Tours & Memorial

Monroe County Historical Museum Tour

The Monroe County Historical Museum, built in the former inter-urban railroad barn and located a block north and a block east of the northeast corner of the square, is one of the finest county museums in the state. In the main museum building are hundreds of historic items from Monroe County’s past, including a replica coal mine. Outside is a replica country schoolhouse and an engine and caboose, reflecting Albia’s importance as a rail center. A 1920’s era service station has been added to the outdoor museum. It is open May through October weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and throughout the year by appointment. There is no fee to visit, but donations are appreciated.

Welcome Home Soldier Memorial

Welcome Home Soldier is organized and operated for purposes that are beneficial to the public interest, specifically for the erection and maintenance of a public monument of national magnitude to honor all United States Veterans, living or deceased. As we have watched our country honor soldiers like the true heroes that they are, it has stirred a great deal of emotion. It appears that our country has realized what we owe our soldiers. It is the desire of the Welcome Home Soldier Committee to build and maintain a monument that will honor our nation’s veterans – past, present, and future.

Located in the nation’s heartland, this monument will honor all veterans. Monroe County has generously donated eight acres of land on highway 34 (named after the 34th Infantry) just west of the city limits to make an honored place in the heart of Iowa and a grateful nation where all soldiers, living and deceased, can be at home with their comrades – a fitting home for this special kind of monument.

Welcome Home Soldier was organized by veterans. Led by a board of seven veterans, supported by a diverse advisory board and professional legal and financial consultants, we have enlisted dedicated individuals to ensure the success of our mission.

Memorializing both living and deceased active duty peacetime and wartime honorable discharged veterans; this monument will immortalize their service to their country and be a model of honor for future generations. To qualify, the veteran must have been on active duty during peacetime or wartime; also, any Reserve or National Guard members called on active duty for other-than-training would be qualified.

Welcome Home Soldier Monument is a public monument of national magnitude to honor all the United States Veterans, living or deceased, in the nation’s heartland. It memorializes the active duty peacetime and wartime honorably discharged veterans in the past, present, and those in the future. Their commendable services will be immortalized and be used as a model and a history lesson of the wars and great battles fought for the freedom of future generations. The young people and veterans will be able to come back and be proud of what the veterans have accomplished.

Twenty-one marble crosses are placed down the center of our monument in the grassy area leading up to the granite wall, lighted at night for everyone to enjoy. These 21 crosses represent the 21-gun salute — the highest honor you can bestow on a soldier who served their country.

Those who purchased a cross for their loved ones have their name engraved in the granite book statue at the memorial.