Civil War Museum, Vernon Cultural District Board Plan FREE Living History Day in Downtown Rockville
Civil War Reenactors Will Engage Children as they Demonstrate Soldiers’ Experiences
VERNON, Connecticut – The New England Civil War Museum & Research Center of Vernon will host Living History Day on Saturday, Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Central Park in downtown Rockville. The event is FREE and open to all.
Living History Day features Civil War Reenactors setting up camp in the park and recreating camp life. They will demonstrate and describe for visitors the life of soldiers, sailors and civilians during the Civil War.
Vernon’s newly created Cultural District Advisory Board is joining in the effort by sponsoring “The Victorian Lady,” performed by actor Kandie Carle. As the Victorian Lady, Carle shares her passion for the Victorian period through era-appropriate garments and discusses history of the era, lifestyles and manners. She engages spectators during her program.
The New England Civil War Museum, housed on the second floor of Vernon Town Hall, will also be open for visitors to view the museum’s comprehensive collection of uniforms, equipment and firearms. Rockville men brought home many of the items from their Civil War service with the Union Army. Museum visitors can also follow a timeline of a solders’ experience from enlistment as citizen soldiers to their meetings as Grand Army of the Republic veterans in the museum’s historic Great Hall.
Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne said the New England Civil War Museum is one of Vernon’s treasures and a gold mine of information for people interested in a fascinating part of American history.
“The volunteers have worked incredibly hard to make what was already a wonderful museum into a truly dynamic institution that is constantly evolving and helps visitors experience and understand the Civil War and the experiences of common soldiers,” Mayor Champagne said.
Dan Hayden, the commander of Alden Skinner Camp No. 45 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and president of the museum, said the event is all about engaging people, especially children.
“The Civil War reenactors will call on children in the crowd to join them in drills,” Hayden said. “This is an event for families, Civil War historians, history buffs and anyone else fascinated by the stories of the farmers, factory workers, craftsmen and other everyday people who went off to war as ‘citizen soldiers’ during one of the extraordinary times in American history.”
Jennifer M. Johnston-Marius, director of the Rockville Public Library, said the Cultural District Advisory Board wanted to contribute to an important event for Vernon and the Victorian Lady was a good match.
“Ms. Carle mixes humor and history with anecdotes on fashion, home life and the etiquette of men, women and children during the Civil War Period,” Johnston-Marius said. “We believe her addition to Living History Day provides a unique perspective of women during time period and compliments the other presentations.”
Children can try on uniforms and have their photos taken, learn to march with the soldiers and join in other interactive events.
Events are scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include:
10 a.m. – Opening ceremony and dress parade.
10:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Infantry and musket demonstration.
10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. – Kids join the Union Army and learn to march and drill.
11 a.m. – Dressing from the Inside Out by the Victorian Lady.
11:30 a.m. – Chaplain Stevens demonstrates a period church service.
Noon – Baseball in the Civil War.
12:30 p.m. – Infantry and musket demonstration.
1:30 p.m. – Everything a Lady Needs to Travel by the Victorian Lady.
All day events and demonstrations include:
Sailors of the Civil War by the U.S. Naval Landing Party.
Loading and Firing a Civil War Cannon.
Civilian Life during the Civil War.
Scale Model of the U.S.S. Monitor.
Model cannon firing.