Kids, Courage, and the Civil War

This event will be presented by the Imaginating Dramatics Company.  Kids, Courage and the Civil War utilizes the words of children from the North and South recorded in journals as its source and is accompanied by music from the Civil War period.   Appropriate for children 4 and over.

The Imaginating Dramatics Company of Grandview, Ohio is a children’s theatre academy where children 4 – 18 perform for children and adults. Performers learn drama, comedy, musical theatre and improvisations.

Sponsor: The Kelton House Museum & Gardens

Location: The Kelton House, 585 E. Town Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43215

Contact: 614-464-2022

Details: $4 per child; $6 per adult; reservations needed

http://www.keltonhouse.com/

Columbus in Early 1862 – A Look Back at the First Year of the American Civil War

Ed Lentz, Columbus’ preeminent historian, will present a slide lecture about Columbus as it evolved after almost a year of war. Attendees will learn about Columbus’s residents, businesses and institutions as they respond to a country torn in two.

Sponsor: The Kelton House Museum & Gardens

Location: The Kelton House, 585 E. Town Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43215

Contact: 614-464-2022

Details: $5 per person; limited seating; reservations recommended.

http://www.keltonhouse.com/

In the spring of 1862, Major General Lew Wallace was a Union military hero.  At the age of 35, he was the youngest major general in the Union Army, rising to that rank from colonel in 11 short months.  Devoted to the Union, he was also a romantic about war, pursuing honor, fame and glory in combat.  Then in early April 1862, though only a short distance away, Wallace mysteriously failed to appear on the bloody battlefield of Shiloh with his division until the end of the first day of that battle.  The common perception is that this was a death blow to his career, until Lincoln decided to give him another chance, assigning him to command in Maryland where in the summer of 1864, with his army vastly outnumbered, Wallace fought the battle of Monocacy, “the battle that saved Washington,” restoring his fighting reputation.  The truth, however, is never that simple.  Wallace was a genuine hero, but he made mistakes and was a scapegoat for the mistakes of others.  The story of Lew Wallace and the Civil War is fascinating and complex, highlighting some important truths about battles fought within the Union Army as well as those with the Confederates.

Stephens' Book, "The Shadow of Shiloh: Major General Lew Wallace in the Civil War."

A guide at Monocacy and author of Shadow of Shiloh: Major General Lew Wallace in the Civil War, Gail Stephens has a Bachelor’s Degree in International Politics from George Washington University in Washington D.C., and has done graduate work at Johns Hopkins and Harvard Universities.  She worked for the Department of Defense for 26 years, retiring in 1994 as a member of the Department’s Senior Executive Service.

Upon retirement, she began to study the AmericanCivil War.  She volunteers at Monocacy National Battlefield near Frederick, Maryland, lectures on the Civil War, teaches courses at area colleges and gives battlefield tours.  In 2002, she won the National Park Service’s E.W. Peterkin award for her contributions to public understanding of Civil War history.  Her book about Major General Lew Wallace’s Civil War service was published in October 2010 by the Indiana Historical Society Press.

Sponsor: Central Ohio Civil War Roundtable

Location: Ohio Health Medical Campus, 300 Polaris Parkway, Westerville, OH, 43081

Details: Free and open to the public.

http://centralohiocwrt.wordpress.com/

Opening July 1st is The American Soldier: A Photographic Tribute From the Civil War to Iraq, a traveling exhibit that runs through December 30, 2011, plus two longer-term exhibits: Follow the Flag and Over Here, Over There.

“The new interactive exhibits feature items you can touch and work with on your own as well as photographs that will take your breath away- especially those in The American Soldier,” says Sharon Dean, director of museum and library services. “They’ll draw you in emotionally and make you ponder what you would do in these situations.”

American Soldier

Anger and frustration, humor and beauty, camaraderie and death, victory and defeat- the journey of Americans at war runs the gamut of experiences and emotions. The American Soldier: A Photographic Tribute From the Civil War to Iraq is a tribute to the American soldier that also highlights the way in which photography and photographers have shaped history over the past 150 years.

Beginning with the Civil War, cameras have been notebooks for history, and photographers have inspired us to reflect on the sacrifices soldiers have made and are still making today in Afghanistan and Iraq. Perhaps even more remarkable is the way photographers forever shaped the way we think about what it means to fight but also why we fight, as well as what the words courage, patriotism and justice really mean.

The exhibit comprises 116 enlarged photographs taken during the Civil War, Spanish American War, Boxer Rebellion, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, the war in Afghanistan, and in the streets of Baghdad. They clearly portray soldiers’ harrowing challenges in situations in which few of us ever find ourselves.

“Photography made war immediate. It made it personal, especially as soldiers began to use cameras to record their own experiences,” says Sharon Dean, Ohio Historical Society director of museum and library services. “It was no longer just the fantasy of valor, gallantry and honor. War was and is messy and complicated.”

The 4,400 square-foot exhibit, divided in to nine sections, offers an chronological view of the American soldier, beginning with photos from the Civil War. Exquisitely produced images of everyone from veterans to green recruits put viewers into a wide range of experiences that soldiers face in the line of duty. Some of the photographs offer direct, one-on-one eye contact with soldiers, some place viewers in intense moments of combat and others simply say more than a thousand words ever could.

