Everly Brothers Childhood Home unveils new digital display screen

(Shenandoah) — Visitors to the Everly Brothers Childhood Home in Shenandoah will now have access to material and memorabilia thanks to a new digital touch screen display.

Dignitaries unveiled the new screen at a Shenandoah Chamber and Industry Association Coffee Wednesday morning. The terminal is over six feet tall and features videos, archived photos, museum displays and is connected to the internet to display plenty of music from the famous Shenandoah duo. SCIA Executive Vice President Gregg Connell thanked the donors and everyone else who made the new display a possibility.

“I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all of those that have worked so hard to continue the legacy of the Everly Brothers in Shenandoah, Iowa,” said Connell. “Nobody has worked harder than Bill Hillman and Shelly Warner to get that done.”

The display tops off years of work done to improve the musicians’ former childhood home that was moved to its current location at 800 West Sheridan Avenue. Shenandoah businessman Bill Hillman has worked on the project as head of the Everly Brothers Foundation and says they have always been limited by the small space when it comes to displaying materials.

“We’ve always wanted to get some kind of interactive computer or something that people could look at all the stuff we had,” said Hillman.

Funding for the display comes from the Ed May Family and Wal-Mart, with internet service and technical support from SWIFT Services. SCIA Marketing Director Shelly Warner says additional funding was raised through concert fundraisers held across the street at the Depot Deli.

“Every concert we had for the last three or four years, the proceeds have also helped go into this,” said Warner.

Warner says the terminal will display lots of added information for those coming into the house and plans call for adding more material over time.

“Right now, we’ve got our movie that we’ve made, lots of photos and archived items and displays that we don’t have room for in the house,” said Warner.