Fremont Pathfinders to bring Ft. Hartsuff back to life over the Memorial Day Weekend

Living History at its Finest!

Jim Domeier, Superintendent of Fort Hartsuff State Historical Park announced today that the Fremont Pathfinders will be visiting the Fort on Saturday and Sunday of the upcoming Memorial Weekend, May 29th and 30th.

Bill Winburn of the Pathfinders said that the group will have a blacksmith on duty, a teamster driving the Fort’s Army Escort wagon and artillery soldiers firing a mortar and small canon to augment their living history program at the Fort during the holiday weekend.

Last year the Pathfinders brought canons to the park and gave firing demonstrations throughout the Memorial Weekend. This year there is no set schedule during the holiday weekend, but visitors are encouraged to come and tour the park to get a sense of 1870’s military life. The Fort is located between Ord and Burwell off Highway 11 near the town of Elyria. The buildings will be open for touring from 8:00 AM to sunset through the weekend.

The Pathfinders will be returning to Fort Hartsuff during Saturday and Sunday of the Burwell Rodeo, July 30th and 31st.

(Photo attached: Photo taken by DiAnne Hughes of Ord shows Pathfinder Artillery Sergeant Phil Lutz firing a Gattling Gun during the 2009 Memorial Weekend at Fort Hartsuff State Historical Park.)

"Lest We Forget" Memorial Day Event & Military Time Line

May 29, 30 & 31 at Stuhr Museum. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for children and FREE for Stuhr Museum members. Military Time Line takes place during operating hours.

GRAND ISLAND, STUHR MUSEUM - America's history is marked by frequent bloody conflict, and the sacrifices of the millions of soldiers who fought for our country is the focus of a massive three-day event, titled "Lest We Forget" over the Memorial Day weekend, May 29, 30 & 31 at Stuhr Museum.

More than 70 historical interpreters from across the country will gather at the museum to form a "Military Time Line" where they will set up camps representing each of the American military conflicts beginning with the Revolutionary War and continuing through modern engagements. Visitors are invited to interact with the interpreters, see demonstrations of their gear and weaponry and leave their own thoughts on the particular conflict on sign boards located in each camp. Interpreters in each camp will don uniforms, use gear and shoulder weaponry that would have been used during their particular unique moment in military history.

The timeline will begin near the 1860s Log Cabin settlement and continue north, and will cover conflicts beginning with the Revolutionary War and continuing through modern conflicts. A time line like this has never been held before in this part of the country, and happens rarely in living history circles. “Lest We Forget” is made possible due to support by the US Army Corp of Engineers, who are helping with artifacts and funding for the event.

The Military Time Line will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 29, Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 30 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Memorial Day, May 31. On Monday, special ceremonies will be held to honor America’s fallen soldiers, including a flag-led procession to the museum’s rural cemetery, a band concert of patriotic music, a program taken from past Grand Army of the Republic ceremonies and a dedication of a GAR monument, purchased and organized by the Louisa Ball Post No. 1 of the National Women's Relief Corps, comprised mainly of women from Stuhr’s living history Railroad Town. The ceremonies will begin at 11:30 a.m. and run until the museum closes.

Admission to this remarkable event is $10 for adults, $8 for children and FREE for Stuhr Museum and Hastings Museum members. For more information, log onto www.stuhrmuseum.org or call the museum at (308) 385-5316.

One Final Video for the Weekend...