Exchangites dedicate shrine
If you have business at the Warren County Courthouse you may notice some nicely mounted documents on exhibit in display cases on the walls of the entrance hall.
At a glance they might not draw your immediate attention, but if you look closely you will see they are beautifully done reproductions of original documents representing some of the most significant events in America’s history.
The Declaration of Independence is there, as is the Bill of Rights, the Mayflower Compact, and the Instrument of Surrender of the Japanese from World War II.
The documents, 31 of them at present, are a gift of the McMinnville chapter of the Exchange Club and collectively they make up the Freedom Shrine.
Warren County resident and current National Exchange Club President Ken Roberts was on hand Thursday morning to rededicate the exhibit.
“In the 1950s special trains, called Freedom Trains, specially designated by the government and guarded by Marines, carried some of the original documents around America so the general public could view them,” Roberts says. “Then after about two years of this, the documents were returned to Washington, D.C. where they reside today.
“The Exchange Club decided it was important that Americans continue to be exposed to these precious documents. So as an outgrowth of these Freedom Trains, the National Exchange Club put together these Freedom Shrines which are on display in public buildings and schools across the country.”
In the wake of September 11 there has been increased interest in American history and Roberts noted the Freedom Shrine provides a glimpse into some of the papers that were instrumental to the formation of the nation and its government.
Also on hand at the presentation was County Executive Carol Hamblen.
“I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the Exchange Club,” said Hamblen, “we appreciate having these here.
“Now that people are taking a look back and want to know more about their country it’s nice that we are ahead of the game and have this exhibit in place.”
Hamblen said there is an additional Freedom Shrine exhibit located at the County Administration Building.
The documents in the courthouse can be viewed anytime during regular office hours and are certainly worth a look to anyone interested in American history.