Reenactment to draw thousands

The Battle of Kirksville is anticipated to draw a crowd of at least 20,000 visitors this weekend.

The Civil War battle reenactment begins Friday near Harris, Mo., and lasts until Sunday. Members from the Missouri Civil War Reenactors' Association will reenact the battle. This is the first reenactment of the Battle of Kirksville, according to the Adair County Historical Society.

This week marks the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, which lasted from 1861 to 1865.

Activities throughout the weekend include a professional Abraham Lincoln impersonator, period music and 400-800 war reenactors participating in the realistic battles, which visitors can watch from the sidelines.

Three battles, each lasting approximately an hour, will occur throughout the weekend. Co-event promoter Bill Sterling said the battles are made to be as realistic as possible. He said students from across the Midwest will be attending although the battles will involve some simulated violence.

"It's important for our kids to get an actual picture of our history," Bill said. "Books are important too, but the reality, seeing it, the visual stimulation of it, is incredibly important in portraying that history."

Bill said the weekend will be educational and family-friendly

"It's basically like going to the movies, except it's in real life," Bill said. "You're actually going to see period-dressed people performing the functions of daily life at that time. Our educational presenters and our sutlers [merchants] and craftsmen and artisans will actually be doing the things that they would have done in the 1860's."

Bill said reenactors and presenters are coming from throughout the Midwest and spectators are coming from as far away as Australia.

Co-event promoter Liz Sterling said they planned the event for more than a year with the possibility of having another reenactment in the future. Bill Sterling said he thinks the reenactment will be an economic boost to the area and that more events like this would give a boost to the community.

"It will set a bug to do things like this, to actually learn the history, to become involved in activities in the community that draw tourism," Sterling said.

Debi Boughton, tourism director of the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce said every hotel in Kirksville, LaPlata and a few in Macon are booked this weekend for numerous events, including the Battle of Kirksville.

"The impact will be very large because all of these people need to eat meals while they're here," Boughton said. "They need to buy gas while they're here. I hope they shop while they're here, so I'm thinking it'll be a very nice economic impact."

The actual Battle of Kirksville was fought on August 6, 1862, according to "A Book of Adair County History." The Confederates brought approximately 2,200 men to the battle and the Union army had approximately 1,000 men. The Union army won in a battle that lasted only three hours. Although the battle was small, it signaled the end of Confederate recruitment in the northeast corner of Missouri, according to documents found in Pickler Memorial Library.

Liz Sterling said the reenactment will draw in those who have never experienced one.

"It will make them start thinking about their ancestors, and they'll want to know more about them," Sterling said. "And it will just give them a connection with our past, with our history."

The event will be at Sportsman's Resort — 43284 Hwy WW in Harris, Mo., Tickets still can be purchased at www.battleofkirksville.com. Gates open 7 a.m. tomorrow. and 8:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.