The Camp Algona POW Project committee was created on January 2, 2001. The Committee articulated the following priorities:
1. To preserve the existing information concerning the Prisoner of War camp that existed in Algona from 1943-1946.
2. To research missing data relative to the Camp and its personnel, prisoners and area residents.
3. To secure safe storage for data and artifacts.
4. To secure grants for expenses under a non-profit organizational structure.
5. To design a historical museum.
The Camp Algona POW Museum open its first exhibit in July of 2004. The first exhibit was ‘German POW’s in America; The Camp Algona Experience’. On Veteran’s Day of 2004, the museum opened 3 additional exhibits. ‘Cultural Expression behind Barbed Wire’, ‘Weapons of the Axis’, and ‘Uniforms of America’s Finest’ were shown on our Grand Opening.
On Founder’s Day of 2005 (July), the museum opened the exhibit called ‘Algona Experiences World War II’. This display is an evolving tribute to the men and women from the Algona area who served in other theaters of World War II while Camp Algona was in operation here.
The Camp Algona Committee is seeking artifacts that relate directly to the Prisoner of War Camp in Algona during the war. These artifacts might be letters, diaries, and pieces of art, uniforms, equipment, camp buildings, furniture and furnishings. The Committee is also seeking the names of American citizens who were stationed at the Camp or civilians who worked there. They are also seeking names of persons in the area who may have contracted the labor from the Camp for various kinds of work. Lastly, and of great importance, the Committee is seeking the names and addresses of any former German Prisoners of War who were stationed at Camp Algona. We invite anyone with connections to German families who may have been at the Camp to contact our Committee.
The Camp Algona Committee is continuing to accept artifacts from residents of the Algona area that directly relate to military or civilian experience in World War II. Please contact the Museum if you wish to donate such artifacts. The Committee reserves the right to turn down artifacts that do not fit our collection policy, or may be duplications.
Current Officers and Committee Members:
President, Nick Scholer
Vice President, Bill Fjetland
Secretary/Treasurer, Don Hansen
Committee Members
| Dr. Jerry Shey | Roger A. Wilson | Vicki Mallory | Marvin Chickering |
| Brian Connick | Glenn Jones | Brady Schaeffer | Jerry Yocum |
Address to Send Us Mail yocumcampalgona@netamumail.com
Camp Algona POW Museum
114 South Thorington Street, Box 174
Algona, Iowa 50511
515-395-2267—515-295-3719—515-295-3847—515-295-9602