Collections

The Elliot Goldman Collection is comprised of uniforms and accoutrements that belonged to prominent members of the United States military. From Matthew Ridgway’s medal grouping to Colin Powell’s uniform jacket the collection provides magnificent artifacts from these people and their historic lives. Elliot Goldman has graciously given the Wilson History & Research Center this opportunity to display his wonderful collection.

Freeland A. Colvard Collection

Written in ink on the inside cover of a scrapbook, Freeland A. Colvard’s son makes a simple plea to save his father’s military history. Little did he know that the scrapbook as well as some of Colvard’s personal military effects would come into the possession of the Wilson History & Research Center in June of 2012.

General Paul Bader Collection

The General Paul Bader Collection is a collection of artifacts in the possession of the Wilson History of Research Center once owned by the German artillery general. Bader, born in 1883, served in the German military for over forty years rising through the ranks from an officer candidate to general. His most notable service occurred during WWII when he was deputy commander of occupied Serbia.

Homer Rogers Collection

This is a collection of items that belonged to Captain Homer Rogers, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. It features an assortment of artifacts Rogers wore and brought back home from both wars, including his wooden trunk he used while in Korea. Accompanying the artifacts is a brief story of Rogers’ service in each conflict that only was made possible by his service memoir, which was generously provided by his family.

Kelly Hicks Collection

This collection displays the helmets in the private collection of Kelly Hicks, a leading expert on German helmets. He is the author of several groundbreaking books on the subject of SS helmets, including SS Steel: Parade and Combat Helmets of Germany’s Third Reich Elite. Kelly has been collecting WWII artifacts for over 40 years and also has a guest writer’s section on militaryheadgear.com titled Kelly’s Heroes Are Helmets.

Willi Schumacher's German Uniform Collection

The Willi Schumacher Collection explores, in descriptive detail, uniforms worn by Hitler’s soldiers throughout the course of Germany’s Third Reich and World War II. The collection began with uniforms worn by the Waffen-SS but has expanded to the ranks of the Wehrmacht (Armed Forces) and Police. In his collection Willi Schumacher allows the viewer to get a glimpse of these rarely seen pieces of history up close and in tremendous quality.