CD: Arsenal of history: Starkville man turns Civil War collection into museum

TIM PRATT

The building sits just off Troy Lane in the Sunset subdivision west of Starkville.

From the outside, it has no distinct features. The brown metal, coupled with white bay doors, gives the 2,200-square-foot structure the appearance of a storage unit. It doesn’t even have an address.

But a step inside takes visitors back to the 1860s.

It’s the Starkville Civil War Arsenal and it opened recently under the auspices of curator Duffy Neubauer, a seasoned battle re-enactor and Civil War artifact collector who has called Starkville home since the early 1970s.

Neubauer, who spends his days as operations coordinator at Mississippi State University’s Humphrey Coliseum, became interested in cannons and other military ordnance when he was growing up in Wisconsin. He became a full-fledged collector 35 years ago and only recently put those items on display at the Starkville Civil War Arsenal.

When visitors enter the Arsenal, they encounter Neubauer dressed in Civil War garb. After a short presentation, visitors can tour the collection of rolling stock and carriages which made up Union and Confederate battery during the Civil War.

Among the collection sits three cannons that were used in the war. One dates back to 1861, another to 1862 and the third was constructed in 1863, though Neubauer built each of the carriages on which they rest. The cannons still fire. Neubauer also put two replica cannons on display.

About two dozen authentic Civil War projectiles, from 3-pound shots to a 100-pound shell, also are featured, along with 150 to 200 period tools, photographs and other items.

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