First Division Museum at Cantigny

Last fall we made a visit to Wheaton, Illinois in order to visit Cantigny Estate.  I wrote a blog post about it here.

Also on the Cantigny grounds is the First Division Museum and I was really looking forward to going through it.  The First Infantry Division was literally America's first division and was formed during WW1.

In the main lobby are statues and displays honoring the regiments from earlier American wars, beginning with the Revolutionary War,  that would eventually form the First Division.   The First Division has played major roles since WW1 in conflicts that include WW2, The Cold War, Viet Nam and Desert Storm.

The displays are life size, very detailed and interactive.  I thought it was interesting to get an inside view of battle scenes, meeting rooms, and military hospitals.  They had a huge and diverse collection of memorabilia.  As we walked from room to room, we transitioned from year to year.

 

Also on display is a steel beam from the Twin Towers of 9/11.  Last year I saw several different monuments in different areas of Illinois that commemorated the destruction of 9/11. I also reviewed The Stories They Tell which was a fascinating book detailing the events and people involved and affected on that fateful day.

 

After walking through the museum we went outside....

And did a little phoning....

Another cool thing they have on the grounds of Cantigny is their tank collection.  They have 11 authentic tanks on display from WW1 through Desert Storm.  And the best part of it is that they let you climb all over them!

Afterwards we continued walking around the beautiful grounds of Cantigny.  Cantigny is a gorgeous 500 acre public park donated to the area by Colonel Robert McCormick.  If you're in the area, I highly recommend visiting.  Plan on making a day of it!