Civil War re-enactment will relocate from Fort Stevens State Park after 27 years

After 27 years, a popular Civil War reenactment announced in 2018 that it would leave Fort Stevens State Park in Oregon. For years the park had waived its fees for the event, but new fees were imposed, and the reenactors felt they had been given the cold shoulder. Rather than pay, they decided to find a new home.

A Civil War Fort on the Pacific

Many people are surprised to learn there is a Civil War fort in Oregon. Fort Stevens was built in 1863 and 1864 near the mouth of the Columbia River to protect it from Confederate raiders and foreign warships. It was named for Union General Isaac Stevens, the first governor of Washington Territory, who was killed at the Battle of Chantilly in Virginia in 1862.

The fort stayed in service for more than 80 years. During World War II, it became one of the only military installations in the continental United States to be fired on by the enemy, when a Japanese submarine shelled the area in June 1942. Today the old fort is part of a state park, and its earthworks made it a natural setting for a Civil War event.

Living History in the Northwest

For nearly three decades, the Fort Stevens reenactment drew hundreds of reenactors and thousands of visitors. Families came to see infantry drills, cavalry demonstrations, artillery firing and camp life as it was in the 1860s. For many children in the Pacific Northwest, it was their first chance to see history up close.

Reenactors put a great deal of time and money into the hobby. They buy or sew their own uniforms, carry accurate reproduction weapons and spend weekends camping in canvas tents. Many study the history of a specific regiment and portray real soldiers who served in it.

Why Fees Matter

Most reenactment groups are volunteer organizations that run on small budgets. Their events are educational and are usually free or low cost for the public. When a park adds new fees, it can make an event impossible to hold. Losing a long-running event like the one at Fort Stevens is a loss for the whole community, not just for the reenactors.

Read more about the hobby in The Next Generation of Civil War Reenactors, and find flags for your next event in our Confederate flag collection.

Source: The Daily Astorian: Civil War re-enactment will relocate from Fort Stevens State Park after 27 years

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