Planned Evansville war museum gets new name, logo

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - Officials have chosen a new name for a World War II museum they're planning to open in an Evanston airport hangar this spring.

The Evansville Courier and Press (http://bit.ly/2k7GDrq ) reported that the planned Freedom Heritage Museum will now be called the Evansville Wartime Museum. Organizers also unveiled a new logo Wednesday.

The museum has a five-year lease to rent a hangar at the Evansville Regional Airport, but officials are also looking into long-term locations for the future, such as downtown Evansville.

"There will be a good display here (at the airport location)," said Jack Buttrum, board president. "We're really convincing the people of Evansville we have things and we're capable of doing it. But eventually we'll be looking at someplace else."

Buttrum said museum officials are speaking with the Convention & Visitors Bureau, the mayor's office, the Tropicana Evansville hotel and riverboat casino to brainstorm potential future locations.

The new facility will salute workers at Republic Aviation, the Evansville Shipyard which produced Landing Ship Tanks, and other companies. Many of the workers were women and veterans.

Visitors will enter through a room called the home front gallery and continue to the main hall, which will feature an exhibit called "Evansville: The City That Went to War."

Museum officials said they're still seeking memorabilia to display.

The museum plans to present at a Thunderbolts hockey game at the Ford Center on Jan. 28. It will also host its fourth annual event at the Old National Bank during the ShrinersFest air show on June 24.

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Information from: Evansville Courier & Press, http://www.courierpress.com