The Kenneth Petrie Collection

Kenneth Petrie

Ken Petrie grew up in Damascus, Maryland, a small town just outside Washington, D.C., in an area steeped in the history of the American Civil War. His lifelong interest in military history began at an early age: he started collecting Civil War items as a boy, and as a young man spent many happy hours bicycling around the battlefields of Maryland and Virginia.

Ken attended Virginia Military Institute and graduated from Kent State University with a degree in fine arts. He began his career as a graphic artist and later pursued his ambition to become a painter; he was a member of the Washington Society of Landscape Painters and the Working Artists Forum, and served as President of the Kent Island Federation of Art. As a collector, Ken was able to combine his two great interests – art and medals – by doing portraits of men whose medals were in his collection, which he then presented to their families.

Ken acquired his first group of Great War medals in 1978, thus sparking a 40-year interest in the history of that conflict and those who served in it. His research soon became focused on soldiers who were decorated for gallantry when they risked their own lives to go to the aid of others. Over the years he had the privilege of meeting and corresponding with the relatives of many of these brave men.

Ken died almost 5 years ago, and the time has now come to pass on his collection to those who will appreciate not only the medals themselves, but also the stories behind them.