Shawnee Hills Arts Council plans to host Civil War Weekend

The Shawnee Hills Arts Council plans to sponsor a Civil War Weekend Feb. 7-9 at the Anna Arts Center. 

The arts center is located at 125 W. Davie St. in Anna.

Events which are planned during the weekend include a Blue and Gray Dinner; guest speakers; exhibits,which include guns and quilts; reenactors and storytelling; and children’s activities. 

Blue and Gray Dinner

The Blue and Gray Dinner is set for 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7.

The guest speaker is scheduled to be Paul Shetley, who wrote the book titled “The Bloody Ninth: A Chronicle of the Ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Civil War.” 

His interest in the American Civil War began when, as a very young boy, he visited the Shiloh Battlefield with his parents. 

Shetley is a reenactor with a cavalry unit. He is the retired director of the environmental resources training center in the School of Engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.  

Shetley has bachelor of science and master of science degrees from SIUE. He is a registered professional geologist.

The Blue and Gray Dinner will be catered by The Kitchen on Lafayette, which is in Anna. 

Tickets are $25. Those who plan to attend are asked to RSVP by no later than Feb. 1 by emailing vabchlee@gmail.com or calling Lee Hackney’s cell 1-904-625-1109.

Saturday Activities

The Anna Arts Center is scheduled to be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, for people to visit the exhibits, listen to guest speakers about the effects of the Civil War in Southern Illinois, and children’s activities. 

Highlights include Civil War Era guns and quilts, Civil War reenactors and Civil War era memorabilia. 

All activities during the day are free and everyone is invited.

The first speaker during the morning is scheduled to be Paul Shetley. His presentation is set for 9 a.m. Shetley will discuss cavalry tactics.

The schedule of guest speakers for the rest of the day includes:

10 a.m. Dr. Susan Whitemountain will talk about the role cotton played.

11 a.m. U.S. Forest Service archaeologist Heather Carey will talk about action at Battery Rock.

1 p.m. Mike Jones, the director of the General John A. Logan Museum in Murphysboro, is scheduled to speak.

2 p.m. Marlene Rivero will portray Harriet Tubman.

3 p.m. Historian Glen Bishop will give a presentation titled “Holding on to the Last Man.”

Sunday Open House

The PAST organization of Union County plans to welcome visitors to its Heritage House in Jonesboro.

An open house is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Heritage House is located at 102 S. Main St. in Jonesboro. Admission will be $5 per person.

For more information about the Civil War Weekend, visit www.southernmostillinois.com.