M Beyond the Quarry: Labors of Love
Preserving Our Past: The Motts Military Museum At the Scottish Rite, NMJ, our Core Values of Tolerance, Integrity, Justice, Reverence for God, Devotion to Country, and Service to Humanity represent the essence of our Brotherhood. As such, we strive to recognize Brothers who go above and beyond in their commitment to the Craft and our Core Values. Described as one of Ohio’s “hidden gems” and a “must-see” by visitors, Motts Military Museum is an incredible preservation of U.S. history and serves as a reminder of the heroic sacrifice that our country’s veterans and first responders make every day.
Brother Warren Motts, 32˚
We spoke with Brother Warren Motts, 32˚, and we discussed Brother Motts’ Masonic journey and how he honors U.S. military and first responders through the founding of the Motts Military Museum with artifacts from his private collection. Brother Motts has dedicated much of his life to educating the public on the history of the U.S military and its significance in preserving our American freedom. Since its inception in 1987, the museum has grown significantly and is now home to hundreds of U.S. military artifacts, as well as the second largest collection of artifacts from 9/11.
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ScottishRiteNMJ.org
Read on as we chat with Brother Motts about his museum, his military experience, the importance of our country’s military and first responders, and how the Core Values of the Scottish Rite play an everyday role in his life and career. TNL: When did you first become
interested in the history of the U.S. military? WM: When I was a little kid, I used to play soldiers. But I also wanted to be a photographer. In 1959, I joined the National Guard while I was still in high school, and when I graduated, I went to Fort Knox in Kentucky for basic training. I then went on to Fort Monmouth in New Jersey where I was trained as a combat photographer. I never made it to combat, but with the education I received in the military, I ended up owning my own photography business, Motts Photographic Center, for 25 years. I even ended up photographing events
such as the riots in the 60s. The reason I moved from photography into history and ended up with this museum is because I enjoyed learning about the Civil War as a hobby. I decided to do a photographic recreation of the Battle of Gettysburg; it took three years of research and an additional three years to put it together. I made a 53-minute documentary about it—my re-creation was the first time that it had ever been done. From that experience, I realized I have to collect this stuff. TNL: Your museum’s mission is
to “educate the public on the importance of America’s military past through the documentation, collection, interpretation, and preservation of tangible artifacts and personal stories of the men and women who served and are serving in the United States Armed Forces.” Why is this mission so important to you? WM: It’s important because I’ve found that much of the younger generation does not understand all that our military personnel have gone through,
Warren poses with Paul Tibbets, advisory board member and pilot of the Enola Gay
The Northern Light
