The Civil War Museum…

by Rick McCluskey

The war is over. The fiery cannonades of Lee’s and Grant’s Armies no longer echo among the southern hills and valleys of our country. Bullets no longer zip and zing amongst clashing men rushing to meet their fate at Gettysburg, Chickasaw Bayou, Antietam or Chickamauga. Those battlefields are silent.

Yet when you enter Kenosha’s new Civil War Museum, one cannot help but recall those by-gone days when a savage war pitted neighbor against neighbor and brother against brother. The unfinished building is poignant and the hush inside is almost spiritual. For the employees working to recreate the past it is a time of reflection, and for Brett Lobello, Curator of Education, an opportunity to tell a different Civil War story.

“Our displays deal primarily with that period of time between 1840 and the late 1870s and how the war affected the six midwestern states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Indiana. Back then this area was the frontier for the country. This museum focuses on the unique stories of all Midwesterners; women, African Americans, and children, not just the soldiers. That’s the story we want to tell.”

As Brett and I toured the facilities he talked and I listened. I could tell he was enthusiastic about the project and the efforts being done to do this right. “We are using experts on the era to construct everything. Every display will be authentic, built exactly the way it would have back then. I’m excited.”

To say that the museum is big is an understatement. By far, it is the largest of the three Public Museum buildings and capable of housing multiple programs running at the same time. “This is Freedom Hall,” said Brett and pushed open a door. “This is where we’ll being holding our theatre presentations. We are developing nine characters and each performance will a half-hour long. We’ll use local talent to depict the characters, but the stories will be those of local people and how they coped during those times. Cordelia Harvey will be our first. Mrs. Harvey was the wife of Lewis Harvey, Governor of Wisconsin, who died while visiting hospitalized Wisconsin soldiers in Tennessee. After his death, Cordelia made it her passion to care for the sick and wounded. She was nicknamed the “Wisconsin Angel” by soldiers. It’s fascinating. You can see her theatre presentation on March 29th at our sneak preview.”

We turned into another room that reminded me of a rotunda. “This is our Veteran’s Gallery. A tribute to the soldiers of all the wars the U.S. has ever fought. The center of the room will feature our memorial. There will be three civil war soldiers sitting around a campfire enjoying a cup of coffee and the camaraderie of soldiers from other wars. It’s a different perspective, one we hope the public will appreciate. I’ve often wondered what a cross generational conversation like that might include.”

Most of the articles on display have come from donations. The largest collections came from Carthage College and Carroll College. “We are always on the lookout for civil war memorabilia. We get calls from people wanting to know if we’re interested and we tell them yes. It’s history and what better way of saving it than donating it to the museum. You’d be surprised what people have stored in their basements and attics.” (If you’re not sure call the museum at (262) 653-4432 to discuss your donation. I found the entire staff very helpful.)

Officially, the museum opens on June 14th and by then I won’t have to use my imagination to see Brett’s dream come to life. From what I’ve seen so far it will be magnificent and I can‘t wait. Unfortunately he’ll be so busy I won’t be able to tell him that. They’ll be busloads of tourists visiting from all over the country and gaggles of 5th and 8th graders eager to learn something new about the Civil War.

But there is a golden opportunity in a few weeks. The sneak preview is March 29th from 1 PM to 8 PM. If you’re a civil war buff or want a sneak preview of what’s to come, I wouldn’t miss it.