A nod to Churchill

About 180 miles southeast of Gallatin, a few miles beyond Jefferson City, is Fulton. It is the county seat of Callaway County where Winston Churchill made his famous “Sinews of Peace” (Iron Curtain) speech at Westminster College in 1946.

This speech marks the beginning of the West’s Cold War with the Soviet Union, and still influences global politics today.

Too many of us rely on movies to learn about history. Even the good ones like the recent “The Darkest Hour” can’t possibly condense greatness within the scope of one sitting. Some of us may be motivated to expand our reading to know Mr. Churchill a bit better … until the next blockbuster movie comes along.

So, what do you know about Winston Churchill? Some acclaim Churchill as the 20th Century’s greatest leader. We live only a 3-hour drive away from a place where Churchill’s declarations were of international significance. But have you ever visited Fulton with the purpose of focusing on Churchill?

Perhaps we should mark our calendars to attend a celebration scheduled there on May 3-5. The State of Missouri and a lot of colorful, lively “Churchillians” from across the U.S. and UK will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of America’s National Churchill Museum right here in Missouri at Fulton.

The event promises to be interesting. It’s attracting special guests, including family members of Churchill and President Harry Truman, who personally invited Churchill to visit Westminster College in Fulton. There’s a parade, free museum tours all weekend, lectures about the 17th century church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury (which was moved here from Central London to become part of the museum), important keynotes and other guest speakers, such as Churchill biographers, family members, artists, and other activities.

Sometimes we simply overlook what Missouri has to offer. Consider this.

America’s National Churchill Museum is the only Class A museum in North America dedicated to commemorating the life and times of Winston Churchill. It opened in May 1969 to memorialize Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech which he delivered at Fulton 73 years ago.

The day the museum opened, the historic Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury was re-hallowed as a place of worship by officials of the Catholic and Anglican Churches, and other faiths. It was built in Central London in 1181, rebuilt in 1672 by Royal Architect Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London, and burned again during the Germans’ bombing of London in late 1940.

In the early 1960s, it was carefully disassembled, and reconstructed on the Westminster campus — based on Wren’s plans — to memorialize Churchill’s 1946 speech. There’s a bronze statue of Churchill just outside this historic building. If Churchill were alive, no doubt he’d see this museum building as familiar. It once stood about three miles from where he served as British Prime Minister — twice — in London.

The celebration weekend will include free museum tours at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, and all day Sunday. At 1 p.m. Friday, a special walking tour will be led by author, artist and videographer Steve Stinson, who served as one of the original Museum tour guides.