Having checked the website for WorldVideo.TV, I have discovered two movies that were posted after the Civil War encampment at El Dorado Park in Long Beach. They have a little bit of everything, civilians, battle, and music. The movies are a little long, but if you want to see a smattering of the event, this is a good representation. During one of the musical numbers you can even see me and Melody for about 1/4 of a second.
We are recently returned from our foray to the El Dorado Park Civil War Encampment in Long Beach, CA and must report it as an unqualified success! It was a bit sketchy at first on set-up day, but the ladies of our parlour felt that some organization was needed. We ran a street boundary for the civilian area and let the rest shape itself. We are delighted to report that our corner was a great location, and a street evolved to include numerous civilian groups, including the Band Headquarters, an iron monger, Oak Street, the Society of Sobriety, the Abolitionists, the United States Balloon Corps, the DD Tavern, and the Georgia Hospital Relief Society. I may have missed someone, and if so I apologize. Regardless, we civilians made a nice little town of refugees from the war. (more…)
Should you find yourself greeting a person of importance, ladies, it is paramount that you execute a proper curtsy. With the accessibility of our President, Senators and various persons of status, one must show the appropriate decorum and respect as well as display one’s good breeding and deportment. As such, Mrs Brewer’s Parlor will be offering lessons in deportment, vis a vis the curtsy, whilst at the El Dorado Civil War Encampment in Long Beach, CA. Appear in person for a brief session on this, possibly the most important first impression a lady may make upon a man. Lessons offered at no cost as a service to ladies.
We are very excited about the Civil War Encampment coming up at the end of this month at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, CA!! 2008 was the inaugural year for this event and it was a smashing success. In the year that has passed since then, we have refined our parlor and fine-tuned our portrayals. It is our greatest wish to see you there!
Please visit the Gold Coast website to see pictures from last year and obtain greater detail concerning the agenda for the day, park address and admission information. This is a great event for school children as well. The number of military and civilian participants is unsurpassed anywhere.
As we prepare for our various fetes this weekend, let us ask for safe travels, good friends, and fond memories to be made. Saturday Mrs Marshall will be demonstrating at the Lucy Lane House Museum at Calico Ghost Town in Yermo, CA (just 20 minutes east of Barstow). We hope you’ll find time to stop in and chat, listen to some bluegrass music and otherwise enjoy the Spring Festival. Sunday Mrs Brewer and Mrs Marvel plan to visit the brand new ACWS event at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa, CA. This is the park by Estancia High School and Fairview Golf Couse, the one that has the train. Perhaps we will see you there.
In honor of Mother’s Day, the following was sent to me in an email. I do not know the source but will gladly credit it because it is excellent writing and well researched. If you know the source please let us know in the comments.
The History of Mother’s day can be traced back to a 17th century English celebration called “Mothering Sunday”, a Christian celebration on the 4th Sunday of Lent in honor of Mary the mother of Jesus. In the United States, Mother’s day was loosely inspired by the British day and was first suggested after the Civil War by social activist Julia Ward Howe (author of the lyrics to the Battle Hymn of the Republic.) In 1872 she began promoting the idea of “Mother’s Day for Peace” to be celebrated on the second Sunday of every June. Although the observance lasted little more than ten years, to acknowledge her achievements a stamp was issued in her honor in 1988.
Howe’s idea was influenced by Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis, a young Appalachian homemaker, who started “Mother’s Friendship Day” in 1858 to help mothers improve sanitation in their homes. During the Civil War Ann was instrumental in saving thousands of lives by teaching women in her “Mother’s Friendship Clubs” the basics of nursing and sanitation which she learned from her famous physician brother James Reeves.
Ann’s daughter Anna Jarvis, a school teacher and graduate from the Female Seminary in Wheeling, West Virginia, never married and cared for her mother until her death on May 9, 1905. Following he mother’s passing Anna Jarvis decided to dedicate her life to her mother’s cause and to establish Mother’s Day to “honor mothers, living and dead.”
