to view archived information for the March 2015 Symposium

ARCHIVED INFORMATION FOR
THE 2015 SYMPOSIUM
- FOR REFERENCE ONLY Genteel Arts is pleased to announce the program for The Civilian Symposium at Harrisburg,
formerly known as the Ladies & Gentlemen of the 1860s Conference, to be held in Camp Hill (Harrisburg), PA
on March 5-8, 2015. For 20 years, new and experienced historians, researchers, museum personnel, reenactors
and other enthusiasts have met with their counterparts from across the country to discover new information, and
to learn new skills. Genteel Arts invites you to join us for a weekend of informative presentations, hands-on
workshops and seminars about the men and women of the mid-nineteenth century, what they wore, and how
they lived.
The 1860s Conference has changed over the years. It was originally conceived by the founder, Judith
Martin, as a weekend retreat where women could get help with their reproduction costumes. After six years at
the helm, Mrs. Martin retired and Genteel Arts assumed sponsorship. In the following years we expanded the
program to include gentlemen and added presentations on social and material culture as well as clothing. We
also added additional workshop sessions, off-site tours, a needlework competition, a juried Marketplace,
receptions, occasional balls and our first Fancy Dress party.
As we enter our third decade, we are making additional changes. The most obvious change is our name,
one that reflects the main focus and structure of the event, The Civilian Symposium at Harrisburg. Our focus
has always been on the civilians of the mid-nineteenth century. A symposium is defined as a collection of
presentations on a subject by a number of contributors, an appropriate description for this event. Harrisburg has
been our location for 17 of our 20 years; the location name may change for future symposia. We’ve also created
a new logo for the Symposium that reflects our focus.
We’ve added some new features to our program, including:
 We’ve reduced the registration fee. (Yes, reduced!)
 We’re offering more options for meals during the weekend.
 You’ll receive the handouts for all of the presentations offered during the concurrent sessions on
Saturday, not just the handouts for the sessions you attended.
 We’re having a Fancy Dress Party on Saturday evening!
We’ve also retained the features that have made the weekend a success:
 A full program of presentations of interest to both ladies and gentlemen.
 A combination of joint and concurrent sessions.
 Pre-symposium seminars, tours and hands-on workshops on Thursday and Friday.
 Angels Project.
 Welcome Reception and Sociable
 Extensive exhibits of original clothing, accessories, jewelry, and artifacts, changed daily. Bring your
camera!
 A juried Marketplace open to Symposium participants, guests and the general public. Admission is free.
 Reduced registration fee is offered for junior attendees and full-time college students.
 Special packages for your family or guest(s).
Make plans now to attend this enriching weekend and meet others who share a dedicated interest in the clothing
and culture of the Civil War era. Complete details, hotel information and registration forms are listed below.
Register early! Previous Symposia have been sold out!
A Commitment to Preservation
Genteel Arts has designated the registration fees from selected pre-symposium tours held during the past
eight years to historic and preservation sites and organizations. We are pleased to announce your participation
in these tours has helped raise $3,600.00 for the Adams County Historical Society, $2,000.00 for the archives at
the Gettysburg National Military Park, $3,200.00 for the Shippensburg University Fashion Archives and
Museum, $1,100.00 for the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, $375.00 for the Gettysburg Civil War
Round Table Preservation Fund, $300.00 for the Strawberry Hill Nature Center and $250.00 for the U.S. Army
Heritage and Education Center – a total of $10,825.00. We hope you will continue to help us support these and
similar institutions in the future.
Some Comments about Previous Conferences
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“The Conference is the college of Civil War civilian reenacting!”
“I am always amazed with the amount of information that is available at this conference. I may think I’m
not interested in a particular topic, but I ALWAYS leave with some information that I can use in my
impression and at events.”
“A good balance of subjects: North and South, men and women, external appearances as well as the
sociology and mindset of the day.
"I have learned so much. Too bad we can't make this conference mandatory for all reenactors before they
go out in public! Worth every penny, and then some!”
"The displays of original garments are amazing! The opportunity to view so many of them up close is
priceless - worth the price of the conference alone!"
“Saturday evening was wonderful. Everyone looked lovely, and I had the best time!”
"Very educational, well organized, great way to network with others and form new friendships."
“The conference is always an anticipated delight—the knowledge learned from speakers and visual displays
is unparalleled. Impossible to always be perfect, but each year is the best offered anywhere.”
"I'm thrilled to see more on men's clothing. This is one of the best displays to be found anywhere!
"Very informative - not only with techniques and alternatives, but also the culture and social aspects."
"This is my first conference (I am a relative 'newbie"). I loved it! So much more professionally managed and
presented than I expected."
"I don’t know anywhere else where you can learn so much, see so many original garments, meet so many
new and old friends, and have such a good time. It’s worth every penny!”
“I looked forward to attending the conference with high expectations. The conference far exceeded my
anticipations.”
"Broaden your background - attend this conference!"
"Always new knowledge for everyone no matter what level of re-enacting they occupy."
"The expanded number of workshops with the element of hands-on learning was excellent. It's wonderful to
have so many choices."
"Glad to see presentations on 19th century life other than clothing."
"The pre-conference tours were incredible!"
"The workshops I've taken over the years have always been so informative and have so much information
for my group. FUN!"
"I love that meals are included. I go to many conferences in connection with my work, and have gone
through too much wasted time/frantic search for a quick meal. It also gives us that much more time for
networking."
“I told my table mates that this was my first time at this event. They told me, ‘Well, you started at the top.’
They were right.”
"VERY professionally run. My employer offers conference management services and we could not have
done it better. Any equipment (AV) needs were seamlessly dealt with."
“This is my Christmas gift to myself. I wouldn’t miss it.”
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“I learned about clothing. I learned about stuff. I learned when and where to wear the clothing and what to
do with the stuff!”
Presentations
“From Waterproof Apparel to Jewelry for an Empress:
Rubber and Pre-Plastics in the Mid-Nineteenth Century”
Mike Woshner
How widespread was the use of rubber in the 1850s and 60s and what does that have to do with a
jeweled plastic-like chatelaine presented to Empress Eugenie in 1855? Author Mike Woshner will answer these
questions and open up a whole world of amazing ideas and products as he describes the evolution from rubber
to modern-day plastics that began in the 1850s. Common rubber articles of the 1860s like raincoats, boots, caps,
aprons, and gloves will be discussed as well as “modern” period inventions like waterbeds, life preservers, and
baby jumpers. Ornate jewelry, combs, buttons, microscopes, and collapsible cups made of hard rubber but
resembling modern plastics will also be described and displayed.
Mike Woshner enthusiastically shares over forty years of collecting and researching as he relates the
dreams of Charles Goodyear and other early rubber and pre-plastic pioneers and how they came to fruition
during the 1850s and 1860s. Mike also presents facts and opinions on the applicability and perceptions of terms
like gutta-percha, ebonite, vulcanite, thermoplastics, and celluloid. Feel free to bring your articles for
identification and historical analysis.
Arlington House: The Last Battle of the Civil War
Ron Beavers
Arlington House by Paul McGehee
Gen. Samuel P. Heintzelman and staff at Arlington House
Library of Congress Image
There was no combat on the grounds of Arlington House during the Civil War, yet this 1,100 acre
planation has often been referred to as the site of the last battle of the Civil War. The prominent building sitting
on a knoll high above this plantation and overlooking the nation’s capital was designed and built as a monument
to the first President. For most of the early 19th Century it stood as a memorial to George Washington. The
daughter of the owner married Lieut. R.E. Lee in the house in 1831 and for the next thirty years the Lees lived
there from time to time. Mrs. Lee left the plantation shortly before Virginia seceded from the Union, leaving the
house and plantation in the care of her slaves. During the Civil War, the house was used by federal troops as a
headquarters and for billeting of soldiers, and the plantation grounds became bivouacs for numerous Federal
units. In 1864, the house and plantation grounds were auctioned for non-payment of taxes. The U.S.