The American Soldier is curated and produced by Cyma Rubin, who brought the popular exhibit Capture the Moment: The Pulitzer Prize Photographs to the Ohio History Center in 2008. The exhibit is sponsored by Business of Entertainment, Inc.; EADS North America, second-largest aerospace and defense company in the world; the John B. Stetson Co.; ArmorSource LLC; Conestoga; The Columbus Dispatch; Ohio Magazine; and 104.9 The River.

For more information on The American Soldier  exhibit, please visit  ohiohistory.org/americansoldier.

Follow the Flag

In the new exhibit Follow the Flag, see ten meticulously restored battle flags, fruit of the Ohio Historical Society’s 10-year-old Save the Flags campaign, accompanied by stories of those who lived through America’s epic war, told in their own words. Learn what the flags represented to the brave Ohioans who carried them into battle.

Since 2001, the Ohio Historical Society, designated caretaker of a collection of Ohio battle flags that is the property of the Ohio National Guard, has worked to raise funds to restore the flags, many of which have significant damage. To date, 19 of the 388 Civil War flags have been restored with help from Ohioans.

In the new exhibit, you’ll learn how conservators remove dust and residue from fragile fabrics and perform specialized conservation techniques. You’ll also discover how much it costs to keep the effort going and learn about the campaign to Save the Flags and how you can contribute to conserving and restoring more flags. Follow the Flag is made possible in party by the Gordon Chandler Memorial Fund of The Columbus Foundation.

Over Here, Over There

Ohio’s proud tradition of military service has spurred change, instigated advances in democracy, and created history not to be forgotten. The exhibit Over Here, Over There: Ohioans in Times of War tackles hard questions of why we fight, how war forever alters us, and why remembering and sharing our collective history is crucial to preserving history.

One goal behind this exhibit is to use visible storage to bring many objects into view. “We have a magnificent collection and only a fraction of the objects can be shown at any one time,” Dean says. “This technique allows us to show many pieces at once. Having all these pieces together helps present the intensity- and routine – of daily life during war years.”

With a jeep at the entrance to set the tone, the exhibit also features an array of uniforms form several wars. Walls of mementos, from photographs and flags to medals and clippings remind us that we each use different techniques for attempting to capture that elusive quality that helps us remember a love one. What do you save as a memory of a loved one? What did your parents’ generation save?

Over Here, Over There walks us through the questions that sometimes haunt us but are as current now as they have been for all wars: Why do we fight? How does war change us? And how should we remember those who’ve fallen?

Visiting the Ohio History Center

Starting in July, the Ohio History Center is open one more day a week- Wednesdays. Museum and archives/library hours starting in July are Wednesday-Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Ohio History Center is at I-71 and 17th Avenue (Exit 111) in Columbus. Ohio History Center museum admission is $10/adults; $9/ senior (60+); $5/youth (6-12); FREE/OHS member; FREE/child (ages 5 and under).

Learn more about visiting the Ohio History Center at ohiohistory.org/places.

This article was originally published in Echoes, the Membership Newsletter of the Ohio Historical Society.

Join the Ohio Historical Society for a presentation entitled “Ohio Squirrel Hunters and Their Rifles.” See vintage firearms and hear about the Squirrel Hunters, men and boys called to protect Ohio when Confederates threatened to reach the Ohio River.

Details: This presentation is free with admission to the Ohio Historical Center.

Sponsor: Ohio Historical Society

Location: Ohio Historical Center, 1982 Velma Ave, Columbus Ohio 43211

For more information, please visit ohiohistory.org

Join the Ohio Historical Society for a presentation on how to digitize your personal collections. Learn about digitizing photographs and storing print and digital photos.

Details: This lecture is free with admission to the Ohio Historical Center.

Sponsor: Ohio Historical Society, Technology Corps: Ohio History Service Corps

Location: Ohio Historical Center, 1982 Velma Ave, Columbus Ohio 43211

For more information, please visit ohiohistory.org

Join us as we explore Columbus neighborhoods rich in history and interesting architecture. On Sunday, May 22 from 2-4 p.m., we will tour Fort Hayes, an army base with a rich military history from the Civil Wart through the Vietnam Era. Fort Hayes is now a Metropolitan Education Center with a high school arts and academic program, an arts middle school and an international high school all under the direction of the Columbus City Schools. Buildings dating from the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II have, in many cases, been refurbished and re-purposed or in the planning. Kathy Mast Kane, Columbus Landmarks Executive Director and architectural historian, who has studied and advocated for the buildings featured on both tours, and Doreen Uhas Sauer, local historian who has collected the history of Franklinton and worked for 20 years at Fort Hayes, will be tour leaders.

Details: Walking tours are two-hours long and generally cover up to a few miles in distance. Tour guides are professionals who share architectural details and history of the buildings and original residents. The tours highlight the exterior of buildings, homes, parks, and typically do not showcase interiors. Tickets are $9 for members of the Columbus Landmarks Foundation and $18 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased through the Columbus Landmarks website. Tours are held in good weather and even a few sprinkles, but are cancelled if the weather is threatening or inclement. If the weather is questionable, call the office at 614-221-4508 to listen to the message.

