By 1812Blockhouse
South Park in Mansfield will step back into the 19th century this June as Civil War Living History Day brings a full weekend of reenactments, presentations, music, camp demonstrations, and historical interpretation.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, June 13, and Sunday, June 14, with camp activities running from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM each day. Saturday will also include public candlelight lantern tours of the camps from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM.
A Day That Opens With Cannon Fire
Saturday’s program begins at 10:00 AM with opening cannon fire as the camp opens to visitors. From there, the schedule moves through a wide range of Civil War-era subjects, from music and photography to religion, politics, and daily life. At 10:15 AM, Diane Virostko will present “The Civil War Songbird,” a solo program of Civil War music featuring patriotic hymns and spiritual selections. At 11:00 AM, Michael Rhodes will discuss early photography in “The Daguerreotype: The Soldier, The Tintype, The Historical Impact.”
The noon program will feature David Walkner with “A Conversation About the Faith and Life of President Jefferson Davis,” followed by a Reenactor Ladies Tea from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM in the shady grove next to the log cabin.
Tea, Parasol Preservation, And Camp Life
The Reenactor Ladies Tea will focus on the restoration and preservation of ladies’ parasols, once a common accessory that became much more than a functional object. Advance registration is required, with a cost of $25 per guest. Later Saturday afternoon, visitors can watch a skirmish from 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM, followed by Amelia Kate’s presentation, “Slavery and the Bible,” from 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM. The camp closes at 4:00 PM before reopening that evening for the candlelight lantern tours.
Sunday Programs And A Final Skirmish
Sunday’s activities begin at 10:00 AM when the camp opens for the day. A church service led by Reverend Skip Wilson and Diane Virostko will take place from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM.
At noon, Duncan Virostko will present a program on quartermaster responsibilities, offering a look at the logistics behind military life. From 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM, Shelly Schoen and Rex Maggert will present “Dear Sallie,” featuring love letters of the Civil War.
The afternoon continues with John King’s presentation, “President Lincoln Goes To Washington: The Four Worst Years Of His Life,” with First Lady Mary Lincoln, from 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM. A final skirmish is scheduled from 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM, with the day concluding at 4:00 PM.
More Than A Reenactment
Throughout the weekend, the event will offer visitors a chance to encounter Civil War history through sound, setting, and story. Camps, demonstrations, period presentations, and reenactors will help bring the era into focus in one of Mansfield’s historic public spaces.
Rick Helwig will fire the cannon every hour at the 45-minute mark, adding a regular reminder that this is not simply a lecture series, but an immersive living history experience.
