Durham Museum Honors Memorial Park

June 6th, 2023

In 1943, Mrs. Lulu N. Broad, owner of the Gypsy Tea House, wrote a letter to Henry Doorly, publisher of the Omaha World-Herald, suggesting construction of a memorial for Douglas County area service men and women. On June 5, 1948, one day before the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, the citizens of Omaha welcomed President Harry S. Truman to formally dedicate the World War II Memorial Park to the people of Douglas County.

Chelsea Olmstead is the Curator for the Durham Museum. She says that they have teamed up with the Omaha Parks Foundation to open an exhibit at the museum, in celebration of Memorial Parks 75th anniversary. The Durham Museum takes pride in the Omaha community, and the city’s rich history. Olmstead says the museum enjoys getting involved with people of the city, in hopes to celebrate in the way it deserves. 

Olmstead says that when the Omaha Parks Foundation first approached the Durham for opening this exhibit, they made sure to honor the foundation’s vision, and make it come to life. She says the Durham Museum’s goal in partnering with the Omaha Parks Foundation and showcasing this exhibit to the museum visitors is to just continue achieving their mission.

Olmstead says the museum was able to plan and execute this exhibit in a timely and orderly fashion.

Honoring 75 years: The History of Omaha’s World War II Memorial Park is open now through Sept. 3. Olmstead says from now through August, the museum has brought back their “$5 after 5:00” event, where admission is $5 after 5pm on Tuesday evenings. For more information about the Durham Museum and other current exhibits, visit durhammuseum.org.