Churchill in Missouri

I am a huge history nut, and I am particularly fascinated by World War 2. I spent an entire day in the National World War Two Museum in New Orleans, and left only because they closed.
So I’m ashamed to admit that it took me forever to check out the Winston Churchill Memorial, in Fulton, Missouri, just 25 minutes from my house. Like many of us, I overlooked what was right under my nose. It was close at hand so I always figured I had time to go.
Churchill was a towering figure during WW2, but he did so much more. He’s probably most famous for his Iron Curtain speech, which he gave in Fulton, and more specifically at Westminster College. He was accompanied by President Harry Truman, a Missourian.
So how did Winston Churchill end up in Fulton? Connections. A Westminster grad was an aid to the president and brought the invitation to his attention. The president added his encouragement and it happened.
Finally, I made it a point to visit and learn more. The museum is a treasure and traces Churchill’s life from his early days through his most famous moments.
Copies of letters between Churchill and his parents, his wife and others dot the exhibits, giving a glimpse into his personality and helping to explain how he became the man-and leader-that he did. The museum traces his early military and political careers; I learned about his time as a war correspondent and how he participated in World War 1.
Of course for me, the WW2 years were the most important. I spent a lot of time on the rise of Nazism and the war years. There is an exhibit where visitors can identify planes hung from the ceiling. The silhouette tells whether the plane is German or Allied. During the war, it was important to be able to identify the plane quickly. Friend or foe?
There’s a great film about the war narrated by another Missourian, Walter Cronkite. And then the Cold War and the speech; the real title is Sinews of Peace. Such a big story for such a little town.
The museum is housed in The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, a London church destroyed during the Blitz. It was reassembled in Fulton.
The museum is entertaining for all ages and for those who love history a lot like I do, and for those who just know a little bit.