A Central Texas family donated $1 million to help fund construction of a National Mounted Warrior Museum on a 17-acre plot of land near Fort Hood's main gate, bringing the museum a step closer to becoming a reality.
The massive donation brings the project to 80-percent of its total $36,988,177 funding goal.
The family asked to remain anonymous for now, but the National Mounted Warfare Foundation said the donors hoped their gift would encourage more people to contribute to help close out the campaign.
"We are very grateful for this gift and the dedication of these donors to the Museum project," Lieutenant General (Retired) Paul Funk, President and CEO of the NMWF, said in a statement. "It demonstrates their long-standing support for our soldiers, their families, and the Central Texas community at large. We are confident their leadership and commitment will help us attract other supporters and donors to put our Capital Campaign over the top.”
The goal is to build a state-of-the-art museum that will tell the stories of soldiers, families and units that have been based on Fort Hood over the years. If the full funding is secured, the foundation hopes to break ground on the museum by the end of 2018.
The museum would be located outside the military base's security perimeter, so anyone could access its exhibits. Once the museum is built, the two museums currently on post would close, and curatorial staffs from those museums would move to the new one. The other museums are the 1st Cavalry Division Museum and the 3rd Cavalry Regiment Museum.
“As our region’s only destination activity, the National Mounted Warrior Museum project will have a significant impact on Central Texas – by providing new educational opportunities for our area schools, by contributing to the economic development of the region, and by providing another much-needed leisure-time activity for the families in the area," NMWF Vice President Bob Crouch said. "Most importantly, the Museum will provide a venue to appropriately recognize and honor the service of the soldiers, veterans, family members, and community members who make Fort Hood and Central Texas the 'Great Place.'"
Click here to learn more about the museum project and to donate to the cause.