Families explore "Civil War Times" at Crisp Museum

Women in hoop skirts and men toting antique rifles greeted visitors at the River Campus on Saturday afternoon.

About a dozen Civil War re-enactors set up demonstration tables as part of the Crisp Museum "Civil War Times" event. Dressed in period fashion, they displayed firearms, crafts, games and even teas that were popular during the Civil War.

Bill Eddleman, a member of the volunteer re-enacting group The Turner Brigade, stood at a table showing the typical possessions of soldiers.

"We're just showing what a foot soldier would've carried and their firearms," he said. "Lots of people want to know what they carried in their bags. ... Of course, the kids always want to see the bayonet."

He said the presentation is similar to those given by the group at the Fort D Historical Site in Cape Girardeau, minus the cannon and live firing demonstrations.

Adults and children alike stood by Eddleman's table as he spoke about clothes worn by soldiers and uses of their various items. He said it's nice to see the younger generation learning about the Civil War, but believes people take less interest in the historical event today.

"When I was a kid, it was the 100th anniversary [of the war]," he said. "Society seemed to care a lot more. There were more events. Now it's the 150th anniversary, and there's not nearly such popular interest. But there is still some interest and a few events."

Another popular table featured children's toys and games. Ruth Kasten of Cape Girardeau helped those who visited her table make their own "do-nothing," a simple toy made with string and a button. By threading the string through the button and winding it up, children could make the button "hum" as it twirled around the string.

Also featured at her table were dominoes, tops, dice and handkerchief dolls.

"These were things you could make from stuff at home because there was no money," she explained to a crowd of children.

Charity Porcius of Jackson was one of the many parents to stop by the table with her children.

"It looks like the kids are loving it," she said.

Porcius said she frequently comes to events at the Crisp Museum, but this is her first time at the Civil War event. She said she was enjoying it and remembered making do-nothings with her mother when she was a child.

"It's nice to see they're still around. I'd forgotten about them," she said.

The event also featured popular Civil War-era crafts, weapon loading and cleaning demonstrations, and a presentation on tea and how the popular beverage played a role in the war for social and medicinal reasons.

srinehart@semissourian.com

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