The Turlock Historical Society will flip back the calendar 150 years to the nation’s most tumultuous time in history, the Civil War.
The Society invites the community to attend a special program, “Turlock’s Veterans of the Civil War,” at 7 p.m. Thursday at Berg Hall, Covenant Village.
A special presentation will be given by Turlock High School junior Kenneth Beard, who will focus on Civil War veterans who settled in the Turlock area.
“I will be discussing the circumstances that brought the veterans to our area and the number of contributions they did for our community,” said Beard.
Beard, who’s been a volunteer at the THSM since last October, has been investigating cemeteries, researching historical information at the museum and conducted his own research for his special presentation.
“I’ve been preparing for this presentation for many months,” added Beard. “It is important for the Turlock community to be aware that the Civil War veterans have done a lot for our community. Through my research I found that many veterans helped build houses that are still in use today.”
Beard will be assisted by his cousin, Austin Bettencourt, who will be dressed in Civil War reenactment clothing. Bettencourt will share with the public about the clothing design and uses of the gear. Both Beard and Bettencourt have been involved in Civil War reenactment for a number of years.
“I started getting into Civil War reenactment about seven years ago,” said Bettencourt. “Once I saw my first reenactment, me and Ken just got hooked. It’s fascinating how a war that was 150 years old still has its repercussions to this day.”
The Turlock Historical Society event is free and open to the general public and light refreshments will be served. Berg Hall at Covenant Village is located at 2125 N. Olive Ave., Turlock. For more information, call 668-7386.
Both Beard and Bettencourt will also be at the Knights Ferry Civil War Days event this weekend. The highlight of the event will be battle reenactments, hosted by the American Civil War Association. Battle times will be 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday. The event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Knights Ferry Covered Bridge, 12 miles east of Oakdale on State Route 108/120. For more information, call acwa.org.
