Soldiers march down First Street in 1918. (Photo courtesy of Benicia Historical Museum)

Staff Report

Thursday, April 6 will mark the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into World War I. Although the country’s involvement in the Great War was relatively brief compared to other nations, it had a profound impact in a number of ways– including the establishment of what would later be known as Veterans Day.
To commemorate this occasion, the Benicia Historical Museum will be hosting a special, temporary “pop-up” exhibit titled “We Were There…” The exhibit will commemorate Benicia residents who lost their lives in the war, include material on the flu epidemic of 1918 and also showcase such military artifacts as helmets, uniforms, weaponry and other objects that soldiers utilized while in the trenches.
Elizabeth D’Huart, the executive director of the Benicia Historical Museum, said the idea was to give visitors a firsthand look at the harrowing warfare that soldiers faced.
“Today’s common core school curriculum places emphasis on math and science, serving to eliminate some of the former class time spent on the study of history,” she said in a statement. “The unfortunate result is that, increasingly, our children know less and less about the story of their own country, the shaping of the politics and cultural memory of our planet neighbors, and the wholesale death of millions in horrific circumstances during this ‘war to end all wars.’”
“As with all of our exhibits, we wish to engage and inform our visitors about the local and world events in which Benicia and its citizens have been directly involved and to spark conversations about our shared heritage,” she added.
The exhibit will open on Thursday, April 6 at the Benicia Historical Museum, located at 2060 Camel Road. The museum is open from 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays. To accommodate those who have indicated a special interest in the exhibit, the museum will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 8. As always, current or retired military personnel will have free entry to the museum exhibits. For more information, call the museum at 745-5435 or email beniciahistoricalmuseum.org.

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