Government won the auction and converted the plantation grounds for cemetery use.
After the war, the eldest son of R.E. and Mary Lee, formerly a Major General in the Confederate Army,
believing that due process was not carried out when the U.S. Government obtained possession of the house and
acreage, took government officials to court. The case took five years going through the courts, eventually
reaching the Supreme Court in 1883. There was a surprise ruling by the Supreme Court that had national
impacts that extended well into the 1890s. Learn more about the house, the residents, the occupiers, the land,
and the icon it became.
The Humors of the Day: What Made our Ancestors Laugh
Nicky Hughes
Pick up a newspaper, magazine or novel from the mid-nineteenth century and it becomes readily
apparent that our ancestors knew how to laugh. Their humor could be witty, broad, sly or sarcastic. Nicky
Hughes, a skilled practitioner of the art of using humor to interpret history, will include the proper and polite
chuckles found in published jokes, the social satire found in cartoons and popular prints, the homespun humor
in diaries and letters, the timeless wit found in Mr. Lincoln’s jokes and comments. He will also discuss the
dichotomy of racism and prejudice vs. entertainment found in minstrelsy and immigrant humor.
Wrappers Redux and a Second Helping of Sheers
K. Krewer
It seems counterintuitive to look at what’s new in Victorian garments, but that’s just what we’re going to
do! Revisiting two earlier Conference presentations, we’ll take a look at “new” original garments and what
research in the intervening years has taught us. Learn when it’s appropriate to appear in a wrapper – and why
see-through dresses were not considered scandalous. An update of “Not Your Plain Brown Wrapper” from 2005
and “Sheer Delights: Diaphanous Dresses” from 2004.
Following the Drum: Regular Army Officers Wives 1840-1870
Kimberlee Bruce
Officers and ladies on the porch of a garrison house, Ft. Monroe, VA
Library of Congress
Sketch of an army officer and his wife
Library of Congress
“The regiment” adored her, and her children (if she had any) were embryo soldiers, arrayed in military
baby clothes, cradled in a disabled drum, tucked in with a piece of “star-spangled banner,” and teething on a
drumstick.” Those words were written by United Starts Army officer’s wife Teresa Griffin Viele days before
her wedding. How would a middle class American women deal with traveling thousands of miles in army
ambulances packed with all her worldly possessions and her family, sleeping in an army tent, and cooking over
an open fire? Where did she go for food to feed her family? Did she have the skills to make clothing for her
family? What did she think about the Indians, Mormons, Mexicans, and Negro? Did she have the courage to
publish her most private thoughts, or to defend her husband in the court of public opinion? Discover the
adventures of long forgotten heroines like Lydia Spencer Lane, Teresa Griffin Viele, Helen Chapman, Eveline
Alexander and many more.
Little Things Mean a Lot
Colleen Formby
What unusual or overlooked details take an impression to that next level? Do we stop at that “upper
layer” or dig a little deeper for those things, common and uncommon, that can take us to that step … beyond
that “cookie cutter” look? Buttons; collars, cuffs and cravats; wristlets, manchettes, and “glove toppers”;
stockings and garters; puschels!…..we’ll look at all these and more and see the variety that can be found by
using those little things that make such a big difference!
In their Lap: African American Slave Medicine
Cheyney McKnight
African American slave medicine in the mid-19th century was a curious mixture of African, Native
American, and European American herbal knowledge and healing techniques. Remedies provided by enslaved
persons incorporated the use of local herbs, spirituality and community to treat patients. The relationship
between religion and herbalism within slave medicine evolved and changed as Christianity became more
prevalent among the enslaved population. This presentation with delve into the ‘lap’ or medicine bag of these
healers to discover how they healed their community and even their owner’s family.
An Extreme Curiosity: Solo Women Travelers in the Mid-Nineteenth Century
Carolann Schmitt
Ida Pfeiffer
Drawing of Isabella Bird’s home in the Rocky Mountains
Traveling expands greatly in the mid-19th century. Improved roads, railroads and steamships make travel
more available and affordable. Citizens seek more land and new opportunities. Travel for personal experience
and enlightenment becomes more common.
This presentation focuses on some of the remarkable women who traveled across this country and
around the world alone – without escorts, through unexplored territory, often at great personal risk. Their
reasons were varied, their accounts are fascinating. We’ll look at the women, how they traveled, where they
went, what they wore, what they carried, and why they thought travel was such an important and valuable
experience.
Sending a letter: A History of the U.S. Post Office in the Mid-Nineteenth Century
Tom Kelleher
Post Office by David Gilmour Blythe
Carnegie Museum of Art
In the early 19th century, America was far from either the largest or richest country in the world, but its
postal service was already the biggest on the planet. This examination of the early American mail system, its
significance and how it worked includes a concrete look at how a letter went from sender to addressee in the
early-mid 1800s.
Dirty Jobs: Making 19th Century Life Possible
Brian Koenig
The 19th century was a dirty place. This is especially true for laborers. Well digger, foundryman, and
tanner are occupations that probably do not evoke a romantic longing for the past. However, these jobs and
others like them made the mid-19th century advances in living conditions possible. The jobs were difficult,
messy, and sometimes strange. This presentation will explore several “dirty” occupations and illustrate their
effect on the lives of ordinary Americans.
“…wrapped in my dressing gown…” New Research on Men’s Dressing Gowns and Wrappers
Carolann Schmitt
Ten years ago, men’s dressing gowns were relatively unknown in the living history community. They
are now becoming more common at events as more participants become familiar with the functionality of this
versatile garment and how commonly they were worn. The initial discussions focused primarily on what they
looked like and how they were made. This presentation will update that information with new research and
information that has been discovered in the intervening years. It will also discuss production and distribution by
the Sanitary Commission, Christian Commission and other groups providing aid to the military, homemade vs.
commercial manufacture, and the variety of places and purposes for which they were worn. We’ll do our best to
eliminate some myths and misinformation that have begun to appear. An extensive exhibit of men’s wrappers
will accompany the presentation.
“Lincoln cannot be elected and we must have another ticket to save us…”
The Fight for the 1864 Presidency
Phillip Whiteman
The summer of 1864 proved to be a harsh time in American politics. Northerners were deciding on
returning Mr. Lincoln to the Executive Mansion in Washington. They had grown war weary with so many
deaths and wounded men from never ending battles. High inflation, high taxes and the attacks on civil liberties
were the concerns of the voters. And then there was still the flaming issue of slavery. Lincoln had issued the
Emancipation Proclamation to free the slaves in the Southern states but what about the Border States and their
slaves? Should preserving the Union be more important than dealing with slavery? What to do with the
Southerners if the war was won also became an issue during the campaign.
Both parties were divided on the issues of the day but the Democrats managed to hold most of their
party together. The Republicans split and fielded two candidates. The Southerners knew if they could maintain a
stalemate in the war, Lincoln’s political defeat could mean independence for the Confederacy. This presentation
will focus on the opposition Mr. Lincoln faced from within his own party and from the outside. It was indeed a
fight. Even Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, as quoted above, knew that Lincoln’s re-election
was not all a certainty.
All Work and No Play – Definitely Not!
