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Chelsea District Library hosts Civil War exhibit; grand opening Feb. 6

Photo by Jim Pruitt.
Photo by Jim Pruitt.

By Jim Pruitt

Area residents will get a chance to experience Michigan’s role in the Civil War through a two-month celebration at the Chelsea District Library.

The Detroit Historical Society’s newest traveling exhibition, Michigan in the Civil War, will be on display at the library through April 1.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Karen Persello, head of youth and teen Services, said.

The library was looking for a new exhibit following the success of one honoring Dr. Martin Luther King last year. When staff heard about the Detroit Historical Society’s proposed exhibit, they knew they had found what they were looking for.

Most exhibits cost a lot of money, but by being the first to host it, Chelsea got a big discount and only paid $1,600.

“It’s also a very cool thing to be the first to show this very professional, this fine-looking exhibit,” Persello said. “We saw a mockup of one of the kiosks so we had a feeling of what it would look like.”

Photo by Jim Pruitt.
Photo by Jim Pruitt.

Most towns in Michigan have a memorial to the Civil War and Chelsea is no different.

“When the weather is nice and I go for walks on my lunch I always end up in the cemetery,” Persello said. “It’s a wonderful memorial.”

Michigan sent 90,000 men to fight in the war, second only to New York, Persello said. That’s significant because Michigan was not the second-most populous state at the time, she said.

“Fourteen thousand didn’t come home,” Persello said. “The sacrifice was felt everywhere.”

The display includes two kiosks, offering a three-dimensional experience. There are banners, panels and photographs, and there are also display cases with artifacts that make the experience more tangible.

“I am very excited about it,” Persello said. “You can come and look at it no matter what age you are.”

The library will host a grand opening from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6.

Featured activities include a showing of the movie “Gettysburg.” The 1993 epic features Chelsea native Jeff Daniels as Col. Joshua Chamberlain, who led the 20th Maine is a dogged defense of Little Round Top.

Civil-War-ExhibitChamberlain’s actions came after a Michigan regiment was slaughtered nearby.

“Everyone else was getting decimated and he was doing his heroics,” Persello said.

The 4.5 hour film will commence at 11 a.m. in the library’s youth room, KidSpot.

At noon in the McKune Room, Bob Griggs, the past Camp Commander Austin Blair Camp No. 7, a Sons of Union Veterans group from Jackson, will present a talk about the Civil War experience of the soldiers from Jackson. Members of the group will talk on other topics, such as “Women in the Civil War,” and will present weapons of the period and wear authentic Civil War garb.

Blair was governor of Michigan from 1861-64 and sent thousands of men to fight for the Union. He was a staunch supporter of President Abraham Lincoln. The display on the lower level talks about him.

From 1 to 3 p.m., children ages 4 and up are invited to go back in time with mid-1800’s crafts and games in the picture book area.

Photo by Jim Pruitt.
Photo by Jim Pruitt.

At 2:30 p.m. in the McKune Room, Al and David Eicher, producers of Michigan visual history documentaries, will present a special lecture offering an intimate look at the timeline of events in Michigan during the Civil War with photos, video, and artifacts. This program includes rare photographs of historic Michigan and moments from the Civil War as well as artifacts.

The Eichers gathered video from five years of reenactments and visits to historic sites, which are included in this 78-minute presentation.

The library also has several events planned in March.

Chelsea High School students will present photos and share their experiences about their annual field trip to Gettysburg, from 2-3 p.m., March 6.

“That should be interesting,” Persello said.

Local re-enactor George Till, will visit the paranormal Thursday, March 10 with highlights from Mark Nesbitt’s “Ghosts of Gettysburg” books and video series shown on A and E and the History Channel. The event runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Photo by Jim Pruitt.
Photo by Jim Pruitt.

The 5th Michigan Regiment Band brings the history of the Civil War Era alive through an authentic historical recreation of a Civil War Regimental Band at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 13. The presentation includes performing on antique and replica sax horns and wood rope tension drums.

During the exhibit’s run, there will be books to check out for young and old alike.

There are two kiosks for the Detroit Historical Society’s newest traveling exhibition, Michigan in the Civil War. One is on the upper floor and the other on the main floor. Each feature images, short articles and artifacts connected to Michigan’s role in the war. One is a reproduction of an original recruitment poster Detroit Historical Society staff found in a drawer.

(Jim Pruitt can be reached via email at [email protected].)

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