Location: Fort Hayes,546 Jack Gibbs Blvd., Columbus, OH 43215

Sponsor: Columbus Landmarks Foundation

For more information, please visit http://www.columbuslandmarks.org/events/index.php.

Join the Columbus Landmarks Foundation Sunday, April 10 from 1-4 p.m. for Architectural Fragments of Columbus in the Civil War, a 3-hour bus tour highlighting well-known and lesser-known places associated with the Civil War in Columbus. As a northernmost Southern City and a southernmost Northern City, Columbus residents had a variety of opinions in the 1860s and their world reflected the diversity of opinion. Churches, Underground Railroad stations, Civil War camps, cemeteries, spy houses, gathering places -you may never look at Columbus in quite the same way again. Tour led by Ed Lentz, noted Columbus historian; Cathy Nelson, Founder, Friends of Freedom; and Doreen Uhas Sauer, President, Columbus Landmarks Foundation.   Columbus was a major recruitment point for the Union troops in the Civil War, a fact well known by many; however, not as many people may know of the Southern sentiment that existed, some of those historical figures from Columbus who entered into the cause of the war, and the places that still exist which are right underfoot or under our noses. Well known places associated with the Civil War will be talked about–the Kelton House, Camp Chase cemetery, Statehouse– but this tour may be a little more off the beaten track to include some of the lesser known sites/stories, and examples of architectural reminders of the conflict that started 150 years ago this month. The extensive 3-hour tour will include a few stopping points, but because of the range of the sites, the tour will be a great deal by bus.

Details: Tickets are $25 for Columbus Landmarks members and $30 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased through the Columbus Landmarks Website.

Location: Columbus. Bus will leave from the Columbus Landmarks Foundation, 61 Jefferson Ave. , Columbus, OH 43215

Sponsor: Columbus Landmarks Foundation

For more information, please visit http://www.columbuslandmarks.org/events/index.php.

Battle flags hanging in the Ohio Historical Center, c. 1970. From the collections of the Ohio Historical Society.

For the first time ever, the Ohio Historical Society will officially offer behind-the-scenes tours of its vast collections to the public-many of the objects having never been seen before by visitors.   With the upcoming commemoration of the Civil War Sesquicentennial from 2011 to 2015, the first of the series will be Sneak Peaks: Civil War Collections.

Participants will get an exclusive, guided tour through the Ohio Historical Society’s Civil War objects and collections that aren’t on exhibit and are stored in areas not open to the public. This tour will focus on the flags, weapons, military accessories and clothing related to the Civil War era in and around Ohio.

“It’s a very special tour that allows participants to experience the real stuff of Civil War history,” said Jason Crabill, manager of Curatorial Services. “Folks will have a chance to taste traditional soldier food, hold real military equipment and smell the actual campfire smoke as our curators share the stories behind the collection pieces and talk about preserving and caring for these treasures of Ohio’s past.”

Each Sneak Peak tour will be limited to 8-12 participants. The intimate, two-hour tour experience will start from the Ohio Historical Center.   he tours will be Thursday evenings on April 14, May 12 and June 9 from 6:30-9 p.m.

Cost will be $150 per person. Registration is required and is on a first-call basis. For more information or to register for this one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore Ohio’s Civil War past, call 800.686.1541.

Dates: April 14       6:30-9 PM
May 12       6:30-9 PM
June 9           6:30-9 PM

Cost: $150 per person.   Each tour is limited to 8-12 participants.

Contact: Call us at 800.686.1541 for information and bookings.

This article was provided by the Ohio Historical Society Collections Blog.

The cost for the brunch is $40 per person and includes a full breakfast with beverages. Proceeds from this event will support the Ohio Historical Society’s the Save the Flags fund to conserve Ohio’s Battle Flags. Reservations are required by April 4; however, seating is limited. To register, please visit ohiohistory.org/cw150brunch or call 800.858.6878.

Post Brunch
At 2 p.m., join the Ohio National Guard as they host a muster ceremony on the Statehouse grounds, where the Ohio Civil War 150 Advisory Committee, Ohio Historical Society, Ohio National Guard and Ohio Statehouse will mark the start of the sesquicentennial by recreating the mustering of troops for the 1st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who hurried off to Washington D.C., after being sworn in at the Statehouse in 1861. The event will also include Civil War and modern military displays. This ceremony is FREE and open to the public.

Join the State Library of Ohio for two presentations from Columbus area history enthusiasts about some unique aspects of Abraham Lincoln and Ohio.

The Lincoln Douglas Debates

Philip W. Stichter will present Ohio’s role in debates and Lincoln’s election. He will touch on Lincoln’s selection of Columbus to publish the Lincoln Douglas Debates, Ohio’s role in Lincoln securing the Republican Presidential nomination, and Lincoln’s connection with Presidents from Ohio.

State Librarian Coggeshall and Lincoln

Diana Mercer, M.L.S. will give a presentation on the former Ohio State Librarian, William Turner Coggeshall, who served as bodyguard to Lincoln. Diana is a librarian in the Supreme Court of Ohio Library and candidate for a Master’s Degree in History at Wright State University.