Michael Mescher
When you look at images from the Civil War period, you might imagine that they had no fun at all. Just
think of Queen Victoria’s “We are not amused.” And most reenactments and living histories have a heavy
emphasis on the military aspects of the time. But everything about the period wasn’t smoke, noise, and frowns.
There were an abundance of activities that the people of all social levels employed for both indoor and outdoor
recreation. Some were gender specific but others were practiced by both genders. Examples will be drawn
from such sources as books on recreational pursuits, diaries, and genre paintings. This presentation will assist
in re-creating some of the period recreations that are fun in and of themselves as well as being part of a
comprehensive impression.
Seminars, Tours and Hands-On Workshops
Pre-symposium seminars, tours and hands-on workshops will be held Thursday, March 5, and Friday,
March 6, 2015. Sessions are three or six hours in length. A fee for materials may be charged by the instructor.
Participants will be sent a list of supplies they will need to bring, e.g. scissors, needles, etc.
Priority registration is given to symposium participants. Space permitting, members of the general
public may register beginning February 2, 2015. In order to accommodate as many participants as possible,
especially those arriving later in the day, we ask that you register for the earliest session your schedule permits.
Please indicate on the registration form your first, second and third choices for each workshop; please check
your registration form for accuracy before submitting.
The Symposium reserves the right to cancel a session if there is insufficient registration. Register early if
you are particularly interested in a specific workshop. Space is limited; historically some workshops have been
filled by early December!
Net and Lace Fichu
Carolann Schmitt
Fiches are delicate accessories that can change the look of a better day dress, evening dress or ball gown.
These wispy confections were usually made from net – plain, point d’esprit or spotted, or very, very sheer silk
or cotton fabric. Styles vary from plain with a simple edging to more elaborate designs embellished with lace
insertions, edgings and ribbon.
We will review the history of fichus before, during and after the mid-19th century; discuss sizes, shapes,
fabrics and embellishments; and study how original fichus were constructed and worn. Original fichus and
pelerines will be displayed. Participants will make a triangular fichu in either white or black net, with several
options for trimming. The workbook includes a pattern for the basic shape and instructions for several
variations in style and embellishment. Kits containing all materials including thread will be available for
purchase; the instructor will contact you prior to the class with details on fabrics, trimmings and prices.
Registration limited to 25 students per session. Thursday 9AM-Noon or 1:30-4:30 PM. Registration Fee:
$35.00; Kit fee varies with your selection of materials.
Caring for your Costume and Textile Collection
Dr. Karin J. Bohleke
Before Conservation
After Conservation
Students will spend a day learning how to care for their collection of Civil War or other historic family
clothing or textile heirlooms. The workshop will focus on proper cleaning, packing, storage, supplies, display,
and repair techniques. Students will be able to examine original garments that have undergone conservation and
will have will have the opportunity to practice on non-museum originals in need of repair. Students may also
bring one or two originals from their permanent collections that are in need of stabilization. Class will be held at
the Shippensburg University Fashion Archives & Museum; students must provide their own transportation.
Registration limited to 15 students. Friday, 9:30AM-3:30PM with lunch break. Registration Fee: $65.00.
Buckram Bonnet Foundation
Maggie Koenig
Good millinery starts with a good foundation and sometimes a good foundation can be the most
intimidating part of the process. We will start with a discussion and demonstration of bonnet fitting, altering
patterns for head size and hairstyle. Students will then construct a small scale bonnet form to learn the
techniques of wiring, binding and mulling a form. Finally, students will have the opportunity to block buckram,
another way to create 3-D shapes. Students should bring utility or paper scissors, fine line Sharpie marker or
pencil, and basic hand sewing supplies. Small clips such as office supply binder clips, Clover Wonder Clips or
Alligator clips or long quilting pins are also useful. A kit with all materials and a workshop CD will be
provided. Registration limited to 15 students/session. Thursday and Friday, 9AM-Noon or 1:30-4:30 PM.
Registration Fee: $35.00; kit fee $5.00.
Spectacle Case and Lens Wiper
LuAnn Guiles-Swonger
This is a very pretty and useful project. Many of us find ourselves needing to wear eyeglasses (modern
and period) more often, which means we are stuffing them in our pocket, in a carpet bag or basket. Not only is it
unhandy to retrieve them when they are needed, there is the risk of damaging them. Participants will make a silk
lined and padded case for storing your glasses along with a matching lens wiper for cleaning them. Both items
appeared in Godey's magazine and will be great conversation pieces. Basic hand sewing skills and a willingness
to learn a few simple embroidery stitches will be all you need to create this fun project. A kit with all materials
will be provided for a nominal fee and there will be a variety of colors and sizes from which to choose. A list of
sewing tools will be sent before the class. Registration limited to 15 students/session. All-day session, Thursday
or Friday 9AM-4:30PM with lunch break. Registration Fee: $65.00; kit fee TBA.
Button, Button - Where is a Pretty Matching Button?
Kay Cogswell
You have that pretty dress or handsome vest to wear but it is missing something. Decorative buttons are
just the answer; but your search to find a button that matches or compliments leaves you empty handed. During
this workshop participants will learn to make two different styles of Victorian woven buttons - the Victorian
Star and the Yorkshire. No sewing skill required but a good sense of humor is encouraged. Thursday or Friday,
9AM-Noon or 1:30-4:30 PM. Registration Fee: $35.00. Kit fee containing all materials: $12.00
Sizing it Up! Adjusting Knitting and Tunisian Crochet Patterns to Fit
Polly Steenhagen
These workshops would show you how to size and adjust knitting and Tunisian crochet patterns to fit
sizes other than what they were originally written for, which seems to be a size 2 petite! They will also cover
the importance of gauge, and how to check and correct stitch patterns. Participants would need a fitted muslin
shell and/or a bodice pattern that fits, a calculator, pencil, paper. Patterns will be included in the materials
provided by the instructor. Students should be comfortable with knitting and/or Tunisian crochet; the classes are
not recommended for beginners just learning either technique.
Knitting
1. Importance of gauge, how to make and catalog swatches, how to properly measure gauge. How gauge is
used to size patterns.
2. First project is to size up the 1859 Peterson’s sontag – practice in figuring out number of stitches and rows
needed, and how to calculate when and how often to increase as it is worked up.
3. Checking stitch patterns – 1859 Peterson’s infant petticoat, which has a zigzag pattern and an incorrect
stitch count! (That Mrs. Jane Weaver - she doesn’t always double-check her patterns!) We will go over how
to chart out the pattern and figure out how many stitches are needed – also a skill needed to size up a pattern
piece.
4. Work out a jacket pattern to fit you perfectly. We will use the Garabaldi Jacket from A Knitter’s Companion
by Mee and Austin (London, 1864). A lovely jacket made entirely in garter stitch and with big sleeves. No
pattern is given for the trim for this jacket (finish in the usual manner, I guess) so we will go over options to
make the trim.
Thursday or Friday 9AM-Noon. Registration Fee: $35.00. Materials fee: TBA
Tunisian Crochet
Participants will need the supplies listed above, as well as a TC hook (size J or K preferably), and some sport
weight yarn to practice some of the skills for the jacket.
1. Importance of gauge, how to make and catalog swatches, how to properly measure gauge. How gauge is
used to size patterns.
2. First project would be the habit shirt which is similar to the Peterson’s sontag.
3. Work out the jacket pattern from La Mode Illustree to fit you perfectly. This pattern includes working out a
false three-piece back like those found on period dresses, and making curved edges with TC. We will cover
finishing options that include a Tambour-stitch-like pseudo-soutache decorative trim.
