Military museum opens in Verona, Va.

A new museum on Route 11 in Verona, Va., showcases military history from the Revolutionary War to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Stonewall Brigade Museum is filled with artifacts from the battlefield, many donated by World War II veterans. Each item has a unique story behind it and many have historic surprises. The museum's artifacts previously were housed in the Staunton Armory. But after 9/11, they weren't accessible to the public due to security reasons.

The Augusta County museum officially opened Nov. 10 to coincide with the 270th anniversary of the founding of the Augusta Militia, which became the Stonewall Brigade. Organizers plan to have a grand opening on June 6, 2013, to commemorate the local soldiers who played key roles in the invasion of Normandy on D-Day.

It honors the 116th Regiment, which is made up of soldiers from the area. It traces the Regiment's history from the pre-Revolutionary War time to the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. It also includes sections dedicated to the Civil War, when the Regiment fought for the Confederacy under Stonewall Jackson.

Interested collectors will be able to take a piece of history home with them. The Stonewall Brigade Museum is located in a retail store that sells military memorabilia.

The museum is free and open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Historians are on hand to give guided tours.