Rural Missouri - May 2019 - 22

A Passion for the Past

Bringing history to life through reenactments
by Savanna Kaiser | info@ruralmissouri.coop

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of spectators hold their breath and wonder if they've traveled back in time.
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teacher at Missouri Military Academy in Mexico. "At these events, you can live
and breathe it."
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for more than a decade. "What we're doing is reaching another generation.
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from their experiences," says Mike. "We must honor those who fought."
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happily bring you into their fold.

"Once you get involved, you're usually hooked for life," Mike says, smiling.
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gives you an idea of the dedication of that group."
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reminiscent of a scene from the television show "M*A*S*H." "We get to tell the
other side of the war, what happens after the battle," says Shanna Detzler-Cox.
"We explain how technology advanced and we show that, yes, women did serve
and we were right there close to the front lines."
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Jeff Erxleben, a Civil War reenactor from Festus and member of the 9th
Missouri Sharpshooters, pays his respects to family who fought and teaches
what it was like to live as an infantry soldier, including camp life. "Our tents
are canvas and yes, we sleep on the ground. One year it rained so much it was
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you a feel for what they went through."
He has marched with his unit along the same routes soldiers took through
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the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Wilson's Creek near Republic. Below left: .ERIX7MRK
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7TVMRK½IPH2EXMSREP'IQIXIV]XLVII]IEVWPEXIVBelow right: Bruce Enlow collects all kinds
of World War I and World War II memorabilia - such as this antique typewriter - and features
them around the encampment.
Rural Missouri - May 2019

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