Civil War Remembered

Civil War Remembered in Portage: September 9th-11th

Friday-Sunday: A theatrical performance of the play “A Heart Divided” will take place at Portage Center for the Arts.    
Written by Cherie Bennett & Jeff Gottesfeld, and directed by Dr. Xan S. Johnson, this contemporary play, enacted by a cast of twenty teens and twelve adult actors, is presented in conjunction with the 150^th Anniversary of the Civil War, and speaks to all age groups.  The show centers around the Pride family, who move from New Jersey to Redford, Tennessee where they are surprised by the attitudes that still exist between the North and the South.  

Presented September 8 – 10, & 15-17 at 7:30 pm;  September 11 & 18 at 2:00 pm.  Advance tickets Adults $8.00, Students $ 5.00 – at the door, Adults $10.00, Students $6.00.  For more information, please contact the Center. Portage Center for the Arts, 301 E Cook St, Portage, (608) 742-5655, portagecenterforthearts@frontier.com, http://www.Portagecenterforthearts.com, open Wed-Fri 1-6, Sat 10-3.


Saturday: the Historic Indian Agency House hosts a Kids’ Union Soldier Training Camp.
This day camp will immerse young participants in the emotional and physical rigors of wartime, with sessions led by knowledgeable educators focused on “mustering into service,” marching in formation, a lunch of hard tack and dried beef, and “letters from the front.”  Each young soldier will be “issued supplies” that they will take home, including a canvas bag, a wooden rifle, a Union soldier’s cap and water canteen.  There is a discounted participation fee of $8 per child for this event—amounting to much less than the actual cost of the take-home supplies alone, thanks to a generous grant from the Great Circle Foundation. Reservations are required, with only thirty-six spots available for children ages 8 to 12. Enlist your little soldier today by calling 608-742-6362.


Sunday: Civil War-themed musical performance by the First Brigade Band at the Historic Indian Agency House at Noon.
This 40-plus piece band is based on the original 18-man 1864 Brodhead Band which enrolled in the Union Army as the “Band of the 3^rd Division, 15^th Army Corps.” The modern 1^st Brigade Band pays homage to its historical roots by performing in Civil War dress and playing antique Civil War-era instruments—valuable historic artifacts in their own right.   Since 1964, the group has performed for audiences across the region and country (including a 1990 reenactment of the “Grand Review of the Troops” in Washington, D.C.), and their recorded music has been featured in a variety of television networks, such as the 1995 Illinois Lincoln and Douglas Debate Reenactments, televised by C-Span, and  A&E’s 1996 Civil War Journal.
 
This stirring experience will be offered free of charge (with donations gratefully accepted ), thanks to the financial support of the Great Circle Foundation, City of Portage Tourism Promotion Committee, and Sean Malone State Farm Insurance.  Concessions will be available on site, and guests are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets. 

Free shuttle provided by Portage Cab Company from Market Square to event at 10:30am and 11am. Shuttle from Indian Agency House back to Market Square at 1:30pm and 2pm.


Friday-Sunday: Civil War-themed exhibitions.
In addition to these events, the Museum at the Portage and Historic Indian Agency House will be showcasing special Civil War exhibitions, exploring the participation of Wisconsinites to the war effort and the impact of this bloody battle on the citizens and social landscape of our great State.  The Agency House exhibit, sponsored by Trans Works Transmissions, will feature an authentic reproduction of John Kinzie’s officer’s jacket, worn during his tenure as a Paymaster for the Union army.