This presentation is in conjunction with the Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation Traveling Exhibit, on display at the State Library of Ohio from March 7th until April 15, 2011. Please click here to find out more about this exhibit.

Details: All programs are free and open to the public. Please click here to register.

Location: State Library of Ohio, 274 East 1st Avenue # 100, Columbus, OH 43201

For more information, please visit http://www.library.ohio.gov/Marketing/ForeverFreeLincolnExhibit/LecturePresentations.

The Ohio Civil War 150 Advisory Committee and the Ohio Historical Society invite you to kick off the 150th anniversary of the Civil War on April 10 at the Statehouse. A brunch will be held at 11 a.m. in the Statehouse Atrium to benefit the Save the Flags campaign, raising funds to conserve 388 flags of Ohio Civil War regiments, now in the care of the Ohio Historical Society.   Sponsored by Carlile Patchen & Murphy, LLP., Wes Cowan of the PBS series History Detectives will be the keynote speaker and will talk about why the story of Ohio’s role in the Civil War is as important today as it was 150 years ago. Also, guests will get a sneak peak of the Ohio Civil War 150 traveling exhibit which will make its debut at the brunch.

Cowan, who is founder and owner of Cowan’s Auctions in Cincinnati, is an internationally recognized expert in historic Americana. He appears as one of the lead investigators on the History Detectives. Cowan’s Auctions has grown from a one-man shop to a nationally recognized business generating $20 million in annual sales.

Color guard of the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry with the national colors of thier regiment, c. 1863-1865. Ohio Historical Society Collections.

The cost for the brunch is $40 per person and includes a full breakfast with beverages. Proceeds from this event will support the Ohio Historical Society’s the Save the Flags fund to conserve Ohio’s Battle Flags. Reservations are required by April 4; however, seating is limited. To register, please visit ohiohistory.org/cw150brunch or call 800.858.6878.

Post-Brunch:

At 2 p.m., join the Ohio National Guard as they host a muster ceremony on the Statehouse grounds, where the Ohio National Guard, Ohio Civil War 150 Advisory Committee, Ohio Historical Society and Ohio Statehouse will mark the start of the sesquicentennial by recreating the mustering of troops for the 1st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who hurried off to Washington D.C., after being sworn in at the Statehouse in 1861. The event will also include Civil War and modern military displays. This ceremony is FREE and open to the public.

Ohio’s leadership before, during and after the Civil War had a profound influence on American history. Decades later, a statewide initiative to observe the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in Ohio (2011-2015) is being led by the CW150 Advisory Committee and the Ohio Historical Society. American Electric Power and the Ohio Humanities Council are sponsors of the initiative. For more information about Ohio’s Civil War 150th anniversary commemoration, special events and more, visit www.ohiocivilwar150.org.

Why did a nation founded on ideals of freedom and equality tolerate for so long one of the harshest labor systems the world has known? A traveling exhibition opening at the State Library of Ohio on March 7, 2011 looks for answers to this question by tracing Abraham Lincoln’s gradual transformation from an antislavery moderate into “The Great Emancipator,” who began the process to free all slaves with a revolutionary war-time proclamation in 1863. “Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation” will be on display at the library until April 15, 2011.

Organized by the Huntington Library, San Marino, Calif., and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York City, in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA), this traveling exhibition is made possible through major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, created by Congress and charged with planning the national celebration of Lincoln’s 200th birthday.

“We are pleased to have been selected as a site for this timely exhibition,” said State Librarian Beverly Cain. “The exhibit coincides with the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War and Ohio Statehouse Sesquicentennial celebration. In addition, several titles in the Choose to Read Ohio lists are related to anti-slavery and the civil war. President Lincoln and Ohio’s role in the Civil War and anti-slavery movement must be remembered in order to help 21st century Ohioans better understand our place in history and how these events shape our lives today.

The Forever Free exhibit offers Ohioans an opportunity to learn more about how the long and brutal Civil War influenced Abraham Lincoln’s decision on emancipation of the slaves. The exhibit reveals how Lincoln’s values and beliefs guided him through the greatest moral conflict of his time to become one of our greatest Presidents.”

Abraham Lincoln was an obscure Illinois lawyer and politician of humble origins who rose in an astonishingly short time to world renown as the leader of a young nation during one of its most troubled times. Throughout his life, Lincoln’s dedication to the ideals of freedom and equality for all people did not waver. “I want every man to have the chance-and I believe a black man is entitled to it-in which he can better his condition,” he said early in his career.

Lincoln was also a pragmatic politician who believed that a direct attack on slavery in the South would split the Union and end America’s experiment in self-government. He steered a middle course during the early years of the Civil War but became convinced that ending slavery would help the Union. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation transformed the character of the war by re-committing the nation to its founders’ vision of freedom and equality for all.

“Forever Free” draws upon original documents in the collections of the Huntington Library and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. It was curated by John Rhodehamel, Norris Foundation Curator of American historical manuscripts at the Huntington Library.

