Franklin County museum recognizes local military leader, area history
Hampton, Iowa, is home to a major figure from World War II. Admiral William Leahy served as the Chief of Staff for two presidents – Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman.
Leahy was born in Hampton in 1875. He died in 1958. He was the first naval officer to achieve the five-star rank. His story is told in photographs and other memorabilia at the Franklin County Historical Museum in Hampton.
As the military Chief of Staff (his position today would have been Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), he was the top military advisor to Roosevelt and then Truman. He was appointed to the position by Roosevelt, whom he was friends with.
The museum features a desk used by the admiral. Lying on top are photographs, letters and other items. A cap worn by Admiral Leahy is enclosed on the desk.
Unbeknownst to the citizens of Hampton at the time, the town played a role in the D-Day invasion of Normandy Beach June 6, 1944. In an effort to throw off possible spies, Admiral Leahy visited his hometown June 6th, the day the Allies launched the attack to reclaim Europe from the Nazis.
The museum features the bell from the USS Leahy, named in honor of the admiral. The ship served the Navy 1962-93.
A large scale model of the destroyer is on loan to the museum.
The museum offers a view of life different from a lot of museums we’ve visited. It takes a look at small town life during earlier periods.
The museum has an exhibit featuring a music room, with antique instruments, including a violin.
Three kitchen exhibits cover a period from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. The basics looked the same, but you can gauge the advancements made over 70-year period.
The museum has a machine hall, featuring farm equipment and other items from the past.
The farm equipment on display pales in comparison to the advanced equipment we witnessed over the weekend. I told a few people that my dad would be astonished with the advancements. He’d likely be more comfortable with the pieces we saw at the museum.
I was intrigued by a barbed wire display. Various styles of barbed wire hung on a wall in three large frames. It amazes me that we have so many types of barbed wire. It makes sense, but still amazes me.
A small display cabinet featured some fossils from the area – a partial skull from a wooly mammoth and a buffalo (bison) skull.
We learned that Franklin County was the site of the first Drinking While Intoxicated court case in the United States. In 1937, John Coonly prosecuted a man for driving drunk. He won.
The museum also features a genealogy library for people interested in tracing their family roots.
A room is dedicated to the history and achievements of the Franklin County 4-H program.
The Franklin County Historical Museum is a fun way to spend a couple of hours. It’s the type of museum where someone could spend an hour browsing or several hours taking in all the details.
Disclaimer: Thanks to the Franklin County Farm Bureau and Franklin County Tourism for the complimentary tour of the museum. However, all opinions and views are ours.
