History became flesh at the Century Village Museum in Burton Village this weekend, as American Civil War reenactors took over the grounds for their 40th Civil War Encampment.
History became flesh at the Century Village Museum in Burton Village this weekend, as American Civil War reenactors took over the grounds for their 40th Civil War Encampment.
“This is our second-biggest event of the year, if not sometimes our biggest event of the year,” Geauga County Historical Society Manager of External Relations and Civil War reenactor Andrew Mizsak said May 23.
Hosting the event over Memorial Day weekend is purposeful, he said.
“It’s a way to get people out to learn about our nation’s history (and) also learn about the service and sacrifice of those who served in the civil war,” Mizsak said. “But, also, to get them into that mindset that there were 700,000 men and women who laid down their lives, over half of whom did it to preserve the union.”
Ohioans played a huge role in the war, with several presentations over the weekend focusing on Ohio generals, he added.
New this year was a civil war trivia game show and an increase in kids activities, Mizsak said.
“We want lifelong learners here. That starts with our little ones and our junior historians,” he said.
There were also three musical performances and two new exhibits, one displaying 160 images of former President Abraham Lincoln for the 160th anniversary of his assassination and one displaying former President James A. Garfield on postage stamps.
Popular returning exhibits and events included reenactors performing as Lincoln and President Davis having a conversation about the war, a presentation on female spies and Garfield and his wife, Lucretia, presenting their civil war letters to each other, he said.
“This is a full, immersive experience for folks,” Mizsak said. “We hope folks come early and stay late.”
There were also battle reenactments 1:30 p.m. both days across the south of the village and into the orchard, as well as a civil war ball in the evening.
“We’re going to be partying like it’s 1865,” Mizsak said.
As someone in the civil war community, Mizsak felt confident in saying this event was one of the reenactors’ favorites of the year.
“People look forward to coming out here to Century Village to participate in our event here,” he said. “People love the experience because it’s not just 45 minutes to an hour of battle. It’s everything. Our buildings are open, artisan craft folks are here, musicians.”
On a good weekend, the encampment will draw 2,500-3,000 visitors to the museum grounds at once, he said.
“What I was told when I got into the Civil War community is because the war is such a broad topic, find something you’re passionate about and read all you can about it, and then read some more,’” Mizsak said. “You’ll always glean some nugget about something.”
Mizsak mentioned a baseball-enthusiast friend who got into reenacting after hearing about soldiers playing a precursor to baseball, as well as his own father-in-law, a retired dentist, being interested in civil war medicine as examples.
“There’s something for everybody,” he said.
Jack Stillion, a 17-year-old reenactor from Marion, Ohio, recalled driving through Gettysburg on the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.
It was the experience that finally pushed him to become involved, he said.
“The public’s great and the kids. They really like to look into, ‘What’s this guy doing in this weird clothing from 160 years ago, why is he doing this,’” he said. “And the main thing, ‘oh, cool, look, a sword!’”
Despite the challenges of dressing in uniform and camping out, the experience is entirely worth it, he said.
“I love pretty much every second I’m in my uniform,” he said.
To reenactors, events like this are a family reunion, Mizsak said.
Kenneth and Julie Greene, “Pa and Ma” from Burton, are both vendors and reenactors.
“We are a sutlery,” Kenneth said, explaining sutlers would follow troops and sell them supplies like meat, vegetables and equipment.
The couple, who run Greene Leather and Fur Sutlery, have been reenacting various eras since around 2003, he added.
The community is interconnected, the couple said, with Kenneth noting people will meet others from the same events all over the country.
“I’ve seen women with three-week-old babies nursing around the campfires, sharing recipes with other women,” Julie said.
The reenactors are living historians, she said, adding if you ask somebody on the campsite to explain some aspect of their setup, you risk being there for two hours.
“There’s a reason for reenacting. History, if you don’t remember it, you’re going to repeat it,” she said.
The event kicks off the summer series for Century Village, with the Junior Pioneer School, Pioneer School, Civics Education Camp, Dino Days, Antique Power Festival, Steampunk Festival and World War II reenactment, among others, stretching across the warmest months into September.
