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Events highlight local history
Dorchester ribbon cutting
Ribbon cutting at Dorchester Friday June 4. - photo by Courtesy Liberty County Chamber of Commerce/CVB

The rich history of Liberty County was highlighted this past week with a ribbon cutting signifying the re-opening of the Independent Telecommunication Pioneer Association (ITPA) Museum last week, and the opening of a new exhibit at Dorchester Academy that was more than two decades in the making.

For 21 years the Dorchester Academy has been working towards the day they would be able to open the former African American school with an exhibit of its importance to the Liberty County community and nation.

This past Friday a ribbon cutting was held in front of the former school ushering in more than two decades of fundraising and repairs. The new exhibit called the Civil Rights Movement at Dorchester highlights all the work done at the Center for the Civil Rights Movement which included several visits and stays by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“We are standing on Holy ground,” said Hermina Glass-Hill Curator for the Civil Rights Movement at Dorchester exhibit. “We are standing in the room where Dr. King was. Where Dr. King, who sacrificed most of his life, gathered with other African American leaders to plan for Civil Rights, justice, equality, for not just African Americans but for everyone. His spirit is felt all throughout this building.”

Glass-Hill said the exhibit is designed to tell the story of the Civil Rights movement much of which happened at the historic Dorchester Academy Boys’ dormitory center.

“Dr. King selected this place in which to plan for the Birmingham Campaign,” she said. “Not only that but the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, of which Dr. King was President, they selected this as the site of one of its longest running programs which is the Citizens Education Program run by two phenomenal African American women Septima Clark and Dorothy Cotton.”

Glass-Hill said the Civil Rights Movement is one of those watershed moments in American History.

“Here we are more than 150 years after the Civil War exhibiting this story and the long road to the Civil Rights Movement from slavery until now,” she said. “We stand on the shoulders of so many that have come before us and that struggle for Civil Rights and access to the ballots.

The exhibit tells the story of Dr. King and his three-day retreat to plan their Birmingham march. Visitors will also learn about the women behind the Civil Rights Movement which Glass-Hill said are often not talked about.

The new exhibit was primarily funded by the annual Walk to Dorchester as well as donations received from other sources.

According to a press release issued by the Liberty Chamber of Commerce, Mayor (emeritus) William Austin welcomed all in attendance and expressed his great appreciation to all those who have worked so hard to make the opening of the new exhibit possible.

Chamber Board Chair, Jimmy Shanken, thanked all those in attendance. Shanken stated, “I am so happy to be here for the cutting of this ribbon at such a historic facility.”

Chairman Donald Lovette, Liberty County Board of Commissioners, also expressed his gratitude for all in attendance. He said, “Thank you for your valued work to preserve the wonderful history of Dorchester and for telling the story that needs to be told.”

The new exhibit is open Tuesday-Friday 11a.m. until 2 p.m. and from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Last Wednesday another historic location held a ribbon cutting letting the community know they are open once again and waiting for visitors.

The ITPA Museum sits in the center of Hinesville at the site of former Senator Glenn E Bryant’s home at Bryant Commons.

The museum pays tribute to one of mankind’s greatest invention, the telephone.

Ronnie Cashwell, the Historical Foundation President said the museum had been shut down for 15 months due the pandemic. He said while they were closed, they used the time to make several upgrades to the museum exhibits.

“Our organization is 100 years old,” he said. “We are trying to preserve the history of telephony, and also by bringing in all the artifacts that we have, it will allow people who did not grow up in the era of switchboards and phones, to see what it was like…all they know now is the cell phone, but we started out with plugboards.”

Visitors to the museum can learn how calls were placed in the early days by dialing a rotary dial phone and watch the mechanics place a call. The museum includes exhibits of hundreds of phones from throughout the ages including a handset which belonged to Alexander Graham Bell.

In a press release sent from the Chamber of Commerce, Shanken congratulated the ITPA Board members and Alissa Moss and expressed his excitement on how the renovations turned out. “Our community is full of such a vibrant culture, it is an honor to be here,” Shanken stated.

“We are really proud to be here in this home with lots of history,” Cashwell added. “We have a great team and group of volunteers that work hard, and we are just so grateful to have you all here.”

