Fort Wilkins Historic State Park will host its annual Civil War re-enactment with special guests Battery D, 1st Michigan Light Artillery, the weekend of July 27-29 in Copper Harbor.
Battery D, a Civil War-era living history group, will pitch camp at the fort to recreate the volunteer artillery unit organized at White Pigeon in 1861. The group will interpret army life during the Civil War period, demonstrating artillery drills, cooking techniques and soldiers’ pastimes.
The encampment will feature more than 25 costumed interpreters, a depiction of army barracks life, medical and undertaking demonstrations, drills, skits and full-scale artillery pieces – including 10-pound Parrott rifles (cannons) – along with army tents and authentic reproductions of mess gear, small arms and other period artifacts.
“During the Civil War encampment, history truly comes alive at Fort Wilkins,” said Fort Wilkins Historic State Park supervisor Robert Strittmatter. “Hearing the cannon boom across Lake Fanny Hooe is an unforgettable experience that really sets the stage for the weekend. Once our visitors experience Battery D’s performance, they come back year after year to see it time and again.”
The event will be open to park visitors from 8 a.m. to dusk on Friday and Saturday, July 27-28, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 29.
This event is sponsored by the DNR through the Michigan Historical Center and the Parks and Recreation Division, along with support from the Fort Wilkins Natural History Association (FWNHA). The FWNHA is a non-profit organization that provides support to Fort Wilkins Historic State Park. For more information, visit www.FortWilkinsNHA.
Located in Copper Harbor at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Fort Wilkins Historic State Park features a restored 19th-century military post with daily costumed portrayals of soldiers and their families and museum exhibits enlivened by the sights and sounds of army life 160 years ago. Fort Wilkins is one of 11 nationally accredited museums administered by the Michigan Historical Center, an agency within the Department of Natural Resources. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the outdoor museum is open daily from 8:30 a.m. until dusk through mid-October.
For further details, contact the park at 906-289-4215, (TTY/TDD711 Michigan Relay Center for the hearing impaired), or visit www.michigan.gov/historicfortwilkins. Camping reservations can be made on line at www.midnrreservations.com or by calling the DNR central reservation system at 800-447-2757.
The Battery D re-enactment activities are free for park visitors, however, a Recreation Passport is required to enter the park.
The Recreation Passport is an easy, affordable way for residents to enjoy and support outdoor recreation opportunities in Michigan. By checking “YES” for the $10 Recreation Passport ($5 for motorcycles) when renewing a license plate through the Secretary of State (by mail, kiosk, online at www.expresssos.com or at branch offices), Michigan motorists get access to state parks, recreation areas, state forest campgrounds, non-motorized state trailhead parking and state boat launches. In addition, Recreation Passport holders can experience real savings at businesses and retailers that participate in the Passport Perks discount program. The Recreation Passport is valid until the next license plate renewal date. Nonresidents can purchase the Recreation Passport ($29 annual; $8 daily) at any state park or recreation area or through the Michigan e-Store at www.michigan.gov/estore.
Learn more about this creative way of sustaining Michigan’s outdoor recreation and natural resources at www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport. For information on Passport Perks shopping discounts or how businesses and retailers can enroll in the program, visit www.michigan.gov/passportperks.
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