The State Library of Ohio will also display historical documents, artifacts and the winning artwork from a poster contest with students at Columbus College of Art and Design. An opening reception and free program will be held on March 9, 2011 at 5:30-7:30. The State Library will provide additional programs for schools and groups from the public in connection with the exhibition. The State Library of Ohio is hosting the exhibit in collaboration with Ohioana, Ohio Historical Society, Kelton House, Ohio Department of Education, the Columbus Metropolitan Library, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Ohio State University, local historians and others. The State Library of Ohio is open Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Contact Marsha McDevitt-Stredney at 614-644-6875 or marshams@library.ohio.gov for more information.

The State Library of Ohio is hosting an opening reception and free program in honor the traveling exhibit “Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation.” Join the library for presentation by Professor Hasan Kwame Jeffries, associate Professor in the Department of History and the Kirwan Institute at Ohio State University and Robert Brugler, who will portray Abraham Lincoln.   The night will also include refreshments and music from the Ft. Hayes String Quartet.

Sponsor: The State Library of Ohio is hosting the exhibit in collaboration with Ohioana, Ohio Historical Society, Kelton House, Ohio Department of Education, the Columbus Metropolitan Library, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Ohio State University, local historians and others.

Location: The State Library of Ohio, 274 E. First Ave, Columbus Ohio 43201

For more information, please visit www.library.ohio.gov.

State Library of Ohio to Host Traveling Exhibit “Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation.”

Why did a nation founded on ideals of freedom and equality tolerate for so long one of the harshest labor systems the world has known? A traveling exhibition opening at the State Library of Ohio on March 7, 2011 looks for answers to this question by tracing Abraham Lincoln’s gradual transformation from an antislavery moderate into “The Great Emancipator,” who began the process to free all slaves with a revolutionary war-time proclamation in 1863. “Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation” will be on display at the library until April 15, 2011.

Organized by the Huntington Library, San Marino, Calif., and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York City, in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA), this traveling exhibition is made possible through major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, created by Congress and charged with planning the national celebration of Lincoln’s 200th birthday.

The Forever Free exhibit offers Ohioans an opportunity to learn more about how the long and brutal Civil War influenced Abraham Lincoln’s decision on emancipation of the slaves. The exhibit reveals how Lincoln’s values and beliefs guided him through the greatest moral conflict of his time to become one of our greatest Presidents.”

“Forever Free” draws upon original documents in the collections of the Huntington Library and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. It was curated by John Rhodehamel, Norris Foundation Curator of American historical manuscripts at the Huntington Library.

The State Library of Ohio will also display historical documents, artifacts and the winning artwork from a poster contest with students at Columbus College of Art and Design.

Details: An opening reception and free program will be held on March 9, 2011 at 5:30-7:30. The State Library will provide additional programs for schools and groups from the public in connection with the exhibition.   The State Library of Ohio is open Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Contact Marsha McDevitt-Stredney at 614-644-6875 or marshams@library.ohio.gov for more information.

Sponsor: The State Library of Ohio is hosting the exhibit in collaboration with Ohioana, Ohio Historical Society, Kelton House, Ohio Department of Education, the Columbus Metropolitan Library, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Ohio State University, local historians and others. Organized by the Huntington Library, San Marino, CA; the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, NYC; American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities

Location: State Library of Ohio, 274 E. First Ave, Columbus Ohio 43201

For more information, please visit www.library.ohio.gov.

Join the Columbus Surgical Society for a presentation by Peter D’Onogrio entitled “Medical Advances in the Civil War.” The Civil War was the first modern war and resulted in the highest number of U.S. casualties per capita of any of our wars as approximately 620,000 men perished, including 360,000 in the North and 260,000 in the South; 25% of those involved died.   These casualties exceeded those of all other U.S. wars and affected nearly every family in the North and South.   What are not often understood or appreciated now are the rapid advancements made in American medicine that were stimulated by this conflict.   This power-point illustrated presentation explains those advances and their impact on the subsequent development of American Medicine. Dr. D’ Onogrio is a member of the CW150 Ohio Speakers Corps.

Sponsor: Columbus Surgical Society

Location: Brookside Country Club, 2770 W.Dublin-Granville Rd, Columbus, OH

For more information please contact Sue Miller at colssurgsoc@sbcglobal.net or 614-886-0113.

Join the Grandview Heights Public Library to hear firsthand accounts of Abraham Lincoln’s death, including a previously- unpublished letter from his wife! Grandview resident Caroline Van Deusen visits with stories, letters, and memorabilia from her family’s presidential friendships- her great-great-grandfather advised Lincoln, and her great-great grandmother was a loyal friend of Mary Todd Lincoln.

Sponsor: Grandview Heights Public Library

Location: Grandview Heights Public Library, 1685 West First Avenue, Columbus Ohio 43212

For more information, please visit www.ghpl.org.

Columbus: General Rosecrans Presents 150th Civil War Jubilee- An Evening of Remembrance

Step back in time to 1861 when the Statehouse was new and the Civil War was fast approaching.   Major General William Starke Rosecrans is inviting you to spend an elegant evening in remembrance of this part of history. this evening features living historians, the Highland Bagpipers, Camp Chase Fife and Drum Corps, elegant candlelit dinner, featured speakers and period dancing.

