The Symposium will focus on the practical and
fine arts of the Civil
War Era through lectures, dialogue, and hands-on
classes. This site contains
the activities planned for the weekend.
Friday Evening, January 21, 2005
7:30 p.m. at the Boscobel Hotel
1005 Wisconsin Avenue:
Tracing Your Civil War Ancestor. This informative
and entertaining
discussion will be led by Vickie Wendel. Vickie
has been on the staff at the
Anoka County (MN) Historical Society for 15 years
and has been the research
librarian, currently program manager. She has a
degree in American History
with an emphasis on the Civil War. She has had
several articles published in
the Civil War Times Magazine, as well as the
Minnesota History Magazine. Her
current project is researching the men who served
in the Second Minnesota
Battery of Light Artillery and writing a
biography of each man, both during
and after the war - which has led her to
researching genealogy in 20 states.
Vickie is also a laundress with the Second
Minnesota Battery of Light
Artillery.
Vickie will guide the group in researching Civil
War ancestors, both
Union and Confederate, and share information on
how and where to research.
No class size limit. Fee: $7.00 per person.
Saturday, January 22, 2005 for Classes &
Lectures
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Sign-in at the Boscobel Hotel
1005 Wisconsin Avenue:
Saturday, January 22, 2005
9:00 a.m. - noon.
Boscobel Hotel
Fit a Basic, Darted Bodice: Kathy Ciezski will
teach the class to
drape your own custom-fitted bodice pattern, to
get a period correct fit, no
matter what your size and shape. You will create
a toile or "sloper" using
1-inch gingham. You must wear period correct
underpinnings. Bring a dressing
gown to wear between fittings. Also bring your
own sewing machine, 2-3 yards
of 1-inch gingham, thread, basic cutting and
measuring tools, and lots of
straight pins. You do not need to be an
accomplished sewer to create your
custom fitted bodice. Kathy will have gingham for
sale at $4.00 per yard.
Pre-registration is required. Class size limited
to 15. Class fee
$15.00 per person.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
9:00 a.m. - noon.
Community Club Room (Library Basement)
1033 Wisconsin Avenue
Mask Making: This class could be a necessity for
many attending the
Masked Ball Saturday evening! Robin Transo, local
artist and art instructor
in the Iowa/Grant school district will help
participants decorate masks -
from plainly simple to the most ornate.
Class size limited to 15. Class fee $15.00 per
person plus $5.00
materials fee.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
10:00 a.m.
Wayne Manor
1216 Wisconsin Avenue
A Review of Civil War Era Pharmacology and
Dentistry: Michelle
Farrell, Pharm. D., R. Ph, and Wayne A. Hanson,
D., D. S, will offer an
enlightening review of the evolution of their
respective professions during
the Civil War. Join them for a vivid comparison
of pharmacological and
dental treatments and problems then versus now!
Wayne and Michelle welcome you to their home to
enjoy the
presentation as well as share in their book
collection detailing the history
of their professions.
Lecture fee $7.00 per person
Saturday, January 22, 2005
10:00 a.m.
GAR Hall
102 Mary Street
General U. S. Grant: Veteran reenactor with the
9th Virginia
Cavalry, Gary Young, will present a first person
of General U. S. Grant, who
was born in 1822 in Ohio. Hiram Ulysses Grant was
renamed Ulysses Simpson
Grant as an error of appointment to the United
States Military Academy.
Grant became the 18th President of the United
States in momentous times,
suffering humiliating failures and enjoying
worshipful acclaim. Grant, a man
of common origins and simple tastes, will come to
life as he was in June of
1863 in a living history presentation by Gary.
Gary's offering will allow
participants to see and hear Grant talk about his
life and experiences and
his opinions, concerning the war with Mexico and
the Civil War. Ask
questions, challenge his views, step back in
time, and become a part of the
American experience.
No limit. $7.00 per person.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
11:00 a.m.
GAR Hall
Reenactor Recruitments: Joe Harrell, veteran
reenactor with the 9th
Virginia Cavalry and Muskets & Memories Committee
member, will discuss how
to get into reenacting. Some of his topics will
be what reenacting is all
about and what is required to become a reenactor.
He will discuss the
different types of units and the equipment
required to become a reenactor.
