Har-Ber Village Museum Grove OK, brings history to life with Civil War and Farm and Agriculture Days

Har-Ber Village Museum Grove OK, brings history to life with Civil War and Farm and Agriculture Days

Civil War Days at Har-Ber Village will bring the sights and sounds of the American Civil War to life on Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Author Steve Cottrell will speak about the Civil War in the 4-state region in Har-Ber Village’s Visitor’s Center Media Room on Saturday, April 25 only; however, the following activities will be available on both days. The Village will host military camps, an army field hospital and a refugee camp. While

walking the Village streets, visitors may encounter a period newspaper correspondent or a military recruiter. Volunteers dressed in both military and civilian period clothing will be performing daily tasks in the village, as life goes on despite the trials and tribulations of wartime. Blacksmithing, broom and basket making, spinning and weaving and Dutch oven cooking will be demonstrated. The printer will be busy printing handbills on the antique printing press—visitors are welcome to pick up a souvenir copy.  Musical groups Hawthorne and The Flying Fiddler will be playing period music throughout the Village. Indian Territory Dry Goods, a period sutler, will be selling Civil War-related goods. Hand-quilting and tying and thaumatrope and rag doll-making will be some of the numerous interactive opportunities that will bring this period to life for visitors on these event days.

“We continue to expand on our Civil War Day event to encompass more aspects of this historic period,” said Tim Field, programs coordinator.  “Instead of focusing solely on what soldier’s lives were like, we want to remind people there were thousands displaced by the war who had to continue with their daily lives. This event will be a great way to learn about the ones who remained at home to deal with the deprivation and trials of war.”

Civil War Days are sponsored by Grand Lake Casino.

The following week, on Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Har-Ber Village  Museum will present its annual Farm and Agriculture Days. Celebrate spring and planting season with a traditional May Pole Dance and a visit to the heirloom and herb gardens to see plants grown in the 19th century for culinary and medicinal uses.  Learn the difference between hybrids, genetically-modified and heirloom plant varieties. Tradesmen will demonstrate blacksmithing, weaving and broom making. Volunteers dressed in period clothing will help visitors gain hands-on experience washing laundry, churning butter, building fences and more.  Farm animals will delight young and old in petting areas in the Village. On Saturday only, old-time music will be performed by the Gilbert Brown Group, and theme-related activities for children will be offered.

“We’re focusing more on hands-on activities for our visitors during this event,” said Tim Field, programs coordinator. “Families ask for more of this type of activity because they know that by engaging hands you also engage minds and we’re responding to their requests.”

Farm and Agriculture Days are sponsored by REC Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative.

For more information about these special event days at Har-Ber Village Museum, call 918-786-6446, email info@har-bervillage.com or visit www.har-bervillage.com.

Har-Ber Village Museum Grove OK, brings history to life with Civil War and Farm and Agriculture Days