Construction on the NCTC Campus
Medal of Honor Museum
Upon visiting NCTC’s main campus in Gainesville, TX, you may have noticed recent construction. Work has officially begun on the long-awaited Medal of Honor Museum. As the most patriotic small town in America, organizations across Gainesville have partnered to make this dream a reality. As a longtime partner in the Medal of Honor Host City Program, NCTC Gainesville campus is proud to be the future home of this MOH museum. Funding for the museum was secured through generous donations and by the Medal of Honor Host City Program, City of Gainesville, and that State of Texas.
The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. This honor is generally presented to the recipient by the President of the United States of America in the name of Congress.
The Medal of Honor (MOH) Host City Program was established in 2001 by the City of Gainesville to provide residents with a more interactive connection with America’s history, the military, and the veteran community. The Gainesville Medal of Honor Host City Board decided the best approach was to reach out to the men who had served our nation with heroic distinction and at the same time engage the local community in the patriotic process. Since 2001, the program has hosted and celebrated 56 of the 67 living Medal of Honor recipients through parades, ceremonies and dedications, and in-turn they have inspired the Gainesville community with their patriotism and courage.
Each year the Medal of Honor program meets MOH recipients at DFW airport and escorts them with a seven-mile-long motorcade to Gainesville. Along the way, bridges, overpasses, and stretches of road lined with cheering people welcome our heroes. Activities throughout the Medal of Honor week include recipients attending a tree dedication along the Home-Grown Hero Walking Trail, MOH recipients visit the local Gainesville school district to share their stories and encourage students to contribute to our country in their own way, MOH recipients attend a luncheon and meet with students at North Central Texas College, recipients are honored at the annual Medal of Honor Banquet, and recipients participate in a full military parade.
Visiting with students, sharing the stories of the Medal of Honor recipients and those whom they served alongside, is a long-standing tradition for the Medal of Honor recipients. NCTC held an official groundbreaking ceremony for this museum in April of 2022, but construction is now in full swing with hopes to be completed as early as April, 2024. Just in time for MOH’s 2024 celebration. North Central Texas College is proud to serve as the host location for the museum, as another educational resource for Gainesville’s students and community.
Medal of Honor Museum construction on the NCTC Gainesville Campus.
Medal of Honor Museum on the NCTC Gainesville campus digital rendering.