Become a Reenactor
Where do I start?
What is Civil War Reenacting?
Civil War Reenacting is a hobby in which people try to bring the Civil War era to life. This is done by wearing historically accurate clothing, setting up military encampments and civilian “towns”, and adopting the persona of someone living in the 1860’s. These are all brought together so that a snapshot or fragment of the Civil War time period can be seen and understood by the public.
Why do you do reenacting?
Because it is fun! If it were not fun, then it would not be a hobby. Everyone who is involved in this hobby has at least some interest in American History, or more specifically, the Civil War. We all have a desire to learn more about it. Civil War Reenacting is also used to educate the public about various facets of the time period that rarely get mentioned in any classroom or book. It is one thing to read about it, it is a completely different matter to see it done first hand and experience it.
Where do you do reenactments?
Reenactments happen all over the country, but for the most part, we attend events in Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri. Sometimes there are big national events held out on the East Coast. If there is enough interest in the unit, we might attend those also. The national events are where you can really get a feel for what it was like to be a soldier in the Civil War, when you see thousands of reenactors like yourself stretched out in long battle lines.
When do you have reenactments?
Our reenacting season takes place between mid/late March and October. There are a few exceptions though when we might attend an event in, say, February or December.
The 1st Nebraska is a group that is open to anyone who is interested in reenacting the American Civil War, no matter their reenacting experience level. Whether you have never even seen a reenactment or a 10 year veteran who has recently moved into the area, we invite you to join us! We ask that you join us at one of our monthly meetings. We meet the second Wednesday of every month at 7:00 pm in the basement of the American Legion Post #1 at 7811 Davenport Street in Omaha, Nebraska. This will give you an opportunity to meet the members and get a feel of what our group is about. At the meeting you will receive the Unit Handbook which contains some general information on reenacting, where to purchase equipment, how much, etc. It is designed with the new recruit in mind, but is equally applicable and useful to the veteran.
FAQ’s