Thursday or Friday 1:30-4:30PM. Registration Fee: $35.00. Materials fee: TBA
A Nation Mourns: Abraham Lincoln and the Victorian Honorary Mourning Tradition
Nancilee Gasiel
Lincoln Library Collection
Private Collection
When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865, the stunned nation entered a period of honorary
mourning. Honorary mourning had its own, socially accepted rules which differed significantly from the well
documented norms for mourning a family member. Learn about honorary mourning, how it was implemented to
honor President Lincoln and make a mourning badge based on originals which were worn in memory of the
president. Thursday and Friday, 9AM-Noon or 1:30-4:30 PM. Registration Fee: $35.00; Materials Fee: TBA
The Hardest Thing to Learn: Mid-19th Century Printed Fabrics – Pattern, Color, Production
Carolann Schmitt
One of the hardest concepts for new or veteran living history participants is developing a ‘Victorian eye’
for fabric pattern, colors and color combinations. It’s not something that can be picked up after an hour or two
walking down merchants’ row at an event or browsing the shelves at your mega-chain fabric store. It’s
developed by studying original garments and fabric swatches, understanding period dyes, fabric printing and
weaving methods, reading primary sources about the period esthetic for what was fashionable.
This presentation will provide guidelines you can use in selecting appropriate printed fabrics for
reproduction clothing. We’ll briefly discuss woven patterns, and then focus on printed patterns c. 1845-1870.
We’ll discuss different types of patterns, common motifs, period color combinations, and fiber content as it
relates to certain dyes and colors. We’ll learn about different methods of producing these fabrics. We’ll view
original garments, images of original garments and refer to printed primary sources to help develop a sense of
appropriate patterns, common and uncommon colors and combinations, and discuss common pitfalls that can
lead you astray. It’s impossible to learn everything you need to know about printed mid-19th century fabrics in
three hours. It is possible to learn general characteristics and guidelines that will help you make wise selections
the next time you go shopping for fabric for a new reproduction garment. Friday, 2:00-5:00 PM; Registration
Fee: $35.00; Handout fee: $5.00.
Hidden Treasures: The Shippensburg University Fashion Archives & Museum
Dr. Karin J. Bohleke, Director
The Shippensburg University Fashion Archives & Museum is finally moving into its new location! No
more basement galleries, no more steps! Tour the new location and see what’s hidden behind the scenes in this
unique educational laboratory and museum. Participants will participate in a tour of the new facility and will
have the opportunity to examine a selection of some of the 14,000 garments and accessories from the collection.
Depending on the opening date, you will also be able to view the current or about to open exhibit of Wedding
Apparel. Proceeds from this workshop/tour will benefit the Shippensburg University Fashion Archives
and Museum. Thursday 9:30AM-12:30PM or 1:30-4:30PM. Registration Fee: $35.00.
Tour of the John Harris – Simon Cameron Mansion
The Historical Society of Dauphin County
This historic home has a long history. It was originally constructed in 1766 by John Harris, Jr., the son
of the first European immigrant in the area. The ownership of the house passed to his sons who lived in the
house until it was sold in 1835. It was during this period that a rear wing was added in the early 1800s. The
house changed ownership again in 1853 when it was turned into the Pennsylvania Female College. The school
went bankrupt in 1861. In 1862 Simon Cameron resigned the office of Secretary of War and was appointed as
Minister (Ambassador) to Russia. Cameron made an offer for the Harris Mansion, shopping for furnishings for
his new home while making his way through Europe to Russia. Cameron returned to the US and resigned his
post in 1863, where he made extensive renovations and additions to the house. Participants will have an
opportunity to tour the Mansion and view the furnishings Cameron selected for his home. The Historical
Society also has a research library and archives that includes over a million photographs. Please contact us if
you would also like to take advantage of the Historical Society’s research facilities. Proceeds from this tour
will benefit the Dauphin County Historical Society. Thursday 9:00AM-Noon or 1:30-4:30; Registration Fee:
$35.00.
Workshop/Behind the Scenes Tour of the National Civil War Museum
Wayne Motts, Executive Director, and Staff
The National Civil War Museum's encompasses the period from 1850 through 1876, incorporating
collections of artifacts, manuscripts, documents, photographs, and other printed matter. For the pre-War period,
collections include artifacts that reflect on the nature of sectional controversies and, in particular, slavery. The
four years of War incorporate items from the civilian as well as the military venues of the conflict. Our
emphasis is on "the human side" of the conflict. Exhibits include materials on the common soldiers, men and
women on the home front, and the experiences of African Americans. The military artifacts encompass all
aspects of soldiers' experiences, from the personal equipage and weaponry of the War, to wounds, disease,
prisoner-of-war experiences, and the emotional drain of the conflict. Post-War artifacts primarily reflect the
impact of the War on western expansion. Participants in this workshop/tour will learn the ins and outs of
researching at this historical institution and by extension similar historical museums including what is available,
how to access the information and holdings, rules for researching in a special collections environment,
obtaining permissions for reproduction and publications and more. A tour will highlight the Museum’s vast
collection of artifacts and objects related to the American Civil War. Participants must provide their own
transportation to and from the Museum. Tour space is limited. Thursday, 9AM-Noon or 1:30-4:30 PM.
Registration Fee: $35.00. Proceeds from this workshop/tour will benefit the National Civil War Museum.
Faculty
Ron Beavers, a seventh generation Virginian, has had a life-long interest in Civil War history,
especially how both sides used logistics and the railroads during the Civil War. He has expanded his research to
include topics ranging from civilian struggles to the legal and political issues of the day.
Ron is a re-enactor, living historian, and is a speaker at numerous events and organizations. Ron was a
docent at the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum for 16 years, a Board Director for 12 years, and remained on the
History Committee until his recent move to the Finger Lakes area of New York. He volunteered for the Fairfax
County Sesquicentennial History Commission planning events and tours for 2011 – 2015. For the last four
years, he has been a volunteer at the Robert E. Lee Memorial House/Arlington National Cemetery run by the
National Park Service. In 2012 for the 150th re-enactment in Fairfax County, he was co-host for the creation of a
Medical Evacuation Living History Event and a two week long exhibit on the grounds of the Fairfax Station
Railroad Museum. Ron is very active in preservation efforts. He is a member of many organizations dedicated
to preservation, the Bull Run Civil War Roundtable, and he and his family are members of Company D of the
17th Virginia Infantry Regiment and the Victorian Society of Falls Church.
Ron has a major in Geology from George Washington University and, after a two-year Army enlistment,
spent the next thirty-four years working for the Federal Government (but not with the U.S. Geological Survey).
Since 2007, Karin J. Bohleke has served as the director of the Fashion Archives and Museum of
Shippensburg University. She holds a Ph.D. in French language and literature from Yale University, and also
serves as an assistant adjunct professor of French at Shippensburg and Penn State-Mont Alto. She formerly
worked at Hood College in Frederick, MD, where she taught French, Russian, Classical Mythology, and
Humanities for the graduate school. She has been an avid seamstress, embroiderer, and lace-maker since
childhood. She and her husband teach Civil War and historic social dancing, proctor balls, and lecture and
perform. Together they collect vintage clothing, fashion magazines in French and English, cased images, cartes
de visite, cabinet cards, and dance-related paper ephemera and use their resources to teach others about
American material culture.
