The Museum's first home

The Museum made its home in the Wilmington Light Infantry building for 20 years, starting in 1898.

Wilmington Light Infantry building, about 1913

Sometimes, the Museum struggled to open.

According to the January 1901 President’s Report “…the room has not been open for visitors since last May, and some donations are still unrecorded.”

But the Museum kept going and members kept collecting. For example, the minutes for the UDC’s April 19, 1901 meeting noted "Mrs. Davidson has presented the museum with some valuable papers, and also a cap worn by her husband during the war." We still have Robert Davidson's kepi in the collection, and we still collect Civil War era artifacts.

CFM 2002.008.0264 Robert Davidson’s Kepi, about 1862

 In 1899, the Museum changed location for the first time in its history – it moved from one room to another within the WLI Building!

To celebrate that fact, the ladies reported that “In October we held our very pleasant and successful ‘tea’ – opening our museum on that occasion for the first time in the new room so kindly given up to us by the Veteran corps of the Light infantry.”

A picture that, perhaps, includes some of the veterans who agreed to a room swap with the Museum.  Outside Wilmington Light Infantry Armory, about 1907