Volunteers needed for Rally for Norlands

LIVERMORE — The Third Rally for Norlands: Civil War Renenactment Weekend at the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center (Norlands) in Livermore will take place on June 4 and 5.

Hundreds of living historians outfitted as Confederate and Union infantry will scrimmage with replica weaponry on the grounds of the 19th Century historic settlement. Norlands’ own historic interpreters will share skits, tours and living history of Livermore farm life.

The museum is recruiting volunteers to help at the event with food service, gate admissions, safety, logistics, guest services and living history.

Visitors at the Civil War event will become engaged in the lives of soldiers and civilians in the year 1861, the first year of the war.

The organizers are planning encampments that guests can visit, full-scale battles, cannon artillery, a civilian camp, farm-life living history in the museum, field music, 19th Century fashion show, blacksmith demonstration, old-time photos, vintage town ball game, one-room schoolhouse, Saturday bean supper and contra dance with local band Racket Factory, Sunday church service with an 1800s sermon, exhibit and lecture in the Washburn’s Mansion on the roles of the Washburn brothers in the Civil War, wagon rides, basket weaving and open fire cooking demonstrations, raffles, good food, children’s activities, a patriotic concert and much more family fun.

Visitors can take a self-guided walk to the Waters Hill cemetery where local Civil War veterans are buried and honored.

Historians are also planning a temperance march with songs and skits. The “Sanitary Fair” tent will be open with historical societies and community groups exhibiting Civil War collections. Sanitary Fairs were early bazaars organized by the Sanitary Commission (the precursor of the Red Cross) to raise money to benefit soldier aid efforts. Sutlers will be selling replica wares from the era. The whole weekend is a journey back in time.

The event is organized by the 3rd Maine Company A and 15th Alabama Company G to benefit the nonprofit Washburn-Norlands Living History Center.

The Norlands’ mission is to preserve the heritage and traditions of rural life in Maine's past, to celebrate the achievements of Livermore’s Washburn family, and to use living history methods to make values, activities, and issues of the past relevant to present and future generations.

The 445 acres of rolling hills surrounding the historic Washburn mansion, library, meeting house, cape, sap-house and one-room schoolhouse make Norlands an ideal place to experience the battles once fought in similar communities to the south.

Anyone who would like to volunteer at the event, please contact Nancey Drinkwine at Norlands, phone 897-4366. All approved volunteers will receive orientation prior to the event and a free pass.

The public is invited to experience this journey into history and to help Norlands thrive into the future. Gate opens at 9 a.m. daily and tickets for the public are $8 for adults and $5 for children under 12 years old. Discounted weekend passes are available at $14 adults/$8 under 12.

For more information go to www.norlands.org or phone 897-4366 and plan your adventure vacation in the 19th century today.