LINCOLN, IL USA — After receiving word that the Heritage in Flight Museum at the Logan County Airport near Lincoln was in line for a $112,518 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, museum Director Jack Burke made an appointment with representatives of the state agency in Springfield.
“I just wanted to make sure that they had the money available,” Burke said. “I don’t want to spend $100,000 and then find out they can’t come up with it. But they promised me that it was all there.”
The state is handing out $15 million as part of the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program. The money is to be used to improve facilities and develop new exhibits.
The Children’s Discovery Museum in Normal will receive $209,000 toward the creation of the “My Great Backyard” exhibit as part of the same grant.
The Heritage in Flight Museum features aviation and military displays from each of the military conflicts.
The museum building is an actual World War II barracks from Camp Ellis, which was an Army training facility along the Illinois River in Fulton County. The building previously served as the airport office.
“Those buildings were designed to last about six months and it’s been up (at its current location) since 1984,” Burke said. “It is slowly deteriorating and it needs some work. So we are going to add new siding and windows, do some work on the interior heating and air conditioning and take some steps to ensure that we can preserve all of the artifacts we have on display.”
The artifacts are donated by local veterans or their families, Burke said. Many of the artifacts date back to World War I and include uniforms, decorations, equipment and souvenirs.
“Jack Burke deserved the credit for this grant, and I applaud his efforts and diligence,” said Geoff Ladd, director of the Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau. “Heritage in Flight is a fantastic hidden gem, but that is all changing for the better now.”