Civil War history will come alive for visitors who experience Faces of the Civil War, a traveling exhibition created and managed by the Indiana Historical Society. The exhibition will be on display August 3 through August 31 at Alton Goin Museum, Countryside Park, located at 5250 US Hwy 6 in Portage, Ind.
Faces of the Civil War, designed by the IHS exhibitions staff, was originally conceived as an exhibition for the Indiana History Train, which travels throughout the state each fall. Nearly all images used in the new traveling exhibition come from the collections of the Indiana Historical Society. Hands-on, interactive elements have been added to enhance the viewer experience.
The exhibition brings to life the stories of many Hoosiers whose lives were touched, and in some cases taken, by the Civil War. Not all are well known or revered — many were just everyday citizens fulfilling their duties to their friends, family, state and country. Rather than focusing on statistics and large scale battles, Faces of the Civil War illustrates how regular people coped with the tragic experiences of the day — all from an Indiana perspective.
Non-soldier stories featured in the exhibition include the stories of women who served both on the homefront and on the battlefield. Lovina Streight followed her husband into battle and was captured more than once by the Confederate army while tending to her husband as well as his wounded and dying comrades. Streight, along with her husband, was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis with full military honors.
Hours of operation for Alton Goin Museum are 1 – 4 pm, Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, please call 219-762-8349 or visit www.facebook.com/pchs88.
Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society has been Indiana’s Storyteller™, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving, interpreting and disseminating the state's history. A private, nonprofit membership organization, IHS maintains the nation's premier research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest. IHS also provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups, publishes books and periodicals; sponsors teacher workshops; and provides youth, adult and family programming. (www.indianahistory.org)