Karin resides near Gettysburg, PA, and continues to pursue her interests in historic fashions, needle arts,
languages, social dance, and nineteenth-century women’s travel accounts. She has presented her continuing
research at annual symposia of the Costume Society of America as well as published in Dress, The Daguerreian
Annual, American Periodicals, Civil War Historian and The Citizens’ Companion. Her research interests focus
on the nineteenth century and include fashion, early photography, pre-Tutankhamun Egyptomania fashions for
women, the dissemination of French fashions in the United States, and women’s travel accounts of journeys to
Egypt. Her current research project involves the study of clothing in nineteenth-century photos of African
Americans, both enslaved and free.
Kimberlee Bruce has had a love for history since early childhood family outings to places like the San
Pasqual battlefield, the Missions of Old California, Sutter’s Fort, and the mining camps in Northern California.
It was not until she moved in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as a young teenager in the early 1990’s that she
discovered and became involved in Civil War reenacting. Kimberlee is a tomboy at heart and would much
rather be driving a team of oxen then dressing as an upper class lady. This lead her to begin a lifelong research
project into the lives and clothing of the lower social-economic class from the early 1800’s to 1870. Kimberlee
is a founding member of Winston Free State, a civilian group dedicated to portraying the lives of the lower
social-economic classes during the antebellum and civil war time periods. She is also involved in reenacting
other time periods and has portrayed a French mail order bride in a 1740’s outpost in present day Alabama, a
matron in war torn New Orleans in 1815, and a soldier’s wife on the Texas Frontier in 1852.
Kimberlee holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Nursing from Southern Adventist University in
Collegedale, Tennessee. While working on her Master’s degree Kimberlee gave a presentation on child birth
and “birth control” during the 1850’s and 1860’s. Her love of history and reenacting even showed up in her
master’s thesis on using civil war reenacting as a coping skill for veterans and service members with Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder. Kimberlee is currently working for the United States Army as a Nurse Practitioner at
Fort AP Hill outside of Fredericksburg, VA. She resides in Fredericksburg, VA with her soon to be husband
Peter M. Berezuk.
Kay Cogswell has been involved in Civil War costuming activities since 1974. She is an active member
of the North-South Skirmish Association’s (N-SSA) Costume Committee, serving for two terms as Chair. She
is currently the Judge’s Coordinator and conducts sewing workshops for the Committee. Kay is an award
winning seamstress and also a prior winner of the N-SSA’s prestigious Delaney Award for the best reproduction
garment made by the contestant where it was judged on authenticity, construction, design and fit. In addition to
being an avid researcher of original civil war costumes, she is a collector of hair jewelry and possesses an
extensive collection of several hundred pieces.
Kay holds a B.S. in Management from George Mason University. After 42 years as a Labor Relations
Manager, Kay retired from Northrop Grumman Corporation in 2011. Kay resides in Vienna, VA with her
husband, Mike.
Colleen Formby has been interested in the material culture of the 18th century for most of her life, and
finally came forward into the 19th century when friends of hers were married and decided to have a masquerade
ball as the reception. While doing research for the Civil War era ball gown she wanted to wear, she discovered
there is a whole world out there that dresses in period clothes almost every weekend! Although she has always
been interested in social history, and the effect the War Between the States had on Southern upper class women,
she did not realize that there are so many others who have overlapping interests.
Colleen has graduate degrees in Vocal Performance from Radford University in Virginia, as well as an
MLS with a specialty in Archives and Preservation from the University of Maryland. She works as a reference
librarian in Prince George's County, Maryland, and is the special collections librarian in charge of the Maryland
Room for the county. She is looking forward to retirement next year to have time to get to all those unfinished
projects in her sewing room!
Nanci Gasiel has been involved in historic interpretation since age 12. Initially starting as a historic
interpreter at a local open air museum village, Nanci has studied and delivered presentations about women's
clothing and material culture of both the 18th and 19th centuries. Her primary area of concentration is mid-19th
century women's clothing and domestic life.
Nanci works for the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Foundation managing multi-year fundraising campaigns,
administering the Foundation's scholarship program, and serves as the organization's Archivist where she
spends a lot of time researching SAE's antebellum roots. Nanci holds a MA in History from the University of
Illinois at Springfield and BA in History and Political Science from Culver-Stockton College. She and husband,
Alek, live in Downers Grove, IL.
LuAnn Guiles-Swonger began sewing at the age of 7 with her grandmother's guidance and
encouragement. She continued sewing into adulthood for herself and her two sons (remember those cute
matching outfits?), and built a profitable craft business with her skills. While following a career path as a
pharmacy tech, her sewing hobby took a different direction 20 years ago when a friend asked her to make some
Civil War era dresses. After many hours of research, she attended a living history event and enrolled in some
classes at the Genteel Arts Academy. Her 19th century sewing career had begun. To her surprise, a few years
later she met her husband David at a living history event and they were married in a Civil War ceremony.
Fifteen years ago, they moved to Lititz, Pa, and LuAnn launched her current business 'The Seamstress Satchel'.
Thanks to the support and hard work of her husband and family, she is able to walk out her back door and down
a brick pathway to the 19th century style house that is her sewing studio.
LuAnn was an organizer and the civilian coordinator of the 'Landis Valley – A Civil War Village' event
at Landis Valley Museum for 9 years. It was there that part of the PBS series 'Slavery and the Making of
America' was filmed and LuAnn provided casting, costumes and consultation for the production. She has also
provided consultation and costuming for Wheatland, the home of President James Buchannan, in Lancaster, PA,
and is assisting the Sigal Museum, in Exton, PA, with textile conservation and helping to prepare some of the
collection for their newest exhibit, 'Eras of Elegance'.
LuAnn enjoys spending time with her family and hopes to pass her love of sewing and passion for Civil
War history on to her granddaughters. When not sewing, she and David enjoy antiquing, traveling and working
on their DIY projects.
Nicky Hughes retired at the end of October, 2012, after a thirty-nine year career in public history. A
graduate of Western Kentucky University, he went to work for the Kentucky Historical Society in 1973. While
there, he was curator of the Kentucky Military History Museum, curator of the Old State Capitol, and museums
division manager. Working for the Kentucky Division of Historic Properties, he helped care for Kentucky’s
capitol and executive mansions. As curator of historic sites for the City of Frankfort’s Department of Parks,
Recreation, and Historic Sites he managed the Leslie Morris Park on Fort Hill Civil War site and founded the
Capital City Museum.
Involved with Civil War reenacting since 1981, he served in nearly all ranks in the infantry – both Union
and Confederate – and served in the artillery and medical branches as well. In recent years, he has developed
several civilian impressions. Hughes was founding publisher of The Watchdog – a newsletter with the goal of
improving historical accuracy in reenacting. He was editor of Camp Chase Gazette and Civil War Historian –
both national magazines for reenactors. He has become a popular writer and lecturer about the material culture
of the Civil War era. He has been drum major and narrator for Saxton’s Cornet Band since 1989 and managed
Cornets & Cannons – The Civil War Sesquicentennial Music Festival. Hughes is co-author of three
photographic histories, is narrator for the Lexington Brass Band, has consulted on many museum and exhibit
design projects, was deeply involved in the development of the Mill Springs Battlefield Museum, and was a
member of the Kentucky War of 1812 Commission.
The Kentucky National Guard presented Hughes a Department of Defense Commander’s Award for
Public Service medal, and he received the Kentucky Historical Society’s W.R. Buster Award for his work in
Kentucky military history. His last day on the job before retirement was declared “Nicky Hughes Day” in
Kentucky’s capital city.
Recently, Hughes has developed an interest in genealogy and medieval history and hosted the highly
successful Days of Knights medieval living history event in 2012. Nicky retired from full-time employment
late in 2012. Nicky and his wife, Susan, enjoy food, wine, travel, and antiques. They collect and drive classic
and high performance Mustang automobiles, and are active in the Frankfort Mustangs Club.
