Jersey County Victorian Festival slated for August 30-31, and September 1, 2008

The Jersey County Victorian Festival is slated Labor Day weekend August 30, 31 and September 1.

The annual event will center around the 1866 Fulkerson Mansion that will be open for tours all three days.

The Fulkerson Mansion will showcase several new displays including a special display showcasing the work of artist Charles M. Russell, a nephew of William and Cornelia (Russell) Fulkerson, who considered the farm his boyhood home and a tasteful display of Civil War and Western era “Women of Ill-Repute.”

For the first time, the country kitchen of the home will be open for tours where the old and the new have come together.

Throughout the three-day festival there will be antiques, arts, crafts and working artisans who will be demonstrating woodcarving, gunsmithing, pewter, rope-making, spinning of wool, pottery, musical and rhythm instruments of the period and blacksmithing.

A Great Wheel will provide the power for a lathe in the blacksmith area where a variety of blacksmith items will be available to purchase.

Many other antiques, crafts, collectibles and unique items will be available for visitors to view and purchase.  Civil War Sutlers will have a variety of items for sale as well including Civil War era clothing, tintypes, camp supplies and more.

New this year will be an Antique Sidewalk Sale in downtown Jerseyville all three days of the Festival from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In the nearby farm field next to the mansion, shocks of winter wheat are ready for threshing powered by Case, Keck Gonnerman and Reeves steam engines that will also be plowing and providing the power for the 1889 Garr Scott sawmill and shingle mills.

Working tractors, gas engines, antique cars and trucks will also be on display throughout the weekend. The Festival is the ILL-MO Tractor and Engine Club’s official Illinois event.

The Festival promotes “History in Motion” through Civil War reenactments, encampments and agricultural demonstrations, taking a step back in time to view our history and to give visitors an opportunity to get closer to our past.

The Civil War segment of the Festival creates wonderful insight of what life was like during the war.

Visitors can visit with President and Mrs. Lincoln, tour Confederate and Union camps, visit with reenactors and view how meals are prepared over an open fire. The Civil War era style show is both educational and entertaining and explains what was proper and not proper during a much earlier time.

At 12:30 p.m. each day, an educational narrative is given by President and Mrs. Lincoln of the events leading up to the Civil War and the Battle at Gettysburg followed by the President’s “Gettysburg Address”.

Over 250 reenactors participate in a very realistic battle held daily that includes cavalry, artillery, and infantry. Embalming demonstrations will be held in the morning by Jon Austin, Executive Director, Museum of Funeral Customs an understanding of ritual practices during the Civil War, grief and mourning during and after the death process.

The Duel of Honor between two civilian gentlemen and a Stagecoach Robbery by the James Gang will take place daily as well as stagecoach rides for all and potato plowing for the children.

A great variety of food is available and visitors can sit under large shade trees and enjoy entertainment by the Chris Talley Bluegrass Band.

The Jersey County Victorian Festival at the Fulkerson Mansion, is held at the historic Hazel Dell Farm, one mile north of Jerseyville on Route 67.

Admission is $7 for adults; $2  for children and under age 6, free.  There is free parking.

The grounds are open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each of the three days.

For more information, call 618-498-5590, e-mail hazeldell@gtec.com or visit www.greatriverroad.com.