Civil War Living History Day planned

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

— Heritage Trail Partners will sponsor "Hardships on the Home Front: Civilians and Soldiers in the Civil War Ozarks," a day of living history activities at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19.

The Northwest Arkansas Historical Education Association will stage a Union encampment, and will hold cannon-firing demonstrations at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Sons of Confederate Veteransand Friends will stage a Confederate encampment focusing on the everyday life of a soldier. C. W. and Ann Webb of Springdale will display artifacts from their personal collection of Civil War-era military and domestic goods.

Doris and Ron Williams of Cane Hill will demonstrate Dutch oven cooking in the museum's log cabin. Museum volunteer Debbie Reed will be demonstrating the pioneer skills of rendering bear grease and drying fruit.

Old-time string band Shout Lulu will provide musical entertainment from 10 a.m.

to 1 p.m. At 1:30 p.m., Wendall Beall, history teacher at West Fork High School, will present a program entitled, "They kill a rebel easier than they can kill a chicken": the First Federal Arkansas Cavalry in Northwest Arkansas.

Heritage Trail Partners is a non-profit organization dedicated to documenting and preserving the history of roads and trails in westernArkansas associated with the Trail of Tears (1837-1839), the Butterfield Stage (1858-1861) and Civil War troop movements (1861-1865).

"Our vision is to utilize historic roadways as a part of a regional network of bicycle and walking trails.

The Heritage Trail will link northwest Arkansas cities in a unique way, connecting them through the historic events of the 1800s," said John McLarty, president of Heritage Trail Partners.

Community, Pages 6 on 09/16/2009