Dear Friends,

As time passes after the terrible war between the North and the Southern states of our great nation, we begin to commemorate the actions and the many sacrifices made by the men who fought in that war.  Our dear departed President Lincoln made his great speech at the dedication of the cemetery out at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and so eloquently stated “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain…”

There have been many museums founded on this concept – that we must remember what happened during those four brutal years of the death and destruction of war that ravaged our Nation.  Out in California, at a place called the Drum Barracks – know as Fort Drum during the war – a museum was established to honor the men who were stationed in the county of Los Angeles during the great unpleasantness.  Being that the terrors of war fortunately did not reach the western coast of our country, this small piece of history is sadly forgotten in the manner President Lincoln assumed his words would be so forgotten.

Now is the time for action!  The mayor of the city of Los Angeles has decreed that this museum may be closed or at least the staff removed in an attempt to balance the city’s budget.  What a true shame that overspending of the government – one of the many points the war was supposed to have addressed – may in fact bring about the demise of a museum dedicated to the memory of our heroes.

I urge you today to write a note to the local legislators who can positively affect the Drum Barracks by keeping staff employed and keeping the museum open for we local people to visit, learn, and enjoy.  With the 150th anniversary of this moment of our nation’s history fast approaching in 2011, we do not want to lose access to the artifacts and historical locations associated with it.  The names and addresses of the appropriate people to contact are listed below this note.  I hope you will take the time to help preserve our history!

Sincere regards,

Mrs Mattie Marvel

Janice Hahn
Councilwoman
15th District
638 S. Beacon St.  Suite 553
San Pedro,CA  90731
310-732-4515
Janice.hahn@lacity.org

Jon Kirk Mukri
General Manager, Department of Recreation and Parks
221 N. Figueroa St.  Suite 1550
Los Angeles,CA  90012
213-202-2633
JonKirk.mukri@lacity.org

Mark Mariscal
Superintendent, Pacific Region
Department of Recreation and Parks
1670 Palos Verdes Drive North
Harbor City, CA  90710
Mark.mariscal@lacity.org