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Origins of the Mackinaw River Valley Civil
War Civilian
| The McLean County Museum of History |
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| Click on the image to go to the McLean County Museum of History |
This venture into demonstration of civilian occupations
during the Civil War began in the winter of 2004 in Bloomington, Illinois. Interested parties gathered at the McLean
County Museum of History to discuss creation of the 94th Illinois Infantry, a military living history and reenactment
group. During the next months members researched their impressions, collected material, and participated in demonstrations
at North Point Elementary School in Bloomington, Illinois, and at the McLean County Museum of History.
| Mackinaw River Valley in Central Illinois |
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| Tazewell, Woodford, & McLean Counties |
Over the summer of 2004, as members prepared for reenactments later
in the year, it became clear to all involved that the military and civilian participants would be better served by separate
organizations that communicated and cooperated with each other. Consequently, the Mackinaw River Valley Civil War Civilians
was created to meet the needs of the civilians who expressed interest in recreating the Civil War.
| Dinner on the grounds |
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| Galesburg, Illinois |
In August, a group attended a reenactment at Galesburg, Illinois, where
they informally recreated "dinner on the grounds" and an impromtu "camp meeting" filled with singing and audience participation. In
the evening everyone enjoyed a joint military-civilian dance in the ballroom. In September the civilians joined
the 94th Illinois in a small encampment, drill, and live shoot in rural Downs. In October, V. O. Furrh revealed himself for
the first time as a United States Sanitary Commission agent at the Princeton, Illinois, reenactment, and again at
Minooka, Illinois, a week later.
During the winter of 2004-2005 members continued their research, collected
more material, and lined up events in which they could demonstrate their impressions in the spring, summer, and autumn
of 2005. To celebrate the coming season, a large, 19th century dinner was held at a member's home.
Reasons for Reenacting
| Abraham Lincoln speaks to the students |
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| North Point Elementary, Normal, Illinois |
The reasons for dressing up in clothing, cooking and eating
with utensils, speaking the language, sleeping in tents, and participating in many other activities from the middle 1800s
are personal and eclectic. Some like getting away from the 21st century hustle and bustle to enjoy a slower lifestyle for
a few days. Others are dedicated to teaching our youth about the most cataclismic event in United States history. A few just
like to camp, sit by the fire, and listen to the mournful tune of a harmonica or jaw harp on a warm summer evening.
| Photographers, their equipment and transportation |
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| From the Library of Congress, American Memory |
Whatever the personal reasons, Civil War reenactors and living historians
are united in the belief that what we do should be of benefit to our society. Some of that benefit is personal as we relax
in preparation for another week of work in the 21st century. For the most part, however, we want to educate the
public about what civilian folks did during the Civil War to help heal our nation's wounds and to reunite the states into
one union.
Members of the group that formed in 2004, including the proprietor of this
site, have drifted away into other, more formal organizations. Mr. V. O. Furrh is currently a member of the Illiana Civil War Historical Society, a non-profit based in Danville, Illinois. This site is maintained as a point of contact for those who are searching for
a civilian living historian based in central Illinois, as a means to promote proper research methods, and as a place to publish
photographs and text created by the proprietor.
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