Raleigh Recreation - Looking for something to do this weekend?

The History Museum in Downtown Raleigh is FREE and well worth a visit.  And right now, there's an exhibit on display that is even more compelling than usual.

"A Thousand Words: Photographs by Vietnam Veterans"

This special exhibit consists of 60 photographs, taken by young men who were serving in the Vietnam War. 

The room is quiet.  Each photograph tells a story - the photograph itself is described by the soldier or the soldier's family. 

There are photos of cities, with tree-lined streets and shiny cars parked.

There is a story of how soldiers, working in sweltering heat far from a base, managed to bathe in the fields - by asking the gunners to blast a few holes in the field.  The holes would slowly fill with (fairly) clean water from the sandy ground, and the soldiers would try to wash some of the heat and grime away.

What struck me most was the faces of each of those in the photographs.  The Vietnam Veterans I know are the ages of my uncles and my father.  I guess I think of them in terms of how they are now, not of how they were.  These guys were young, very young.  They looked like the high school students I used to teach, like my little brother and his college friends.

Many of these pictures are heartwrenching - but they are worth seeing.  If you know anyone who served in the Vietnam War, you'll walk away from this exhibit with a little better understanding of what they saw and what they did - whether or not they were there by choice. 

"A Thousand Words: Photographs by Vietnam Veterans" will be on display until November 17, 2008, and then will continue on a national tour. 

North Carolina Museum of History
5 East Edenton Street
Raleigh, NC 27601-1011

Telephone
919-807-7900

Hours
Monday through Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: Noon to 5:00 p.m.

Do you know a Veteran?

If you or someone you know is a Veteran, war or peace, of any era, you are encouraged to become part of the Veteran's History Project.  Free interviews are offered by the National Veterans History Archival Institute.  All work is done by volunteers, and the family and the Veteran get a copy of the full interview on DVD.  Find out more.

Raleigh and the Triangle Area

Whether you're looking at relocating to Raleigh to start your career, to find a friendly place to raise a family, or retiring in a terrific climate, Raleigh and the Research Park Triangle has something to offer you. Great schools, lots of lakes and golf courses, top-rated cultural centers, universities, and hospitals - and all only two hours to the ocean and three hours to the mountains - it's no wonder that Raleigh is a "Best Place to Live"!

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