Battles at the Middletown Mansion

On the weekend of June 24-25 the air around Middletown was alive with the pop and bang of Civil War weaponry wrapped by sweet song. Friends of the Gibson Museum and Cultural center combined with the American Civil War association put on the shindig, which was supplemented by local authors and musicians. There were too many good pictures to sort through.

The best summation came from the Lake County website:

Tour the encampments, chat with soldiers, watch a lady squirm into a hoop skirt, wear your own antebellum costume, learn how Californians were involved in the war, stroll the mansion grounds. An estimated 250 participants are expected to camp out Friday and Saturday night in the fields behind the mansion with cavalry horses as well…

We couldn't resist watching Barbara White dressing as a lady in 1860, especially as the mercury had soared towards 100 that day and the layers of clothing she and her "dresser" strapped and laced seemed endless. She's in our video, which also features clips of the Civil War battles, period music, and a short bit of the Gettysburg Address read by Voris Brumfield.

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Civil War comes to Lake County, California from James Martin on Vimeo.

We leave you with  a few moments we captured during the day.