The Tonganoxie Community Historical Society will open a new exhibit on Memorial Day that localizes a Kansas focus on service in the Vietnam War.

The exhibit is the culmination of a statewide project, Kansas Stories of the Vietnam War, which was sponsored by Humanities Kansas starting in early 2024.

Ten local veterans participated in the project, along with the families of three other veterans. Five board members of the historical society have worked with local Vietnam era veterans to collect their oral histories.

These oral histories have been transcribed and stored as audio files and will be given to the veterans in a private ceremony the day after Memorial Day on May 27. Later that day, at 7 p.m., the Fourth Tuesday program will be given by Murl Riedel, whose presentation is also entitled, “Kansas Stories of the Vietnam War.”

The Fourth Tuesday program will take place at the museum on the TCHS campus. Refreshments and conversation will follow the evening program. The program is sponsored by Humanities Kansas and there is no charge.

Kansas Stories of the Vietnam War: The Tonganoxie Edition will be on display at the museum, 201 W. Washington St., through August 2025 during the museum’s regular hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-noon Wednesdays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is free.

Visitors will be able to view the exhibit from 7:30-9:30 a.m. during the annual Memorial Day Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast at the Museum on May 26. The exhibit will remain open that day until 10:30 a.m.