Civil War Museum, Vernon Cultural District Hosting Living History Day

VERNON, CT — A day of history is being planned for the Rockville section of Vernon for the end of this month.

The New England Civil War Museum and Research Center will be hosting a "living history day" on Sept. 30 at Central Park in Vernon in front of its headquarters at Town Hall.

The event is running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free.

The living history day will feature Civil War re-enactors setting up camp in the park and re-creating 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 Civil War Museum, housed on the second floor of Vernon Town Hall in a fully restored Grand Army of the Republic hall, will also be open for visitors to view its 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 Daniel 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," 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.