Friday, April 23, 2010

Grant Day


Tomorrow is U.S. Grant Day in Georgetown, Ohio, his boyhood home and my boyhood county seat of government where my family did business and us kids all showed livestock at the Brown County Fair, known as the Little State Fair. There is a good video about him on the News Democrat website.


Attorney Stan Purdy is an old family friend, I use to do chores for his mother Annie Stephans when I was a boy. Ned Lodwick is a veterinarian in Georgetown and my brother dated his sister in high school. I met her again at the Fayetteville Perry FFA Banquet Tuesday night and now her daughter is a member of Matt's chapter and she is the Equine Judging Team coach.

Grant Day is April 24 in Georgetown

Historic Georgetown, Ohio will host the 14th Annual U.S. Grant Day, Saturday, April 24. The celebration is organized by the U.S. Grant Homestead Association. Grant lived in Georgetown for 16 years until he attended West Point in 1839. Grant's boyhood home and the school house he attended will be open to visitors.The daylong program starts with a walking tour of Georgetown's historic sites.

The morning program includes a session about the Civil War soldiers' life presented by Civil War re-enactors. Other sessions include a presentation by Mike Miller, as General U.S. Grant and Terry Kidd as General John Hunt Morgan. The morning program is located at Grant's boyhood home on East Grant Avenue.Civil War re-enactors set up a Civil War camp on the grounds. The 70th Ohio Volunteers Infantry will conduct a memorial service for members of the unit who died in battle.

The programs are very interactive.A Civil War Era Ladies Tea takes place at 1 p.m. at the Floral Hall at the Brown County Fairgrounds.The afternoon program moves to the Courthouse Square at 2 p.m. with a band concert, singing and a re-enactment of Morgan's Raid on Georgetown. The actual raid took place July 13, 1863, when 200 of Morgan's Confederate Cavalry arrived in Georgetown.The Grant Day re-enactment includes mounted Cavalry, local residents portraying business and government personalities and a local militia. The 45-minute program includes many of the events that occurred during Morgan's Raid through Indiana and Southern Ohio and is presented in an entertaining and informative manner.

The day concludes with a Grand Ball at Floral Hall at the fairgrounds. Civil War Era costumes are required.General admission is $3 for adults and children 12 and over. Admission to the Grand Ball is $15 per person, $5 for students.For more information, call (937) 378-4119 or (937) 378-3087.


It sounds like they have a good day planned tomorrow. There is a ballot from the Ohio Historical Society Ohioans can print and mail in to enshrine President Grant in Washington D.C. which ought to help keep his picture on the fifty dollar bill like I think it should.

Dad said Morgan raided our farm near Sardinia. He said the Bare family hid their valuables when they heard that Morgan was coming through. They looted and plundered everything they could.

I will write and link some more when I get time. I have a meeting at the county Historical Society to plan for the big BiCentennial Celebration and County tour of barn quilts June 12 and 13. I am back and the links are up!

Ed

1 comment:

  1. Sure has been a lot of discussion on this topic, I wish someone would comment!

    ReplyDelete