Joe will also answer questions and recommend
units taking new recruits.
No limit. $7.00 per person.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Lunch: Lunch on your own this year - the local
establishments are
offering specials to Symposium participants. See
listings in your
registration package.
12:30 - 1:00 p.m.
Sign-in at the Boscobel Hotel
Saturday, January 22, 2005
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Boscobel Hotel
Civil War Era Quilting Techniques and Fabrics:
David Ewing, an
experienced tailor and fiber artist will take
students a step back in time
and create a popular quilt block using period
reproduction fabric and
piecing methods. The design will be an 8 inch
Lemoyne Star and English Paper
Piecing method of construction. Kits for the
project will be available for
purchase the day of the class for $5.00. The kit
will include: fabric from
the Judie Rothermel Civil War Collection, needle,
thread, and pattern. Other
notions to bring: scissors for cutting paper,
scissors for cutting fabric,
pins. If you wish to use your own fabric bring
light or white background -
9" x 11", 2 fabrics of contrasting colors or
prints - 9" x 11" each,
matching thread and sewing notions.
Pre-registration required. Class size limit 15.
Class fee $15.00.
Materials fee $5.00.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Boscobel Hotel
Adapt a Basic, Darted Bodice: Kathy Ciezski will
work with students
on their newly fitted sloper, or with a
commercial pattern that fits
correctly, to create a variety of styles
appropriate to the 1860's. Students
will learn to take their sloper and create
different necklines, waistlines,
and sleeve variations. Bring several yards of
inexpensive cloth or several
bed sheets, new or used. Bring your sewing
machine and basic sewing tools,
and thread. Be prepared to "try on" your newly
created patterns wearing your
period correct underpinnings.
Class size limit 15. Class fee $15.00
Saturday, January 22, 2005
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Shady Nook Beauty Salon
1002 Park
Period Hairstyling Techniques: Lorraine Conley
has had a serious
interest in keeping the Civil War Era alive for
many years. She is a
certified beautician and will assist students in
recreating a selection of
period hairstyles. Participants will learn
techniques to help them create
different day and formal hairstyles. Bring your
own hair ornaments for the
Saturday evening Masked Ball.
Class size limit 10. Class fee $15.00.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
2:00 p.m.
Boscobel Hotel
An Afternoon Tea: The Ladies Auxiliary of the 1st
Wisconsin Company
K will hostess an afternoon tea. They will talk a
little bit about what
ladies would have been served, what they would
have worn, and what they
would have visited about. Tea and treats will be
served.
Tea Time limited to 15. $7.00 per person.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
4:00 p.m.
Boscobel Hotel
General Grant's Encounter with a Southern
Sympathizer: The meeting
takes place in a small river town in the winter
of 1862-3 during the run up
to the Vicksburg campaign. Grant is off the wagon
and partaking of the
devil's spirits in this civilian establishment.
Enter a whiskey-drinking
salesman with Southern sympathies. Grant,
notoriously terse when sober, but
talkative when drinking, enters a dialogue with
the salesman, who joins him
for yet another drink. The salesman and Grant
begin a lively exchange of
"Why the War?" "Yankee aggression," "Southern
Rights," "The Union forever,"
etc. As the discourse runs its course, Major
Rawlings, Grant's Chief of
Staff, intercedes, urging Grant from the bar as
the salesman claims the
"Field" and victory. Persons present are invited
to pitch in their two-bits.
Staged by firebrands in their own rights - Gary
Young as Gen. Grant, Dick
Pohorsky as the Southern salesman, and Mike
Riddet as Major Rawlings.
No limit - in fact a large, contributing crowd
would enhance the
dialogue.
$7.00 per person for your two bits.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
7:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Blaine Gym
Masked Ball: Muskets & Memories will host a
period military/civilian
Masked Ball at the Blaine Gym, 104 E. Oak Street,
Boscobel. The Old Man
River Band will play period music and call the
dances. Everyone is welcome.
Period attire and masks are requested, but not
required. Snacks and
beverages will be available at the Boscobel
Hotel, just across the way from
the Gym.
