Friday, May 19th, there will be a Day of Learning for school groups, sponsored by the Jefferson Railway and Wetlands Foundation, to draw attention to the history and romance of the Civil War way of life. The Living History Camps will demonstrate Camp Life and Military Activities and includes a train ride aboard the Historic Jefferson Railway alongside the Big Cypress Bayou. See a gunboat with real live cannons. Visit Diamond Don Gator Pit with live gators and see ruins from the 1800’s. Price for Living History is $4 per student; train ride is additional $6 per student. Trains will depart from the Diamond Don RV Park at 10:30a, 11:30a and 12:30p. You’ll experience living history and what it’s like to see historic type tent avenues filled with folks sitting by the fire sharing stories and tales of battles fought and those to come. In these encampments, you’ll see cooking items from the past being used today. In fact, everything is of a historic nature, from the tents to the cots and bedrolls, buckets, pots and dishware from the past.
The Great Locomotive Chase and Civil War Battle will be held on Saturday and Sunday, May 20 & 21 and depart from the Historic Jefferson Railway in Downtown Jefferson.
The Historic Jefferson Railway recreates the battle of The Andrews Raid & Great Locomotive Chase with reenactors from the North and South. The living history camps along the Big Cypress Bayou come alive as the cannons fire and the battle rages to gain possession of the train.
The Virginia, a civil war ironclad replica complete with five working cannons, joins the skirmish firing its cannons on the banks of the Big Cypress Bayou River. Scouting probes and skirmishes can be viewed from any of the train rides scheduled on Saturday and Sunday. Train tickets are $15 Saturday and $15 Sunday plus tax (lap children free), and are available online but space is limited so get yours now.
The Andrews Raid and Great Locomotive Chase will be held on Saturday, May 20, with train rides aboard departing from the Historic Jefferson Railway in downtown Jefferson at 11a, 12:30p, and 2:30p; and Sunday, May 21 at 12:30p.
There are a lot of other activities for reenactors at the Diamond Don RV Park including living history camps, sutlers, Saturday evening Dutch Oven cook off/Potluck supper and social, judging will be at 6pm in the Pavillion, awards will be given. Saturday evening supper and social, cannon night firing and fireworks.
Reenactors are welcome to camp at the RV Park which will have a designated period camping area (included in registration) as well as modern camping (for an additional fee). The public is also welcome to camp in the modern section of the RV Park.