Tom Kelleher is currently Chief Historian and Curator of Mechanical Arts at Old Sturbridge Village in
Sturbridge, Massachusetts. In his thirty years at that premier living history museum, he has worked as a
costumed historical interpreter, trainer for the cooper shop, supervisor of the mills, coordinator of historic
trades, research historian, program coordinator, and managed staff training. Tom has researched and developed
dozens of historic characters and programs, which he regularly presents at museums, schools, and historical
societies around the country. He has also taught a variety of craft skills and historical subjects to museum staffs
as well as the general public and at teacher workshops throughout the United States and Canada. Active in a
number of professional organizations, including the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural
Museums where he served two terms on the board of directors and is currently vice-president, Tom has
conducted training for interpreters, teachers, docents and guides at over a dozen parks and museums.
Before entering the museum field, Tom taught social studies at the secondary level in Norwalk, CT. He
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in history and education from Western Connecticut State College, and a
Master's degree in history from the University of Connecticut. Tom is also a Registered Nurse. His writings on
technology, history, historical drama and other museum-related topics have been published in several journals,
books and popular magazines. Originally from Norwalk, Connecticut, Tom now resides in Warren, MA.
Brian Koenig is a native of New York City who made countless trips to Gettysburg as a child. Brian
earned a BA in History from Mount Saint Mary’s University and decided to move from the concrete jungle to
Emmitsburg, MD.
Brian has been involved with military living history and reenacting since 1993 and as a civilian since
2002. He has participated in public living history demonstrations for most of the major civil war NPS sites on
the east coast and has appeared on the History Channel. Brian is a Security Supervisor at Mount Saint Mary’s
University and a part-time docent at Rose Hill Manor Park and Museum in Frederick, MD. He is a member of
the Costume Society of America and ALFHAM.
Brian cares for an ever-growing collection of original 19th century men’s clothing which has appeared
at conferences and at historical sites across the United States. Brian, his wife, Maggie, and son Isaac, live near
Gettysburg.
Maggie Koenig was born in the Midwest. Thanks to her very talented and crafty mother she grew up
with a needle in her hand. Just before she started reenacting in 1996 she discovered the costuming section of the
local library and realized that you didn’t have to buy all of your patterns at Joann’s. She attended the University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Peck School of the Arts where she graduated with honors and received a Bachelors
of Fine Arts in Costume Production; she also discovered a love of pattern making and the mystical knowledge
of how they decide where to put the notches. In 2008 she moved to the east coast to be closer to history. She
now resides in Gettysburg, PA with her husband Brian and son Isaac who both have a strange fascination with
electronics and wires. When not being a mother she is a museum assistant and interpreter at Rose Hill Manor
Park and Museum in Frederick Maryland and a freelance seamstress and pattern maker.
K. Krewer has been a Civil War reenactor since 1981. In real life, she’s a civilian Army attorney and in
2013 moved to Huntsville, Alabama to take a job as Deputy Command Counsel for the U.S. Army Materiel
Command. A member of the Ladies’ Soldiers’ Friend Society of Nashville, she retains membership in the
Michigan Soldier's Aid Society and the 16th Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry. She earned a B.A. in political
science, history and theatre, from Upper Iowa University; a J.D. from the University of Iowa; and a Master’s
degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College (and did NOT plagiarize her thesis!). A collector of
garments and accessories from 1840 - 1865, items from her collection have been displayed at this and other
conferences, seminars, history-related events, and museums. K is an ordained Anglican deacon and is active in
congregational, professional, and community service activities.
Cheyney McKnight is a museum educator at the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden in New
York City, where she enthusiastically brings to life 1820s and 1830s Manhattan for school groups in the Metro
New York area. In her spare time, she visits elementary schools throughout the East Coast sharing stories of the
past using primary sources and living history.
Originally from Atlanta, GA, Cheyney studied political science at Simmons College and has also
worked as a production assistant at MC3 Studios in New York City.
Michael Mescher has recently retired after more than 40 years of service in the Federal government.
He has been a civil war reenactor since 1988 when he participated as a confederate soldier in the 125th
anniversary battle of Gettysburg. He entered into civilian topics soon after that event when he started studying
civil war period toys as a way to keep his three sons entertained at events. This study led to him starting his
sutlery in 1993 with an emphasis on period toys, games, and books. Since starting the sutlery, his research has
led him into the related topics of children’s games, parlor games, parlor magic, and entertainments in general.
Mike looks forward to retirement as an opportunity for further research, developing hands-on interpretive
experiences for living history events, and travel with his wife, Virginia.
Carolann Schmitt attended her first reenactment in 1969. She founded the Genteel Arts Academy in
1988 to encourage interest in the clothing and needlework of the Civil War era and this year is celebrating her
15th anniversary as sponsor and organizer of the 1860s Conference/Civilian Symposium. She has a lifelong
interest in historic costume, sewing, needlework and knitting and believes you can never have too many books
or too much fabric.
Carolann is a Past President and member of the Board of Directors of the Shippensburg University
Fashion Archives and Museum, and a member of the Costume Society of America, the Association of Living
History Farms and Museums (ALHFAM) and the North-South Skirmish Association. Carolann has contributed
articles to several Civil War-themed publications and is a featured speaker at conferences and historic sites
throughout the country.
In addition to her 19th century interests, Carolann is employed as a Public Safety Frequency Coordinator.
Carolann and her husband, Don, are fifth-generation residents of the Gettysburg area. They reside on the edge
of the battlefield where they add to their collection of original Civil War era garments and pursue their interests
in history, travel and amateur radio. Studying mid-19th century clothing has been her passion for 40+ years.
Polly Steenhagen is a scientist, pilot, and teacher by vocation, and an avid knitter and crocheter by
avocation. She has a Bachelor’s degree in zoology, a Master’s in nutritional biochemistry, and a Ph.D. in
science education. For the past 25 years she has been a flight instructor and, more recently, a college professor
teaching aviation and math.
Polly began knitting when her grandmother taught her at age six. She began doing Tunisian crochet in
her teens, making her own patterns for stuffed animals for a local hospital’s children’s ward. Polly is the coauthor, along with Dr. Silvana Siddali, of several booklets on Civil War era knitting and crochet patterns.
Phillip Whiteman is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He has a history degree from the University of
Alabama and has been involved with reenacting/living history for 19 years. He started reenacting in a civilian
role rather than a military one and has maintained his civilian interests in the mid-19th century culture. Along
with 19th-Century men's clothing, his primary interests are monetary and political aspects of the Civil War. He
has participated in living history programs primarily at National Parks and at the historic homes of Roswell,
Georgia. He has also provided educational presentations at Civil War reenactments, National and Regional
conferences, historical society meetings, and civic meetings.
Phillip is a member of the Roswell Historical Society and assists at the society's Research Library and
Archives. He is a tour guide for the Historic Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau. Phillip’s military
reenacting experience has been with the 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry living history unit and the Kennesaw
Mountain National Battlefield Park Cannon Crew.
Mike Woshner is well known in the collector’s community as the subject matter expert on the history,
patents, and novel applications for rubber, hard rubber, and gutta-percha. Mike began collecting Civil War
artifacts in 1969. He became interested in the history of hard rubber after purchasing a navy soap box marked
“Goodyear’s Patent May 6, 1851” and soon became totally intrigued by this unique material. The search for
information and artifacts soon encompassed rubber, hard rubber, and gutta-percha and has since consumed
much of Mike’s spare time. The resultant collection of artifacts made of these materials has been showcased in
museums and historical displays and has earned numerous awards. His comprehensive reference book, IndiaRubber and Gutta-Percha in the Civil War Era is considered the definitive source on the topic.
