When John Maurer became Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs in 1985, he worked diligently on an agreement with legislative leaders and Governor Anthony Earl whereby the GAR Memorial Hall museum would ask to leave the Capitol and acquire space for a new veterans museum adjacent to the

Secretary Moses hired a professional curator and a staff assistant in 1970 as the exhibit function of the GAR Memorial Hall became its main activity. Following the systematic cataloging of  historic artifacts, the American Association of Museums (AAM) accredited the GAR Memorial Hall Museum in 1974. AAM accreditation results only

The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs opposed a 1955 attempt by certain legislators to absorb the GAR Memorial Hall space and transfer its display function as well as its collections to the Wisconsin Historical Society. An avalanche of protest from veterans groups resulted in the bill not making it out

After space renovations, exhibit redesigns and cataloging of the collections, Governor Warren Knowles joined WDVA Secretary John Moses and other dignitaries at the rededication of the GAR Memorial Hall on June 2, 1965. New exhibits in the Hall included a diorama of the Battle of Gettysburg and depictions of the

Although the Civil War veterans had passed on, the GAR Memorial Hall continued to be a regular stop for visitors to the Capitol Building. The popularity of the Memorial Hall and resulting wear led WDVA Secretary John Moses (1962-82) in 1963 to call for funds to be appropriated to renovate

With the return to Wisconsin of more than 332,200 men and women who served during World War II, the state legislature passed Act 580 in the summer of 1945 to address their unique needs under a newly created Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA). WDVA  was charged with “providing educational

The reconstruction of the Wisconsin State Capitol Building was completed in August of 1917 and was dedicated after the conclusion of World War I. The new GAR Memorial Hall located in Room 413 North was dedicated fittingly on Flag Day, June 14, 1918. Colonel J.A. Watrous gave the dedicatory address

On February 27, 1904, an early-morning fire destroyed the State Capitol Building. After a 20-hour battle, only the dome, part of the north wing, and a stone facade remained. Ignited by a gas jet in a second-floor closet, the blaze consumed everything in the GAR Memorial Hall, including the taxidermy

Act 125 also ensured the return of the battle flags to the capitol building. A committee planned their return on the 40th anniversary of the acceptance of the Madison Guard into service of the Union Army. On April 16th, the flags would be marched from the historical society building on

In the early summer of 1900 The Milwaukee Journal reported that the name of the Seventh Wisconsin regiment was cut out of a battle flag which was on display in the Capitol rotunda. In response, the battle flags were moved to the newly constructed State Historical Society building near the