The Winston Churchill Memorial in Fulton, Missouri

Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born on November 30, 1874. He was the son of a prominent politician in Oxfordshire, England. Winston had difficulty in school and there was some concern that he may not be capable of achieving. This fear certainly did not pan out since his life achievements are renowned. After attending college Winston joined the military and became a journalist. While serving in the military, Churchill was taken as a prisoner of war but he later was able to escape. Throughout his life Churchill led an extensive political regime and in 1953 won the Noble Prize in literature.

Sir Winston Churchill is best-known for his "Iron Curtain" speech given on the campus of Westminster College in Fulton Missouri. During his" Sinews of Peace" address, he used the expression of an iron curtain covering the continent and this term caused his speech to be referred to as the "Iron Curtain" speech and the term began to be used to refer to the Berlin Wall. The speech, given on March 5, 1964, is considered the announcement that the Cold War was commencing.

Following this speech and appearance in Fulton Missouri, the Westminster College community wanted to honor Churchill's famous visit and speech so they decided to build a monument to the auspicious event. The Winston Churchill Memorial was conceived and is located in the on the campus in Fulton Missouri. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill_Memorial_and_Library)

The Winston Churchill Memorial is comprised of three different areas. The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, the museum, and the "Breakthrough" sculpture. The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury is a 16^th century church designed and built under the tutelage of Sir Christopher Wren that was bombed out during WWII.

On April 19, 1964 President Truman and members of the Westminster family began the process of raising funds to bring the remains of the demolished Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury to the Westminster College campus for reconstruction. It was removed brick by brick and brought by ship to the campus of Westminster where it was reassembled like a huge jigsaw puzzle. The arduous task of reassembling the jig saw puzzle made of stone was overseen by Eris Lytle, an accomplished stone mason.

On May 7, 1964 the reconstruction of the church was completed and the Winston Churchill Memorial came to life. Underneath the church is the "Life of Leadership Gallery" exhibit and museum. The museum is an interactive exhibit that guides you through the life of Churchill by using visual along with hands on interaction. Visitors will not only be able to pour themselves into standing on the front lines but they will also be able to view the chair that Churchill presented his Iron Curtain speech in.

This area of the museum was recently renovated in 2006. On the outside of the church a winding set of steps which lead you to what is called the "Breakthrough" sculpture. The sculpture was designed by Edwina Sandys the granddaughter of Sir Winston Churchill. Sandys created a significant piece of art creating cutouts of shapes of people walking through the Berlin Wall. She used eight sections of the original Berlin Wall - the Iron Curtain for the sculpture. The incredible piece of art was brought to the Westminster campus on November 9, 1989 and stands today as a tribute to her grandfather and the role he played in the fall of the Berlin Wall.

If you are looking for an historic side trip for your family vacation or you are a WWII history buff, the Winston Churchill Memorial in Fulton Missouri (http://www.churchillmemorial.org/) is a walk in time and a fabulous opportunity to learn about the famous man who had an unforgettable impact on the course of world history.