Sunday, January 6, 2 p.m.
German American Heritage Center, 712 West Second Street, Davenport IA
Visitors to Davenport's German American Heritage Center can enjoy free admission on January 5 and 6 as part of the museum's Open House Weekend, and can also enjoy the free presentation Just Before the Battle Mother: A Visit from a Civil War Soldier – a special, one-man performance program made possible through a grant by Humanities Iowa.
Designed for Civil War enthusiasts and anyone curious about a specific chapter in Iowa history, Just Before the Battle Mother will be presented in-character by O.J. Fargo, a retired director of media services and social-studies consultant. Fargo is the author of two books on the everyday life of a Civil War soldier and Iowa's place in the Civil War, and has also written 27 booklets on Iowa and Western U.S. History in addition to researching, writing, lecturing, and making public appearances. He is also president of an Iowa regiment of Civil War re-enactors.
For his January 6 engagement, Fargo dresses in full Union Army regalia and focuses on the first-person presentation on an individual Iowa soldier’s Civil War experience. After a brief overview of the state’s involvement, the audience is introduced to Fargo's returning Civil War veteran who consequently details the experiences of an Iowan during the conflict. During and after the presentation, the audience is encouraged to ask questions and engage in a dialogue with this soldier, and Fargo will also bring an artifact display and full electronic Civil War roster of all men who served in and from Iowa, one that can be searched by name, city, county, and/or birthplace.
Humanities Iowa (HI) is committed to bringing the humanities to the public through grant making, publications, interactive programming, and events. Founded in 1971, HI is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities in Washington, D.C., and provides grants and partnerships to other non-profit organizations that further the humanities in the state, also conducting its own programs that support the humanities across Iowa. Each year, HI serves more than 250,000 Iowans with programming and projects such as the German American Heritage Center's special January 6 presentation.
Just Before the Battle Mother: A Visit from a Civil War Soldier will be performed at 2 p.m. on January 6, admission is free, and more information on the event is available by calling (563)322-8844 or visiting GAHC.org.