The National Office and museum currently occupy the former home of Glenn E. and Trudie Bryant.

Bryant started the Hinesville Telephone company in 1946 which later became Coastal Utilities and continues today as Century-Link.

Visit the museum Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The museum is located at the entrance to Bryant Commons Park on 438 West Oglethorpe Highway.

 

 

ITPA Ribbon cutting

VIDEO: ITPA ribbon cutting

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VIDEO: New exhibit at Dorchester

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UPDATE: Final missing soldier found
Lithaunia search Tuesday
A bulldozer moves gravel to pave a roadway within the area following the recovery of a U.S. Army M88 Hercules recovery vehicle that had been submerged under several meters of water in a swamp near a training area in Pabradė, Lithuania.

The fourth U.S. Army soldier assigned to 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division was found deceased near Pabradė, Lithuania the afternoon of April 1.  

The soldier’s identity is being withheld pending confirmation of notification of next of kin.  

The 3rd ID identified on its X account the other three soldiers as Sgt. Edvin Franco, Sgt. Jose Duenez and PFC Dante Taitano.

"First and foremost, we offer condolences to the loved ones of our soldiers,” said Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa. “I can't say enough about the support our Lithuanian Allies have provided us. We have leaned on them, and they, alongside our Polish and Estonian Allies - and our own sailors, airmen and experts from the Corps of Engineers - have enabled us to find and bring home our soldiers. This is a tragic event, but it reinforces what it means to have Allies and friends.” 

The four soldiers, who were the crew of a M88A2 armored recovery vehicle, went missing in the early morning hours of March 25. Their vehicle eventually was found March 26 but it was beneath approximately 14 feet of water and sunk into more than six feet of mud.

Crews worked to drain the area around the vehicle to make it stable for heavy equipment needed to pull out the M88. U.S. Navy divers were flown in and attached cables to hoist points so the submerged vehicle could be lifted out of the bog.

"This past week has been devastating. Today our hearts bear the weight of an unbearable pain with the loss of our final Dogface Soldier," said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd ID commanding general. “Though we have received some closure, the world is darker without them.” 

The soldier was found after a search by hundreds of rescue workers from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Lithuanian Armed Forces, Polish Armed Forces, Estonian Armed Forces, and many other elements of the Lithuanian government and civilian agencies. 

“We are incredibly relieved that we were able to bring this recovery to an end and bring closure to all the families, friends and teammates of our soldiers,” said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commanding general of the 1st Armored Division, who also grew up on Fort Stewart. “We cannot thank our Allies and fellow service members enough, especially the Lithuanians, who spared no resource in support of this mission. Together, we delivered on our promise to never leave a fallen comrade.” 

Throughout the seven-day recovery effort, the combined and joint team worked day and night to find the soldiers. 

“As the fourth and final soldier has been recovered from this tragic accident, we will continue to mourn their loss as we work to quickly return our Dog Face Soldiers home to their families,” said Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, commanding general of V Corps and former Fort Stewart and 3rd ID commanding general. “It has been truly amazing and very humbling to watch the incredible recovery team from different commands, countries and continents come together and give everything to recover our Soldiers. Thank you, Lithuania, Poland, Estonia, the U.S. Navy and the Army Corps of Engineers. We are forever grateful.” 

All four soldiers were deployed to Lithuania in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve to provide credible ground deterrence alongside Allies and partners, and were permanently stationed at Fort Stewart. 

“I'm immensely proud of our entire team. They have been relentless in their efforts to search and recover our soldiers and get every capability and asset necessary to enable this effort,” Gen. Donahue said. 

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also posted on X his sorrow at the loss of the four soldiers.

“I want to personally extend my deepest condolences to the families of all four fallen Soldiers,” he wrote. “Our hearts are heavy across the Department of Defense. We are deeply grateful to our brave servicemembers who enabled this difficult recovery and to our Lithuanian hosts who labored alongside them. The recovery was conducted with urgency, resolve and deep respect for the fallen. We will never forget these soldiers — and our prayers are with their families.”

The U.S. Army is investigating the cause of the accident. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. 

"We continue to stand by the families and loved ones through this incredibly difficult time,” said Maj. Gen. Norrie. “Now, it’s time to bring them home.” 

 

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