Here's a reality show for you: authentic Civil War relics by the table load.
If you have ever wondered about the shape, size, history or use of a Civil War bullet, bayonet, rifle, sword, hat or uniform, the Sons of the Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy have just what you are looking for.
For two days - Aug. 28 and 29 - the Smoky Mountain Convention Center in Pigeon Forge will host the Smoky Mountain Civil War & Relics Show.
More than 100 tables filled with Civil War-era relics that include muskets, rifles, pistols, photographs, uniforms, knives, buttons, and a wide variety of other artifacts and collectibles will be on display.
Tickets are $8 for both days, $4 for ages 12 and under.
In addition to the relics, re-enactors will demonstrate historically accurate portrayals of U.S. and Confederate military units. Also, re-enactors will create and camp in a tent area for a soldier's-eye-view of living history.
Show organizer Pete Smith, with the Smoky Mountain Resorts Hospitality Group which is co-sponsor of the event, said a replica of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley will be part of the exhibits. The Hunley, first submarine ever deployed in the history of naval warfare, sank the USS sloop-of-war Housatonic in Charleston Harbor February 1864.
C. Lynn Hammond, 1st Lt. Commander of the Longstreet-Zollicoffer Camp 87, Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) in Knoxville, said the SCV was contacted by Pigeon Forge to investigate the possibilities of putting on a relics event, since there were none in this area outside of Nashville and North Georgia.
"We worked on this for a year," Hammond said. "We started out not knowing what we were doing, and we now hope this is going to be an annual event."
He said the 20,000-square-foot convention center will be jammed with vendors who are coming from as far off as Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, even Gettysburg, Pa. The event opens to the public at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, and goes until 5 p.m. and on Sunday, Aug. 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Ellen Renshaw House, Chapter 2624, of the UDC of Knoxville, is coordinating a 19th-century period fashion show, including dress displays. The fashion show starts at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, on the convention floor stage.
For those interested in more up close and personal living history, re-enactors who portray famous Civil War generals from both sides - R.E. Lee, U.S. Grant, J.E.B. Stuart, and James Longstreet - will be present to answer questions about the long war and its effects on the nation.
If that is not enough to satisfy your history cravings, Maury's Artillery will provide firing demonstrations Saturday using two replica mountain howitzers. The artillery demonstrations begin at 10:30 a.m. and continue each hour on the half hour until 4:30 p.m. There will be no firing on Sunday, but the howitzers will be on display in the convention center.
"This area has unique history of the period that most people are not aware of," said Ron Jones, commander of Camp 87.
"Knoxville was a very important geographical area because of the railroads. Consequently, there was battling back and forth in East Tennessee to keep supply lines open from Richmond (Va.) to the south."
The Smoky Mountain Convention Center is located at 4010 Parkway, just past Traffic Light No. 9 in Pigeon Forge.
For more information go to http://www.smokymountaincivilwarshow.com/
Retired News Sentinel Senior writer Fred Brown is a freelance contributor and may be reached at brownf08@gmail.com.
If you have ever wondered about the shape, size, history or use of a Civil War bullet, bayonet, rifle, sword, hat or uniform, the Sons of the Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy have just what you are looking for.
For two days - Aug. 28 and 29 - the Smoky Mountain Convention Center in Pigeon Forge will host the Smoky Mountain Civil War & Relics Show.
More than 100 tables filled with Civil War-era relics that include muskets, rifles, pistols, photographs, uniforms, knives, buttons, and a wide variety of other artifacts and collectibles will be on display.
Tickets are $8 for both days, $4 for ages 12 and under.
In addition to the relics, re-enactors will demonstrate historically accurate portrayals of U.S. and Confederate military units. Also, re-enactors will create and camp in a tent area for a soldier's-eye-view of living history.
Show organizer Pete Smith, with the Smoky Mountain Resorts Hospitality Group which is co-sponsor of the event, said a replica of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley will be part of the exhibits. The Hunley, first submarine ever deployed in the history of naval warfare, sank the USS sloop-of-war Housatonic in Charleston Harbor February 1864.
C. Lynn Hammond, 1st Lt. Commander of the Longstreet-Zollicoffer Camp 87, Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) in Knoxville, said the SCV was contacted by Pigeon Forge to investigate the possibilities of putting on a relics event, since there were none in this area outside of Nashville and North Georgia.
"We worked on this for a year," Hammond said. "We started out not knowing what we were doing, and we now hope this is going to be an annual event."
He said the 20,000-square-foot convention center will be jammed with vendors who are coming from as far off as Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, even Gettysburg, Pa. The event opens to the public at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, and goes until 5 p.m. and on Sunday, Aug. 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Ellen Renshaw House, Chapter 2624, of the UDC of Knoxville, is coordinating a 19th-century period fashion show, including dress displays. The fashion show starts at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, on the convention floor stage.
For those interested in more up close and personal living history, re-enactors who portray famous Civil War generals from both sides - R.E. Lee, U.S. Grant, J.E.B. Stuart, and James Longstreet - will be present to answer questions about the long war and its effects on the nation.
If that is not enough to satisfy your history cravings, Maury's Artillery will provide firing demonstrations Saturday using two replica mountain howitzers. The artillery demonstrations begin at 10:30 a.m. and continue each hour on the half hour until 4:30 p.m. There will be no firing on Sunday, but the howitzers will be on display in the convention center.
"This area has unique history of the period that most people are not aware of," said Ron Jones, commander of Camp 87.
"Knoxville was a very important geographical area because of the railroads. Consequently, there was battling back and forth in East Tennessee to keep supply lines open from Richmond (Va.) to the south."
The Smoky Mountain Convention Center is located at 4010 Parkway, just past Traffic Light No. 9 in Pigeon Forge.
For more information go to http://www.smokymountaincivilwarshow.com/
Retired News Sentinel Senior writer Fred Brown is a freelance contributor and may be reached at brownf08@gmail.com.
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