: Steeped in history, the hallowed halls of West Point have long
been influential in shaping the minds of exemplary young men and
women who played defining roles in the outcome of America's
struggles for freedom. From the Revolutionary War to modern-day
Iraq, those who have gone forth from "The Point" have not only
made an undeniable impact in our military history, but they have
also been a key element in its preservation.
Celebrating its 150th anniversary, the West Point Museum has
installed a special exhibition titled "A Museum for the Army."
This exhibition relates the history of America's military; at the
same time, it chronicles both the museum's and the academy's
evolution through displays of significant artifacts. Many of the
items in the exhibition - on view through June 2005 - have not
been on display in decades. Interestingly, in many cases, their
presentation - thanks to Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century
photographs - mimics the original displays mounted over the
course of the previous century.
The museum's roots began germinating in 1777 when triumphant
troops returned to the fortress at West Point after a resounding
defeat of the British at Saratoga, N.Y. Along with them came a
few spoils of war, specifically, a prized British kettle drum in
original paint, along with cannons and mortars that had been
surrendered. Historians have long considered the Battle of
Saratoga to be the turning point of the American Revolution.