As a result of Anna’s efforts the first Mothers Day was observed on May 10, 1908 with a church service at the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, the church in which her mother taught Sunday school for over 20 years. Grafton is now the home of the International Mother’s Day Shrine.
The first Mother’s Day proclamation was issued by the governor of West Virginia in 1910; by 1911 every state in the Union had its own observance of Mother’s Day. On May 9, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother’s Day a national holiday to be observed each year on the second Sunday in May.
As the holiday exploded in popularity and became increasingly commercialized, the eccentric Anna Jarvis spoke out publicly against the exploitation of what she started as a religious observance. In one press release criticizing the floral industry Anna wrote: “What will you do to route charlatans, bandits, pirates, racketeers, kidnappers, and other termites that would undermine with their greed one of the finest, noblest and truest movements and celebrations?”
In 1934 Postmaster General James A. Farley announced a stamp to commemorate Mother’s Day featuring the famous painting of Whistler’s Mother, brought in to the United States from England in 1934 as part of an international art exhibit. Anna Jarvis was so incensed by the announcement that she persuaded President Roosevelt to remove the words “Mothers Day” from the stamp.
Anna Jarvis was at the end of her life penniless and confined to a nursing home. Unbeknownst to her, all her nursing home bills were all paid by the Florist Exchange!
In a recent National Retail Federation survey, in spite of the current downturn in consumer spending, Americans still intend to spend more than $2 billion on flowers this Mother’s Day.
According to the National Restaurant Association, Mother’s Day is the largest single day for restaurant sales in United States, larger than Thanksgiving, Easter or Christmas Eve.
We are exhausted after the long weekend, but had such a good time at Prado, and cannot say enough. Today brought us warm sun and breezy conditions, a second visit from President Lincoln, visits with our friends, and time to make new friends. Mrs Brewer left the parlor for a spell during the morning and shopped until her carpet bag could hold no more goods! Mrs Marvel later visited with the seamstress to discuss new unmentionables, and then found a pair of dolls for Melody and a purple fan, purple being her new favorite color. Mrs Marshall graced us with a recital on her recorder and the music could be heard well into the camps and shops. It was a more quiet day which was a welcome respite from the frenetic activity of Saturday. Many suttlers and reenactors were excitedly discussing the upcoming event at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, CA. We will be there too!
Our next outings will be a split group. Mrs Marshall will be at Calico Ghost Town, Yermo, CA on May 8th, and Mrs Marvel and Mrs Brewer will be visiting the new ACWS event at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa, CA on May 9th. Perhaps our paths will cross yours at these events, or at another soon.
Saturday April 4 has been an absolute delight! The day was sunny and in the low 70s, some slight breezes, many visitors and reenactors all around. We were honored to host President Abraham Lincoln in our parlor and shortly after he departed, President Jefferson Davis graced our humble dwelling.
Melody in front of our parlor on Saturday April 4th
Melody was the star of the show and was invited to be in a fashion show in the morning. The afternoon brought shopping, visiting with friends, a gift from President Lincoln (a penny), and play with her wooden train and blocks. Mrs Brewer provided a generous larder with sliced ham, delicious dark bread, fruit and sweets for luncheon. Mrs Marshall played nursemaid to Melody when Mrs Marvel and her own mother went for a stroll around town.
We are eagerly looking forward to Sunday’s activities, which will include a tea gathering for the ladies, checkers and cards at home.
We are eagerly preparing for the Prado Regional Park Civil War event coming up this weekend (April 4-5). We have our caravan of pack mules at the ready with all our gear staged for loading and wagon masters prepared to move. We have our garments cleaned and freshly laundered. We have our pantry fully stocked. All we need is YOU! Hope to see you in Mrs Brewer’s Parlor this weekend!
We were invited to be “towns folk” along with about 25 other local reenactors at Calico Ghost Town for a day of shooting video to be used in commercials and other promotional materials. Mrs Marvel put together this film of the commercial shoot along with some photos.
One of our members made this short film after the inaugural Long Beach CA Civil War Encampment in June 2008.
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