DNR
Home PageTUESDAY EVENING HISTORY TALKS
PLANNED FOR FORT DAVIDSON STATE HISTORIC SITE
JEFFERSON CITY, MO., MAY 30, 2008 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will hold a series of Tuesday evening history talks this summer at Fort Davidson State Historic Site in Pilot Knob. The lectures will feature topics of general 19th century and Civil War interest given by historic site staff. The lectures will begin at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public. The schedule of history talks is as follows:
- June 10 -- 19th Century Men's and Women's Civilian Clothing: Everything from underwear to overcoats will be shown with photographic examples, period advertisements, carte-de-visite (French for "visiting card"), tintypes and reproduction civilian clothes. Both men's and women's clothes will be covered including work wear, everyday wear and formal wear, as well as the differences in how different social classes dressed.
- June 17 -- Early Mining Operations in Southeast Missouri (Iron, St. Francois, Reynolds and Wayne Counties): This talk will be an overview of early surface mining in southeast Missouri including the sites, tools and methods of mining as well as the evolution of early underground mining operations in the region.
- June 24 -- Fort Benton, Barnesville and General Marmaduke: A photographic history of Fort Benton (Patterson, Mo.) and the camp at Barnesville (Ellington, Mo.) will be shown. These two outposts will be placed in context with Fort Davidson and Fort D (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) to illustrate the string of earthen fortifications along the southeastern corner of the state. Gen. John Marmaduke's 1863 raid into Missouri will be placed in context.
- July 1 -- Songs of the War Between the States: Songs sympathizing both the Union and Confederate causes that were written during the Civil War will be discussed, including an explanation of the historical background of the piece, the style and the social context. Songs will be performed in period style, possibly on period or period-reproduction instruments.
- July 8 -- Trans-Mississippi Uniforms and Weaponry: This talk will include a brief overview of the uniforms of Confederate and Missouri State Guard troops serving in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. In addition to uniforms, early war weapons will also be looked at during the talk. Historical artifacts and examples as well as reproduction uniforms and clothing, tintypes and paintings will be used.
- July 15 -- The Stump Speech as a Motivating Force in Antebellum Missouri: The format and purpose of stump speeches in antebellum Missouri and how they became an art form that influenced much of Missouri's citizens' wartime decisions will be explained. Paintings, photographs, text documents and live stump speaking will be included.
- July 22 -- Antebellum and War Period Popular Music: A collection of instrumental music and some lyrical pieces that were popular in the Trans-Mississippi area shortly before and during the Civil War will be discussed. This will include an explanation of the historical background of the piece, the style and the social context. Songs will be performed in period style on period or period-reproduction instruments.
- July 29 -- Escape From Fort Davidson: Gary Scheel, author of "66 Miles in 39 Hours" and "Rain, Mud and Swamps," will discuss the retreat from Fort Davidson to Leasburg and its implications to the Battle of Pilot Knob. Scheel will use maps and photos of the retreat using modern roads.
For more information, contact Fort Davidson State Historic Site at 573-546-3454 or the Department of Natural Resources toll free at 800-334-6946 (voice) or 800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf). For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit the Web at www.mostateparks.com.
