Civil War 150th Anniversary

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War. To help us remember that historic event, and to review the impact the war had on our country, state and local communities, Sauder Village will host a lecture series and open a new Civil War exhibit in the Museum Building.

April 12, 1861 is an important historical date that may not ring a bell for many of us today. At 4:30 that morning, a cannon ball was fired at the federal fort in Charleston Harbor, Fort Sumter, marking the beginning of the American Civil War. “Blood, Sweat and Tears: How the Civil War Touched Northwest Ohio,” is a new exhibit at Sauder Village. This special display will examine the national, regional and local impact of the war. The exhibit will explore the ways Ohioans participated in the war and what was happening on the home front. Guests can learn about what affect the war had on the lives of the women and children left at home and how families communicated with the soldiers and received news about the war.

“The Civil War touched each person’s life whether they served or not and affected their daily activities,” shared Tracie Evans, Curator of Collections at Sauder Village. “The soldier’s area of the exhibit will include an overview of the war, Ohio’s role, companies and regiments from Northwest Ohio and how soldiers made the decision to serve. The Homefront area will look closely at the role of women during the war, relief organizations, daily life, agriculture and dealing with loss.”

The Civil War exhibit in the Museum Building will open on Monday, May 16 with an Open House at 5:00 p.m. – before the start of a special Civil War lecture, “Blood, Tears and Glory: How Ohioans Won the Civil War.” This first lecture in the series will be presented by Dr. James Bissland at 7:30 p.m. at the Sauder Heritage Inn. Dr. Bissland is Associate Professor Emeritus of Journalism at Bowling Green State University and author of the book “Blood, Tears and Glory: How Ohioans Won the Civil War.” The lecture is free and open to the public.

A second lecture will be held on Monday, June 20th at 7:30 p.m. Steve Charter, Head and University Archivist for Archival Collections at Bowling Green State University, will present “Civil War on the Homefront.” Steve will focus on what was happening on the homefront, the economic, political and social climate during the Civil War. What happened while the fathers, sons, husbands and brothers were away? Who was left behind and how did they cope while offering “moral support” to their soldiers. Insight will be gleaned from diaries and letters.

Sauder Village is pleased to be working with the Ohio History Service Corps and a group of local museum and non-profit organizations from Fulton, Williams, Henry and Defiance counties to coordinate the Civil War and War of 1812 activities. For more information about the Civil War Exhibit and Lecture Series at Sauder Village visit: http://www.saudervillage.org/History/Civil_War_Remembrance.asp

For other Civil War events and activities throughout the region visit: http://www.ohiocivilwar150.org/