As a consultant for the Maple Leaf Project (St. John’s Archeological Expedition, Inc.), the Bertrand
Project (U.S. Department of the Interior), and the Johnson’s Island Project (University of Pittsburgh Center for
Cultural Resources), Mike identified and provided important references on various Civil War rubber, hard
rubber, and gutta-percha artifacts recovered at the sites. He has authored over fifteen articles in collector and
historical publications, including Antique Week, Collector’s News, Military Collector and Historian, and North
South Trader’s Civil War. Mike and his wife, Janis, live in Pittsburgh, PA, where Mike welcomes comments
and information regarding any related artifacts, applications, patents, or processes.
The Pleasure of Your Company is requested at a Welcome Reception
Please join us Thursday evening to meet the speakers and your fellow participants. The evening will
include some games, door prizes, a slide show of highlights from previous conferences, and other
entertainment. Wrappers, dressing gowns and other forms of period lounge wear are welcome but not required.
Light refreshments will be served; a cash bar will be available. Please contact Maggie Koenig at
hhalb94479<at>aol.com if you would like to entertain your fellow participants with a vocal or instrumental
presentation, a reading, a skit, or other form of period entertainment.
…and at a Fancy Dress Party.
Fancy Dress parties were very popular during the mid-nineteenth century. There are dozens of period
accounts of these parties – large and small – where the guests wore costumes and enjoyed an evening of dinner,
games and other entertainments. The Symposium invites you to create a costume and join us for our second
fancy dress party. You may already have a costume in your closet; all you need are some inspiration and
accessories.
Primary sources indicate the depth, breadth and ingenuity of the costumes worn during the period. Some
of the popular costumes were based on:
 Historical characters - Do you participate in living history events from other periods prior to 1865? Wear
the clothing you wear at those events and come as a medieval knight, an Elizabethan lady, a Revolutionary
War soldier.
 Fictional characters – From novels, plays, poetry, art, music, famous and infamous, e.g. Old Man Winter,
Macbeth, the Lady of the Lake, Mr. Darcy, the Caliph of Baghdad.
 Famous personages – Caesar, Cleopatra, Queen Victoria, Henry the Eighth, George Washington, Garibaldi,
politicians, newsmakers.
 A role or job – A chimney sweep, a cobbler, a basket maker, a cook, a trapper, a seamstress, a teacher, an
inventor or foreign visitor.
 Artifacts – Dress up as an object: a playing card, a barrel, a photograph.
 Allegorical – These can be the most interesting and can make the best use of an existing wardrobe. Themes
can include the four seasons, flowers, jewels, colors, fantasy roles, almost anything.
The party will begin immediately after dinner on Saturday evening in Ballroom South. Costumes are
encouraged but not required. You may also wear period evening attire or appropriate modern dress. A
photographer will be available to capture your image. Prizes will be awarded in several different categories,
including the best costume in each of the categories listed above, best couple and best group.
Admission to the party is included in the Symposium registration fee. Guests of participants are
welcome to join us.
Needlework Competition
This year’s competition is a different challenge. Instead of creating a specific item, we are encouraging
everyone to put their efforts into their costumes for the Fancy Dress party. In addition to the prizes for best
costume in various categories, additional prizes will be awarded for outstanding achievement in sewing and
needlework.
Angels Project
We borrowed the concept for this project from the Costume Society of America, which has conducted
Angels Projects in conjunction with their annual symposia for several years.
On Wednesday, March 4, a limited number of Symposium participants will have the opportunity to
assist one of our favorite sites. The Shippensburg University Fashion Archives and Museum will have (finally!)
moved into their new location and will be featuring a new exhibit on wedding fashions. Depending on the
opening date of the exhibit, volunteers may be assisting with mounting garments on mannequins for the exhibit,
or assisting with other tasks in the museum and archives.
Volunteers must supply their own transportation to and from the museum location. Additional details
will be provided by SUFAM Director Karin Bohleke.
The Marketplace
The Marketplace features a juried group of merchants offering carefully selected and documented
merchandise. The Marketplace is open to symposium participants and the general public, and will be open:
 Friday
11 AM - 7 PM
 Saturday
7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
 Sunday
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
A complete list of vendors and merchandise will be published at a later date.
NOTE: Merchant inquiries and requests for an application should be sent to Deborah McBeth, 28 Forest
Street, Danvers, MA 01923 or at DLMAMSTS<@>aol.com Space is VERY limited and efforts are made not to
duplicate the selection of merchandise.
Hotel Information
Radisson Hotel Harrisburg (formerly Radisson Penn Harris Hotel)
1150 Camp Hill Bypass, Camp Hill, PA 17011-3734
(717) 763-7117 phone • (717) 763-4518 (fax)
http://www.radisson.com/camp-hill-hotel-pa-17011-3734/pacamphi
The Radisson Hotel Harrisburg is located across the Susquehanna River from Harrisburg in Camp Hill,
PA. The hotel has recently upgraded 125 rooms with an additional 50 rooms currently being renovated with
new furnishings, easy access to multiple outlets, a comfortable work space and faster free Wi-Fi Internet. The
hotel features a full-service restaurant and a fitness center.
The Radisson is 15 minutes from the Harrisburg International Airport and the Amtrak train station. It is
within close proximity of I-81, I-83, I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) and US Route 15. Driving time is 2 hours for
those flying into Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall airport and 2.5 hours for those flying into
Washington Dulles or Reagan National Airport. The Radisson provides a complimentary 24-hour shuttle
service to and from the Harrisburg airport and the train station.
A block of rooms has been saved at $107.00 plus tax per night with 1- 4 persons per room. To receive
the discounted rate, please call the hotel directly and mention that you are with the Civilian Symposium at
Harrisburg. The symposium rate is not available online. The hotel will honor the reduced rate until February
2, 2015. Requests received after this date will be accepted on a space/rate available basis. The hotel has been
sold out in past years. You are strongly encouraged to make your reservations early.
The hotel will honor the symposium rate for the period March 1 through March 10, 2015 if you would
like to extend your stay to include days before or after the symposium.
Hotel check-in begins at 3:00 PM. Early check-in may be permitted if rooms are available.
When registering, please advise the hotel if you are disabled or have special needs. Handicapped and
first floor rooms have been reserved for the symposium but the number of available rooms is limited. We
respectfully request that only participants who need special consideration request these rooms.
Schedule
(Subject to Change)
Wednesday, March 4
9:00 Angels Projection at Shippensburg University Fashion Archives and Museum
5:00 Registration Open until 8PM – Hotel Lobby
Thursday, March 5
8:00 Registration Opens – Hotel Lobby
9:00 Pre-Symposium Hands-On Workshops, Seminars and Tours – Morning Sessions
1:30 Pre-Symposium Hands-On Workshops, Seminars and Tours – Afternoon Sessions
7:30 Welcome Reception and Sociable – Governors Ballroom
Friday, March 6
8:00 Registration Opens – Convention Center Lobby
9:00 Pre-Symposium Break-Out Sessions, Hands-On Workshops and Tours – Morning Sessions
11:00 Marketplace opens.
1:30 Pre-Symposium Break-Out Sessions, Hands-On Workshops and Tours – Afternoon Sessions
5:00 Exhibits open
7:00 Marketplace closes. Symposium opens. Combined session – all participants will attend.
