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The Harvey County Historical Museum and Archives has arranged the loan of the World War II USO piano to National World War II Museum in New Orleans.
The piano will be featured in the upcoming special exhibit Entertaining The Troops.
Used in the Newton USO Lounge during 1945 and 1946, the piano entertained the 194,176 soldiers who spent time there.
At one point, the soldiers began signing the piano, resulting in 2,643 signatures covering the surface. A register of the signatures will be on exhibit with the piano.
“Having a local Harvey County artifact attract the attention of a national museum was thrilling,” museum director Debra Hiebert said in a news release. “The curatorial staff at the National World War II Museum found the piano featured on our Web site.”
Of special interest is the signature of country music legend Roy Acuff. The signature has been authenticated by the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, Tenn. Acuff was frequently enlisted to entertain troops during World War II both at home and abroad, and was voted the most popular singer in a poll of G.I.’s stations in Europe (even beating out Frank Sinatra).
“The piano used in the Harvey County USO tells a unique story about a time in our nation's history,” curator Kris Schmucker said. “In sharing it with the National World War II Museum, we are telling Harvey County’s story to a broader audience. We are very excited to collaborate on this exhibit.”
The piano was donated to the Harvey County Historical Society in November 1993 by the Wayne G. Austin American Legion Post No. 2 of Newton, and has been on exhibit since that time. Featured on the “Exhibits” page of the society’s Web site (www.hchm.org), the museum receives requests each year from families searching for a relative’s signature. The list and location of signatures was compiled as part of a graduate project.
The piano shipped out on Oct. 8 and is scheduled to return in April 2010. The museum will host a program and “welcome home” event at that time. The piano will be on exhibit in New Orleans from Dec. 3 through March 14.
The Harvey County Historical Museum and Archives has arranged the loan of the World War II USO piano to National World War II Museum in New Orleans.
The piano will be featured in the upcoming special exhibit Entertaining The Troops.Used in the Newton USO Lounge during 1945 and 1946, the piano entertained the 194,176 soldiers who spent time there. At one point, the soldiers began signing the piano, resulting in 2,643 signatures covering the surface. A register of the signatures will be on exhibit with the piano.“Having a local Harvey County artifact attract the attention of a national museum was thrilling,” museum director Debra Hiebert said in a news release. “The curatorial staff at the National World War II Museum found the piano featured on our Web site.” Of special interest is the signature of country music legend Roy Acuff. The signature has been authenticated by the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, Tenn. Acuff was frequently enlisted to entertain troops during World War II both at home and abroad, and was voted the most popular singer in a poll of G.I.’s stations in Europe (even beating out Frank Sinatra). “The piano used in the Harvey County USO tells a unique story about a time in our nation's history,” curator Kris Schmucker said. “In sharing it with the National World War II Museum, we are telling Harvey County’s story to a broader audience. We are very excited to collaborate on this exhibit.”The piano was donated to the Harvey County Historical Society in November 1993 by the Wayne G. Austin American Legion Post No. 2 of Newton, and has been on exhibit since that time. Featured on the “Exhibits” page of the society’s Web site (www.hchm.org), the museum receives requests each year from families searching for a relative’s signature. The list and location of signatures was compiled as part of a graduate project.The piano shipped out on Oct. 8 and is scheduled to return in April 2010. The museum will host a program and “welcome home” event at that time. The piano will be on exhibit in New Orleans from Dec. 3 through March 14.