Ball admission: $5.00 per person.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Sign-in at the Boscobel Hotel
1005 Wisconsin Avenue
Sunday, January 23, 2005
9:00 a.m. - noon
Boscobel Hotel
Pictorial Needle Felting: This unique decorative
technique will be
taught by Rob Cetner of the Sutlery Wool, Warp,
and Wheel. It is an
appliquй' technique that uses a triangular shaped
needle and dyed wool
rovings to create designs on fabric. It is
quicker than beading or needle
work, and can create intricate designs. It
requires no water or expensive
and/or bulky tools. It is completely portable,
and can be easily done in
camp. Designs are created by laying dyed rovings
on the garment and "poking"
the wool into the fabric with the needle. The
needle is designed to cause
the wool to felt, thus creating a permanent
applique'. It's a great way to
"dress up" a dress, hat, or other garment.
Felting needles are very sharp,
and the class is not recommended for children.
Class size limited to 15, pre-registration is
required. Class fee
$15.00 per person. Kit fee $20.00
Sunday, January 23, 2005
9:00 a.m. - noon
Boscobel Hotel
Textiles 103: Kathy Ciezski, fabric historian,
will discuss basic
fabric terms, weaves, and color history. The
class will examine several
reliable resources loaded with lots of images of
fabrics and prints and
compare them to appropriate modern day choices
for the 1860's "look." Kathy
will also offer period fabric sources, both in
the USA and abroad. She will
have generous fabric swatches (some vintage) to
attach to your notebook.
note: this is not a repeat of Kathy's 2004
textiles class.
Class fee $7.00 per person. Fabric swatch fee of
$15.00.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
10:00 a.m.
GAR Hall
An Alternative Viewpoint - The Southern
Perspective of the War of
the Rebellion: Dick Pohorsky, a serious student
of Confederate studies for
15 years and veteran reenactor with the 17th
Tennessee Volunteer Infantry
Company K, will discuss the motivation for
secession; why the 1860's and not
before or after; why the South holds on to the
"Lost Cause;" was slavery a
key issue; and other topics for discussion.
Discussion fee $7.00 per person
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch: On your own again. The local eateries are
offering specials
to Symposium participants. See listings in your
registration package.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
12:30 - 1:00 P.M.
Sign-in at the Boscobel Hotel
1005 Wisconsin Avenue
Sunday, January 23, 2005
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Boscobel Hotel
Beginning Crocheting: Penny Cetner of Wool, Warp,
and Wheel will
teach a beginning crochet class. The project will
be an evening handbag,
which can be completed in just a few hours. The
kit will include the wool,
forming ring, wood crochet hook, and ribbons.
Class size limited to 15. Pre-registration is
required. Class fee
$15.00. Kit fee $20.00.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Boscobel Hotel
Skirt Construction 1860's style: Kathy Ciezski
will be teaching how
to cut and construct several styles of skirts
including plain hemmed and
tucked skirts. Learn to set a skirt in pleats or
gauging at the waist, as
well as construct appropriate waistbands and
hems. You'll also learn simple
embellishment techniques. Bring lengths of
fabric, scissors, a 6" sewing and
fitting gauge (the 6" metal measure with the
slide in the middle), marking
pencil, tape measure, needle, thread, and pins.
Class size limited to 15. Pre-registration is
required. Class fee
$15.00
Sunday, January 23, 2005
3:00 p.m.
Boscobel Hotel
"Reflections of an Assassin": John Wilkes Booth
is often reviled as
America's darkest villain, but what do we really
know about the man behind
the deed? History books retell the story but the
man and his motives seem
lost in the swirls of time.
One of history's most well known yet least
understood figures will
be brought to life in an interactive session
conducted by Booth re-enactor,
James L. Schneider. Join a reporter as he
interview's one of America's
greatest actors just days before the act that
would forever be marked in
history.
At the conclusion of the interview, Mr. Schneider
will bring session
participants back to the present for an open
discussion of Booth and his
times.
Villain? Tragic hero? Or perhaps a bit of both.
The decision may not
be as easy as you think.
Fee $7.00 per person.
Lodging
The River Inn and Banquet Facility
Phone toll-free: 1-888-375-6323
Sands Motel of Boscobel
Phone toll free: 1-888-833-4167
(When calling to make reservations mention you
will be in Boscobel
for the Civil War Symposium)
Saturday & Sunday Morning Coffee and Rolls
Courtesy of
Boscobel Area Health Care
Pre-registration