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Origins of the Mackinaw River Valley CWC
| The McLean County Museum of History |
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| Click on the image to go to the McLean County Museum of History |
Our civilian organization began in the winter of 2004
in Bloomington, Illinois. We gathered at the McLean County Museum of History with others who wanted to create the 94th Illinois
Infantry, a military living history and reenactment group. During the next months we researched our impressions, began collecting
our material, and participated in demonstrations at North Point Elementary School in Normal, 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 we prepared for reenactments later
in the year, it became clear to all involved that the military and civilian members would be better served by separate organizations
that communicated and cooperated with each other. Consequently, the MRVCWC 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 we attended a reenactment at Galesburg, Illinois, where we
informally recreated "dinner on the grounds" and an impromtu "camp meeting" filled with singing and audience participation. In
the evening we enjoyed a joint military-civilian dance in the ballroom. In September we joined the 94th Illinois
in a small encampment, drill, and live shoot in rural Downs. In October we revealed ourselves for the first time as the
United States Sanitary Commission at the Princeton, Illinois, reenactment, and again at Minooka, Illinois, a week later.
During the winter of 2004-2005 we continued our research, collected
more material, and lined up events where we could demonstrate our impressions in the spring, summer, and autumn of 2005.
Our Reasons for Existing
| 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 nearly 150 years
ago are personal and eclectic. Some of us 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 our personal reasons, we 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.
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