Near the museum entrance, a row of 11 white wooden crosses commemorated America's major military conflicts, from the Revolutionary War in 1775-83 to the Persian Gulf War in 1990-91.

The museum features several rooms depicting Melbourne in the early 1920s, a time when it was a mill town. Shackleford emphasized the significance of the founders, who were former slaves.

Brevard school children raised the money to buy it. 2. The main building housing the museum, a circular structure with no windows, was the City of Melbourne water tower until 1985.

Establishing the museum at 2475 Jen Drive #5 in Melbourne has been as much about educating the public about the war and its servicemembers as it is about providing closure to those who served.

When Horridus arrived in Melbourne, it was in pieces in eight crates — some of which were car-size, museum representatives said. Fossil preparers measured, labeled and 3D-scanned each bone ...