Museum Guide

Crazy Horse Memorial and Military Veterans Since the first blast on the mountain on June 3, 1948 there has been a relationship between the Crazy Horse Memorial and military veterans and especially Native American veterans. First you would have to look at the personal history of one of the founders of the Memorial, Korczak Ziolkowski, a noted sculptor who worked on Mt Rushmore in 1939 and won first place at the Worlds Fair in 1939 for his sculpture of Paderewski. He volunteered at the age of 34 for the Army in 1943 and three days after D-Day landed on Omaha Beach Normandy where he was wounded. The military experience and sacrifices of so many had a profound effect on Korczak and to this day admission to the Memorial is waived for active duty military, Native Americans, Boy Scouts in uniform and local county residents. In 2000 Ruth Ziolkowski approved a new program to allow veterans of the local VA hospital in Hot Springs, SD to work at the Crazy Horse Memorial and Korczak’s Heritage through a compensatory work therapy program. It is a beneficial program for both the veterans and the Crazy Horse Memorial and Korczak’s Heritage and numerous veterans have participated in the program to present date. Another program that started in the local Custer, SD area occurred in 2011 with the new non-profit Operation Black Hills Cabin to say thank you to any 30% minimum Combat Injured veteran from any post-9/11 military operation and his immediate family for a one-week respite in a cabin in Custer free of charge. Crazy Horse Memorial and Korczak’s Heritage have offered waived admission, a meal at the Laughing Water Restaurant, and a bus to base tour to the average 17 families each summer. Since 2011 178 families from 37 states have been guests of the Operation Black Hills Cabin. Since 2015 Terry DeRouchey, also a military veteran, has collected van ride tickets donated by Storytellers each year to be able to take the veteran and his immediate family for a trip of a lifetime to the top of the mountain carving. Thanks to the generosity of Storytellers he has been able to take all combat injured veterans and their families as part of the Operation Black Hills Cabin to the top. Thanks to efforts of Visitor Services staff, groups from Wounded Warriors and Sheepdog Impact organizations had the opportunity to take a trip of a lifetime to the top of the mountain carving the last three years . The tribute to the accomplishments and sacrifices of Native American veterans came about in 2019 when a different Native American veteran was honored each week at Crazy Horse Memorial and where all veterans are recognized. American Indians per capita have had the highest percentage of their people in military service exceeding every American ethnic group. Make sure to visit us online too: https://crazyhorsememorial.org/

Where can you touch what soars through the sky and see what zooms over land? The Estrella Warbirds Museum and Woodland Auto Display! Learn about rare military aircraft and vehicles, plus restored automobiles ranging from American and European classics to racetrack winners. Dedicated to restoring and preserving military aircraft, vehicles and memorabilia, the museum was established 30 years ago at the Paso Robles Municipal Airport. We now encompass 20 acres and 14 buildings with exhibit halls, workshops, library, gift shop, and conference facilities. Experience history firsthand! Aircraft represent the Cold War to today, including Betsy's Biscuit Bomber, the WWII-vintage C-47 Dakota transport aircraft owned and still flown by the Gooney Bird Group. Book your appointment to fly the Hornet simulator on Fridays and Sundays! Ground vehicles include the Red Ball Express display: restored logistics vehicles that supported General Patton’s 1944 march to the Battle of the Bulge. Freedom Hall offers artifacts from World War I to today: actual cockpit instrument displays from U.S. and Japanese aircraft, plus a Norden bombsight, which improved accuracy of U.S. bombers in WWII. You might even recognize your grandparent's flight medals or uniform! The Woodland Auto Display features an 1886 Benz Motorwagen and 2005 Ford GT 550, and everything in between, all in showroom condition. Does racing excite you? Enjoy this amazing collection of race cars including midget, sprint, Silver Crown, modified, NASCAR, and Indy racers. The Woodland Auto Display has been called the best auto museum on the Central Coast! Your admission fee helps this 501(c)(3) honor those who flew, drove, and worked these vehicles. Estrella Warbirds Museum and Woodland Auto Display, 4251 Dry Creek Road, Paso Robles; open Thursday-Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. Visit https://www.ewarbirds.org/index.html  or call (805) 238-9317 for more information.

The Sewickley Heights History Center, located in the heart of Sewickley Heights, Pennsylvania, is a nonprofit, non‑endowed museum dedicated to preserving the natural beauty and historical integrity of the region. For more than 20 years, the museum has served the community by offering visitors an opportunity to step back into the late 1800s through the 1930s, a period marked by the height of the American Industrial Revolution. During this era, many of Pittsburgh’s prominent steel industrialists established their homes in Sewickley Heights, building grand estates across its rolling hills. The museum showcases this rich heritage through its collection of memorabilia, brass-era vehicles, horse‑drawn carriages, and historic photographs. The onsite theater features a variety of informative short films produced in-house, further bringing the area’s history to life. The History Center also offers guided tours, educational lectures, live music events, and rental opportunities for the public, continuing its commitment to community engagement and historical preservation. Check us out online: https://sewickleyheightshistory.org/