Wilson's Creek National Battlefield and Library Partner to Create Virtual Museum
The library has been pleased to offer programs at various branches this year to build the conversation about the American Civil War and its150th anniversary. Our next feature allows you to experience the 1860s from the comfort of your home – online, through a virtual museum. And we’re rolling it out with two events July 30 and 31.
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield and the Springfield-Greene County Library District have partnered to create the Trans-Mississippi Theater Virtual Museum. The site contains an interactive timeline and Civil War-era artifacts including letters, maps, diaries, weapons, flags, uniforms and photographs. This rare compilation sheds light on the role of soldiers, sailors, Native Americans, African-Americans, women and guerrillas.
It also contains materials from Wilson’s Creek that document military and civilian activities in the Trans-Mississippi Region from 1854 to 1865. That area refers to the major military and naval operations west of the Mississippi River. Scant documentation has existed for Missouri and Arkansas, Kansas and the Indian Territory until now, through the virtual museum.
The virtual museum site is at civilwarvirtualmuseum.org. It will make its online debut during identical programs at 2 p.m. July 30 at the battlefield’s Visitor Center, and at 2 p.m. July 31 at the Library Center.
The event at both sites will demonstrate the virtual museum, provide Civil War music by the Holmes Brigade, and feature a talk about the Battle of Wilson’s Creek by Missouri State University professor and author William Piston. Arrive at 1 p.m. at the Library Center on Sunday and experience an outdoor Civil War camp scene with re-enactors, black powder firing and music. Refreshments will be provided.
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Customers from across the library district use different branches depending on where they live, work or go to school. If you’re not a regular visitor to the Brentwood Branch Library, you might not know that the staff provides the next-best thing to picking up books on hold through a drive-up window.
It’s called “Holds Fast,” and it works like this: After you’re notified that a book you’ve put on hold is waiting for you at the Brentwood Branch, drive to the parking lot during branch hours, call 883-1974, and provide your library card number. A staff member will retrieve your holds, check out your items and deliver them to your car – fast!
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