Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum

{{Short description|Museum in Greenville, Texas, US}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}

{{Infobox Museum

| name = Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum

| image = Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum July 2015 46.jpg

| caption = The exterior of the Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum in July 2015

| map_type = Texas

|map_relief=y

| map_alt =

| map_caption = Location within Texas

| map dot label = Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum

| location= Greenville, Texas

| coordinates = {{coord|33.1258|-96.0895|display=inline,title}}

| established =

| type =

| collection =

| car_park =

| curator =

|website =[http://www.cottonmuseum.com/index.html Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum]

}}

The Audie Murphy American Cotton Museum is located at 600 Interstate 30 East, in the city of Greenville, county of Hunt, in the U.S. state of Texas. It was established in 1987.{{cite web|title=AM Cotton Museum|url=http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/viewform.asp?atlas_num=4200000192&site_name=Audie%20Murphy%20American%20Cotton%20Museum&class=4200|publisher=Texas Historical Commission|accessdate=10 January 2013}} Cotton was Hunt County's largest cash crop in the early 20th century, and the museum features a "History of Cotton" exhibit.{{cite web|last=Harper Jr.|first=Cecil|title=Hunt County, Tx|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hch22|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=10 January 2014}}

Much of the focus of the museum is dedicated to military veterans. Medal of Honor recipient Audie Murphy was born in Hunt County and worked in Greenville before entering the military.{{cite book|last=Ramani|first=Sandra|title=Day Trips from Dallas & Fort Worth, 2nd: Getaway Ideas for the Local Traveler|year=2013|publisher=GPP Travel|location=Guilford, CT|isbn=9780762786381|page=32}} The Hunt County War Memorial was dedicated on the museum's grounds in 2004. The memorial features a {{convert|10|ft|m|0|adj=on}} bronze statue of Murphy created by Greenville artist Gordon Thomas. The granite stones that circle the monument are carved with the names of the county's war dead. Other stones contain quotes from Murphy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan.{{cite web|title=Audie Murphy Hunt County War Memorial|url=http://www.maritimequest.com/misc_pages/monuments_memorials/audie_murphy_hunt_county_war_memorial_page_1.htm|publisher=Maritime quest|accessdate=10 January 2014}}

In 2012, the Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital{{cite web|title=Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital|url=http://www.southtexas.va.gov/locations/directions.asp|publisher=U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs|accessdate=11 June 2014}} in San Antonio transferred its collection of Murphy-related memorabilia to the museum for its permanent collection.{{cite web|title=A Place of Honor|url=http://www.southtexas.va.gov/features/HandlewithCare.asp|publisher=U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs|accessdate=10 January 2014}} The museum sponsors the area's annual Audie Murphy Days, usually scheduled in June.{{cite book|last=Jasinski|first=Laurie E.|title=Handbook of Texas Music|year=2012|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|location=Denton, TX|isbn=9780876112526}}{{cite web|title=Special Events |url=http://www.greenvillechamber.com/visit-greenville/Special-Events.aspx#audiedays |publisher=Greenville C of C |accessdate=10 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016192027/http://www.greenvillechamber.com/visit-greenville/special-events.aspx |archivedate=16 October 2014 |df=dmy }}