One good museum deserves another.

The Lincoln County Historical and Genealogical Society is movingever closer to the date when its local history museum opens in theformer Temple B’Nai Shalom on the corner of Church and Chickasawstreets. When it does, organizers want its hours to coincide withthat of another local place of history: the Military MemorialMuseum.

“We want to get coordinated with them so that when we get up andrunning we’ll be open on the same days,” said historical societychairman Rita Rich. “When people come to visit Brookhaven, thatwill give them more options.”

With the temple’s floors refinished and the building ready foruse as a museum, Rich said the society would begin moving indisplay cases and artifacts sometime toward the end of May, hopingto have a ribbon cutting and open the museum this fall. When itdoes, it will likely be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.to 2 p.m., with special hours open by appointment.

“Having both museums open at the same time will keep ourvisitors in Brookhaven longer, and that will be good for business,just like it has been for the Military Memorial Museum,” Richsaid.

With those goals in mind, the society familiarized itself withthe history and operation details of the Military Memorial Museumby inviting its director, Brookhaven’s Paul Jackson, to speak atits monthly meeting Tuesday night. Jackson advised the society thatproblems would arise with funding, historical artifacts and allsorts of other issues, but recommended a simple formula to keeptheir new museum viable.

“If you have the people who are interested and the people whowill work, you can make a go of it,” Jackson said.

The Military Memorial Museum opened in 2003 after the GreatestGeneration, a group of World War II veterans who met regularly forcoffee in the mornings at Burger King, decided to elevate theirgroup beyond the coffee pot. They celebrated Veterans Day that yearwith a parade that attracted more than 300 veterans and stopped forthe museum’s grand opening.

Brookhaven aldermen funded the renovation of the city’s historicrailroad depot to house the museum, and have kept it roofed andpainted ever since. The historical society has had less luckseeking public funding – Lincoln County supervisors awarded thegroup $5,000 to help prepare the temple, but city aldermen have notcontributed.

Jackson’s advice was to keep plugging away.

“You might have to go to them twice, you might have to go threetimes,” he said. “That’s what I did.”

Neither museum will charge admission and both will depend ondonations, from within and without.

“When we have a little problem, we just go to a vet who has alittle money,” Jackson said. “Those things happen all the time inbusiness. You’re going to get where you can’t operate without alittle bit of money.”

While veterans working the military museum never solicitdonations, Jackson said he’s not above getting tough with afrequent tight wad.

“I’ve had to do it before. Every now and then you’ll get someonewho’s been in three or four times and never donated, and I have topull him to the side and say, ‘OK, you’ve enjoyed everything, nowhow much is it worth to you,'” he said.

It will be important for both museums to keep interest up,Jackson said.

The Military Memorial Museum benefits from tour groups thatoften ride the train down from Jackson and other locations for daytours of Brookhaven. With both museums open on the same days, hopesare both will see increased foot traffic.

“That gives us an opportunity to talk to the people and pass theword on,” Jackson said. “That’s one thing that makes it go.”

The most important thing that “makes it go” are volunteers,Jackson said. He urged the historical society to seek out youngermembers. With the average age at 85, the veterans’ inability tofind younger members is a threat that grows daily.

“We have a lot of our personnel who have passed on. They justran out of gas,” Jackson said. “We have to have more young veteransto take over when we get to where we can’t operate. And that time’scoming.”