Artifact Friday: Tank

That's right, everyone, we got a new artifact! It is a tank! Isn't she a beauty?

She was picked up on the airfield and is slowly acclimating to the collection!

Tankette is one of two box turtle species in Arkansas. They typically, prefer grasslands or forests for homes, usually not runways! Box turtles have a diet of varied things including insects, fruits, veggies, and leafy items.

Some species can live between 30 and 50 years!

Box turtles (tank :)) prefer the wild, so unfortunately we did not fully catalogue Tankette into our collection. But she is living happily in a Fayetteville park!

Turtles make their way into history though, in fact, some tank battalions in World War Two used the turtle as a mascot. More specifically, the 6th Armored Division, 68th Tank Battalion had a "boxing" turtle for their battalion art. Please see this Christmas card for reference!

Courtesy of Museum of Chaffee History