Details: Tickets are $100 per person with proceeds benefiting the General Rosecrans Statue Fund.

Sponsor: General Rosecrans Department of the Ohio Headquarters Unit, Big Walnut Historical Society of Sunbury Ohio, and Ohio Statehouse 1st Ohio Battery A   Light Artillery

Location: Ohio State House, 1 Capital Square, Columbus Ohio

For more information, please visit   http://rosecransheadquarters.org/Statue/12-12.htm

Not all Civil War soldiers were adult males. Hear stories of young boys who fought, as well as tales of a few women who disguised themselves as men in order to fight for the cause.

Location: Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave, Columbus OH 43211

Related hands-on activities 1-4 p.m. Free with museum admission: $8/adult, $7/senior (60+), $4/youth (6-12), FREE/child and FREE/Ohio Historical Society members.

For more information, please visit http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/calendar/.

“I am not so well. I am clear off the hoods,” wrote a Civil War soldier. Post-traumatic stress syndrome was a common ailment. Join us in the exhibit Ohio in the Civil War to learn about wounds that could be treated with medicine and ones that could not.

Location: Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave, Columbus OH 43211

Free, with paid admission to museum. For more information, please visit http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/calendar/.

Abraham Lincoln Re-enactor Visits the Ohio Statehouse: Sesquicentennial Event

Explore Ohio’s connection with Abraham Lincoln with a visit from President Lincoln.   Our nation’s 16^th President will provide an hour-long presentation.   The program will occur 150 years to the day from Lincoln’s historic speech to the 54^th Ohio General Assembly on February 13, 1865. Free and open to the public, online RSVP required at www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The 150th Anniversary of President-elect Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural trip from Springfield, Illinois to Washington D.C. provides an excellent opportunity for a conversation about the importance of the coming Civil War Sesquicentennial. The goal of the reenactment is to provide the public with insight into the issues that this nation faced just prior to the Civil War and illustrate how this story resonates today.

Location: Ohio Statehouse, Broad & High Streets; downtown Columbus

Free, RSVP required by visiting www.ohiostatehouse.org

This program is presented in partnership with the National Park Service, Ohio Department of Travel and Tourism, the Ohio Historical Society and Experience Columbus.

The year-long Ohio Statehouse Sesquicentennial celebration continues with a visit from “Abraham Lincoln” to the Ohio Statehouse 150 years to the day after his February 13, 1861 visit.   The special visit by a nationally renowned Lincoln re-enactor will take place on Sunday, February 13 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Ohio Statehouse.   The presentation is free and open to the public; however an RSVP is required at www.OhioStatehouse.org due to limited seating.

The Ohio Statehouse program is part of the National Park Service’s Civil War to Civil Rights program.   The program retraces Lincoln’s journey from Illinois to the nation’s capital for his inauguration a century and a half ago. The National Park Service will use the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s inaugural trip to provide insight into the issues that the nation faced just prior to the Civil War, and illustrate how this story resonates with Americans today.

Fritz Klein, a nationally renowned Lincoln presenter, will deliver a one hour living history program portraying Lincoln during the tumultuous time of his February, 1861 inaugural journey. During the program, “Lincoln” will share his concerns, fears and hopes as the nation teeters towards secession and civil war. At the presentation’s conclusion, the audience members will be welcome to ask questions of President-elect Lincoln to further discern his perspective on the divisive issue of slavery.

Civil War music will be provided by musician and Civil War re-enactor Steve Ball prior to the program.

Abraham Lincoln traveled through more than 83 cities and towns in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Maryland on his way to Washington from February 11-23, 1861. This 150th anniversary program will focus on the 13 major communities along the Lincoln inaugural route: Springfield, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

The National Park Service is sponsoring the national program and providing the core components for the special event.   Abraham Lincoln re-enactor, Fritz Klein, will give a portion of the actual speech that Lincoln gave to a standing-room only crowd in the Ohio House of Representatives Chamber on February 13, 1861.     A bronze plaque will be unveiled during this program commemorating Lincoln’s 1861 visit to the Ohio Statehouse.

For more information about the National Park Service’s Civil War to Civil Rights” interpretive program, contact Timothy Good at Timothy_Good@nps.gov or 314/842-3298 Ex. 222.

The program is presented with marketing support from the Ohio Historical Society, Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism and Experience Columbus.

About Abraham Lincoln’s February 13, 1861 Ohio Statehouse Visit

Abraham Lincoln visited the Ohio Statehouse on February 13, 1861 when he was making his way by train to Washington, DC to be sworn in as President.   The Ohio Statehouse was not yet completed when Lincoln stopped in Columbus and attended events and spoke to a joint session of the 54th Ohio General Assembly.

Lincoln was making his way by train to Washington, DC to be sworn in as President when he stopped in Columbus in the winter of 1861. While at the Ohio Statehouse, Lincoln visited with Governor William Dennison and then spoke to a joint session of the Ohio Legislature in the House Chamber. During his conversation in the Governor’s Office, Lincoln received a telegram informing him that the election results had been duly certified and he was indeed President-Elect. In contrast to the small crowd that had greeted him two years earlier, a newspaper account stated that the welcoming crowd around the Statehouse was “packed together as closely as pickles in a jar” and that the uniformed members of the honor guard had to open a path into the Capitol building.

