Civil War Days May 22, 2011

You become part of history when you experience the sweeping pageantry and spectacle of the war that divided a nation during Civil War Days, an annual event at Naper Settlement. More than 300 Civil War re-enactors camp on site, providing a living historical view of the past. When the bugle sounds each day, troops from the North and the South will charge into battle with rifles at the ready and cannons booming. Afterward, you can see the work of the Civil War surgeons as they demonstrate 19th century medical techniques. Interact with famous personages of the past who step from the pages of history books, such as President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, the Generals and many more. An annual tradition at Naper Settlement for over 25 years, the family-friendly event features food, fun and shopping on "Sutler's Row" for traditional Civil War-era reproduction products and in the Museum Store for Civil War books and merchandise.