, and we would like to have room for new exhibits and storage for donations.

"We decided the only answer to our problem is to build a new building. We have an architect already in place, and we want to build on the south side of the barn."

Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis said last week that he had spoken with a surveyor about the project. The property, which is behind the museum, should be surveyed in about a month, he said.

The museum has also asked the Veterans Commission for a section of land near the museum, Tippen said.

The Stars and Stripes Museum shares military history through a variety of displays, including a full-size replication of a World War I trench system.

It includes archives of news articles, photos and other memorabilia.

It was created to preserve and recognize the history of the Stars and Stripes military newspaper — the first copy of which was printed in Bloomfield — and the U.S. Armed Forces.

Regular events are held at the property, which includes more than 7,000 square feet of exhibits.