The Lincoln Inaugural Route Anniversary Schedule

Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States in November 1860. He made a grand one week railway tour from his hometown in Springfield, Illinois to his inauguration in Washington D.C., which then took place in March. The trip was scheduled according to a precise timetable agreed upon along the route. The stops were brief and coincided with service requirements of fuel and water for the steam locomotive.

Lincoln stopped, and spoke at several big cities along the way, including Columbus. The inaugural train left Springfield on February 11. It stopped at Indianapolis the same day. Lincoln arrived at Cincinnati on February 12, and the Ohio Statehouse on February 13. The train arrived at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on February 14.

Lincoln proceeded to Buffalo, New York on February16. The New York State cities of Rochester, Syracuse and Utica were visited on February18. Lincoln arrived at the Albany State Capitol on February 19. That same day there were stops along the Hudson River line at Poughkeepsie, Fishkill and Peekskill. The train traveled to New York City the same day.

The 2011 Lincoln Inaugural anniversary route schedule is:
Friday, February 11, 2011: Springfield, Illinois and Indianapolis, Indiana; Saturday, February 12, 2011: Indianapolis, Indiana and Cincinnati, Ohio; Sunday, February 13, 2011:   Cincinnati, Ohio and Columbus, Ohio; Monday, February 14, 2011: Columbus, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Tuesday, February 15, 2011: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cleveland, Ohio; Wednesday, February 16, 2011:   Cleveland, Ohio and Buffalo, New York; Thursday, February 17, 2011: Buffalo, New York; Friday, February 18, 2011:   Buffalo, New York and Albany, New York; Saturday, February 19, 2011:   Albany, New York and New York, New York; Sunday, February 20, 2011:   New York, New York; Monday, February 21, 2011:   New York, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tuesday, February 22, 2011:   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Baltimore, Maryland; Wednesday, February 23, 2011:   Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, DC.

About Lincoln Re-enactor, Fritz Klein

Considered one of the nation’s foremost Lincoln actors, Richard F. (Fritz) Klein makes Lincoln and his period of history come alive.   Klein was born in 1948 and was raised in Southern California.   He graduated from Concordia College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 1970 and began acting as a hobby in 1975.   The first time he was asked to portray Abraham Lincoln was in 1976 at a municipal celebration of the Nation’s bicentennial.   Klein now resides in Springfield, Illinois with his wife and family where he performs for some of the city’s 500,000 annual visitors.   From there he also travels to points across the nation on tours and by special invitation.

For more information about Fritz Klein, including images, visit www.lincolninstitute.com.

About the Ohio Statehouse Sesquicentennial

The people of Ohio will celebrate the sesquicentennial of the Ohio Statehouse throughout 2011.   The Ohio Statehouse has served as the heart of Ohio democracy for the last 150 years.   Throughout the state, the Ohio Statehouse stands as a symbol of the legislative and executive branches of state government, and the people of Ohio.

After 22 years of construction, the Ohio Statehouse was completed in 1861 at the beginning of the American Civil War.   One hundred and fifty years later, the Ohio Statehouse continues to serve as heart of Ohio democracy.

The Statehouse is considered to be one of the most significant architectural accomplishments of the early republic.   Its Greek Revival Doric architectural details and proportions give the impression of permanence, elegance and grandeur deserved by the original State Legislature who passed a law on January 26, 1838 to build the new Statehouse.   Restored to its 1861 appearance, the Ohio Statehouse maintains its historic character as it continues to function as the center of state government in Ohio.

Throughout 2011, the Ohio Statehouse will host a variety of special events, re-enactments and exhibits to celebrate the sesquicentennial of our great Capitol Building. The events will commemorate the lasting legacy and history of the Ohio Statehouse. Through educational programs, public forums, arts projects and special events, the Ohio Statehouse Sesquicentennial will provide an opportunity for all Ohioans to learn about the history of the building, events and the people who have come to serve.

Additional Resources

Lincoln educational materials are available online at:
http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Education/Lincoln/KidActivities.aspx.

To view the complete text of Abraham Lincoln’s Ohio Statehouse speech on February 13, 1861, visit:   http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Education/Lincoln/LincolnsStatehouseSpeeches.aspx.

High resolution images of the Ohio Statehouse and Abraham Lincoln are available at: http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Multimedia/MediaLibrary/Collection.aspx?collectionId=102203.

A video (00:02:30) highlighting Lincoln’s February 13, 1861 Ohio Statehouse visit is available at: http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Multimedia/MediaLibrary/Media.aspx?fileId=122221.

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

Join the Green Lawn Cemetery for their First Saturday at Green Lawn program, a free monthly program recognizing people buried at Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio, the second-largest cemetery in Ohio. Program on January 8 will be presented by history student and Green Lawn Volunteer Diana Mercer of Grove City. She will talk about William Coggeshall, a strong supporter of President Lincoln.