7:15 Michael Woshner – From Waterproof Apparel to Jewelry for an Empress: Rubber and Pre-Plastics in
the Mid-Nineteenth Century
8:15 Exhibits open for viewing and photography.
9:30 Exhibits close
Saturday March 7
7:00 Breakfast – Ballroom South
7:30 Marketplace opens
8:00 Opening Remarks – Presentation of Faculty in Symposium Fabric – Combined Session Ballroom North
8:30 Concurrent Programs A and B begin – Ballroom North and Governors B
12:15 Lunch Served – Ballroom South. Door Prize Drawing. Exhibits and Marketplace open.
2:00 Concurrent Programs A and B continue
5:30 Exhibits and Marketplace close
6:00 Reception – Ballroom South
7:00 Dinner and Fancy Dress Party - Ballroom South
Program A
8:30 K. Krewer – Wrappers Redux and a Second Helping of Sheers
9:30 Break
9:45 Kimberlee Bruce - Following the Drum: Regular Army Officers Wives 1840-1870
10:45 Break
11:00 Colleen Formby - Little Things Mean a Lot
12:00 Break. Lunch served at 12:15 in Ballroom South. Displays and Marketplace open.
2:00 Cheyney McKnight – In their Lap: African American Slave Medicine
3:00 Break
3:30 Carolann Schmitt – An Extreme Curiosity: Solo Women Travelers in the Mid-Nineteenth Century
4:30 Sessions Close
Program B
8:35 Tom Kelleher - Sending a Letter: A History of the U.S. Post Office in the Mid-Nineteenth Century
9:35 Stand and stretch break
9:50 Brian Koenig – Dirty Jobs: Making 19th Century Life Possible
10:50 Break
11:05 Carolann Schmitt – “…wrapped in my dressing gown…” New Research on Men’s Dressing Gowns &
Wrappers
12:15 Break. Lunch Served – Ballroom South. Displays and Marketplace open.
2:05 Phillip Whiteman – The Fight for the 1864 Presidency
3:05 Break
3:35 Mike Mescher – All Work and No Play? Definitely Not!
4:35 Sessions Close
Daylight Savings Time Begins at 2AM Sunday Morning!
Set your clocks forward one hour before you go to bed Saturday night!
Sunday, March 8
8:00 Breakfast – Ballroom South
8:30 Marketplace opens.
9:00 Ron Beavers – Arlington House: The Last Battle of the Civil War
10:00
Break
10:30 Nicky Hughes – The Humors of the Day: What Made our Ancestors Laugh
11:30 Closing remarks
11:45 Symposium closes
12:30 Marketplace closes
General Information
How do I register for the Symposium?
Printable registration forms in Excel or PDF formats are attached. Registration forms are also included in the Symposium
brochure. Contact us if you would like a Symposium brochure and/or registration form mailed to you. Please complete a
separate form for each participant. You may register:
 By mail. Send completed registration form with your payment to:
Genteel Arts LLC
PO Box 3014
Gettysburg, PA 17325-0014
 By secure fax. Send copies of the completed form to 717-337-0314
 By telephone at 717-337-0283. Please leave a message if we are not available and we will return your call as
soon as possible.
 By e-mail. Complete the form and send it as an attachment to Carolann Schmitt at the e-mail address found on the
home page.
 Please check your form for completion. Don’t forget to note if you prefer a vegetarian entrée for dinner.
Registration is limited and pre-symposium programs fill quickly. Don’t be disappointed; early registration is strongly
encouraged!
What is included in the registration fee?
The registration fee includes the Welcome Reception, presentations, exhibits of original garments, Fancy Dress party,
symposium notebook, door prizes, unlimited access to the Marketplace, breakfast, lunch, and breaks on Saturday,
breakfast and break on Sunday. Additional fees for break-out sessions, hands-on workshops, tours, and Saturday evening
dinner.
How do I make payment?
Payment may be made by check, money order, or credit card. We do not accept foreign currency or your first-born child.
Checks or money orders should be made payable to Genteel Arts LLC.
Do you accept installment payments?
A two-payment plan is offered. The first payment of $100.00 must be included with the registration form; the second
payment of $100.00 (includes a $5.00 handling fee) must be received no later than February 1, 2015 or late fees will
apply. Full payment for break-out sessions, hands-on workshops and tours must be included with the initial registration
form.
I’m a poor college student on a very limited budget. Do you offer a student discount?
A reduced registration fee of $165.00 is offered to full-time students. Please include a photocopy of your student
identification with your registration.
May my son/daughter attend?
Well-behaved young ladies and gentlemen age 17 and under are invited to attend with a responsible parent or adult. A
special registration rate is available. Junior participants receive the same benefits as adult participants.
What meals are included with the registration fee?
Saturday breakfast, lunch, morning and afternoon breaks; Sunday breakfast and morning break. Saturday dinner is
available for an additional fee, as are meal packages for guests.
I’m a vegetarian. Will there be something I can eat?
A vegetarian option is available for Saturday dinner; please indicate your preference on the registration form. All other
meals are buffets with a variety of selections that should accommodate most diets. Please contact us if you need more
specific information; the hotel will attempt to accommodate medically necessary diets.
Are there any programs for guests who are not participating in the symposium?
If your guest will be with you for the entire weekend, a complete meal package including the welcome reception, meals,
displays and the Fancy Dress party is available. Or, your guest may join you for Saturday dinner and the Fancy Dress
party only, or attend just the Fancy Dress party. Please include his/her name on the registration form. There are many
attractions of historical and general interest in the area.
Do we dress in period attire?
A fancy dress costume or your best period attire is requested but not required for dinner Saturday evening. You are invited
but not required to wear your period wrappers, dressing gowns, smoking jackets or lounging attire for the Welcome
Reception Thursday evening. Modern casual dress is appropriate for the rest of the time.
Please explain the seating at dinner.
We understand that some of you enjoy meeting new people who share your interest in Civil War era clothing and culture.
We also understand that some of you prefer sitting with someone you already know. In true Victorian fashion, we assign
seating at dinner to avoid confusion and last minute scrambles for seats. Dinner guests, of course, are seated with their
partners. Please indicate your seating preference on the registration form. Tables are set for groups of eight.
On Saturday I’d like to attend some of presentations on Program A and some of the presentations on Program B. Do I
need to pre-register or specify which presentations I’d like to attend?
Pre-registration is not required for any of the concurrent sessions on Saturday. You may cross from one program to
another as you wish.
Can we come to the Fancy Dress Party if we’re not participating in the Symposium?
Admission to the Fancy Dress Party is limited to Symposium participants and their guests.
Does the notebook include the handouts for all of the presentations?
Yes, it does.
How far is it from the hotel to the Conference Center?
The hotel and Conference Center are in adjacent buildings connected by a covered walkway. No long walks, no driving.
Does the hotel have a restaurant or coffee shop?
The hotel has a full-service restaurant, “The Bridges”, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are also several
restaurants and fast-food options within walking distance or a short drive.
We’re going to be our vacation. Can we arrive at the hotel a few days early, or stay over a few days?
Yes! And the hotel will honor the symposium rate from March 1 through March 10, 2015. You must state you are with
the Civilian Symposium at Harrisburg when registering to receive the special rate for your entire stay. Reservations must
be made no later than February 2, 2015.
What is the cancellation and refund policy?
A $15.00 handling fee will be charged on all cancellations. Full refunds for cancellations made on or before January 15,
2015. 50% refunds for cancellations made between January 16 and February 1, 2015. No refunds after February 1,
2015; however substitutions will be allowed, or the amount may be applied toward registration for the 2016 Symposium.