Program is at 11 a.m. in the Huntington Chapel at Green Lawn, 1000 Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus Ohio.

For more information please visit, http://www.greenlawncolumbus.org/

Join the Ohio Historical Center for their weekly, Echoes in Time Theatre.

Spend an enjoyable hour with fascinating people from Ohio’s past in the intimate setting of museum theatre. These characters will connect their times to yours by sharing their life stories.

“Christmas on the Frontline” A Civil War Soldier’s Story.

The year is 1861 and it’s Christmas. The war was supposed to have been over by now. However, many men and young boys found themselves away from home and their loved ones perhaps for the first time in their lives. Come listen as two soldiers at the front share memories of Christmas’s past and their feelings about the one currently at the frontline.

FREE with museum admission: $8/adult, $7/senior (60+), $4/youth (6-12),

Location: Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave, Columbus Ohio 43211

Join the Ohio Historical Center for their weekly, Echoes in Time Theatre.

Spend an enjoyable hour with fascinating people from Ohio’s past in the intimate setting of museum theatre. These characters will connect their times to yours by sharing their life stories.

“For Cause and Comrades” Thoughts from the Battlefields of the Civil War.

The Civil War was one of the worst battles in American history. Men from the north and south both were fighting for what they thought was right. Although each had a different perspective as the war dragged on they both wanted the same thing, the war to be over. Come listen as the thoughts of Billy Yank and Johnny Reb are revealed before, during and after the battle.

FREE with museum admission: $8/adult, $7/senior (60+), $4/youth (6-12),

Location: Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave, Columbus Ohio 43214

Join the Ohio Historical Center for their weekly, Echoes in Time Theatre.

Spend an enjoyable hour with fascinating people from Ohio’s past in the intimate setting of museum theatre. These characters will connect their times to yours by sharing their life stories.

“Together Yet Separate” One Zoarite’s story.

The Society of Separatists, Zoar, began in 1817 saw many changes over the years until the community’s demise in 1898. The Society prospered with the farming and the building of the canal. When the Civil War erupted the Zoarites tried to remove themselves from it by paying a sum of $300.00 for a replacement volunteer, this the Society did gladly for their young men. However, 12 men did go voluntarily and returned to a Society that would be changed forever by the war and other influences. Come listen as this community member unfolds their story of being “together, yet separate.” Shawn Dowling of Columbus, portrays a Zoarite Separatist

FREE with museum admission: $8/adult, $7/senior (60+), $4/youth (6-12),

Location: Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave, Columbus Ohio 43214

Join the Ohio Historical Center for their weekly, Echoes in Time Theatre.

Spend an enjoyable hour with fascinating people from Ohio’s past in the intimate setting of museum theatre. These characters will connect their times to yours by sharing their life stories.

“Protection, Pay, and the Long Road to Freedom” The United States Colored Troops of the Civil War.

Listen to the story of one soldier from the United States Colored Troops as he tells how the colored soldier fights for not only the freedom of his race but his own personal to freedom to join the white soldiers fighting the war that threatens to divide the Union.   Anthony Gibbs of Columbus portrays a young African American Civil War soldier.

FREE with museum admission: $8/adult, $7/senior (60+), $4/youth (6-12),

Location: Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave, Columbus Ohio 43211

Join the Ohio Historical Center for their weekly, Echoes in Time Theatre.

Spend an enjoyable hour with fascinating people from Ohio’s past in the intimate setting of museum theatre. These characters will connect their times to yours by sharing their life stories.

“Commissioned by God” Mother Bickerdyke and the Civil War

We invite you to take a trip back in time to the year1860′s, to meet Mary Ann Bickerdyke, better known as “Mother” to thousands of soldiers who were dying during the Civil War. She became known as the woman who outranked General Sherman and a force to be reckoned with in the makeshift hospitals of the battlefields. Lisa Peterson portrays Mother Bickerdyke.

FREE with museum admission: $8/adult, $7/senior (60+), $4/youth (6-12),

Location: Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave, Columbus Ohio 43211

Join the Columbus Bar Association for a seminar in their Continuing Legal Education Master’s Series entitled “Lincoln on Professionalism.”

Before he was president, Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer. The qualities of his professionalism still resonate and are a model for today’s lawyers. This program is comprised of a series of extremely engaging documentary video vignettes that bring to life Lincoln’s legal and personal professionalism. Participants will view the vignettes and then join the presenters for a lively discussion that integrates the Code of Ethics and the Rules of Professional Conduct into each section. The Moderator for this program will be Harold D. Paddock, Attorney at law.

Location: Columbus Bar Association, 175 S. Third St., 11th Floor Columbus, OH 43215

Fees for a non-attorney are $75 (pre-register) or $90 (register that day).

For more information, please visit www.cbalaw.org/cle or call the Columbus Bar Association at 614.221.4112.

Finding Your Past: Basic Training for Your Civil War Ancestor Search
Learn the basics of genealogical research using Columbus archives and computer resources.

Location: Kelton House and Garden, 586 E. Town St., Columbus, OH 43215

For more information, see http://www.keltonhouse.com or email Georgeanne Rueter at keltonhouse@cs.com.