You don’t have to go all the way to Pennsylvania to release your American history geek. Once a year, Gibson Ranch Regional Park puts on a Civil War reenactment for students, families and history lovers to get an up-close look at the harsh realities of American life in the 1860s. This year’s exhibit, spanning the weekend of May 3 and 4, will be focusing on the Battle of the Wilderness, fought in Virginia. Reenactors will bring the battle to life through realistic and detailed uniforms, guns, explosions and smoke, horses, cannons and more. And the action isn’t just limited to the battlefield. Gibson Ranch also recreates army camps and small villages, complete with parades, speeches by “President Abraham Lincoln” and “Gen. Robert E. Lee,” and live period music. This event is a thorough, earnest and exciting reproduction of one of the most important eras in American history.
Why does the Civil War capture the imaginations of so many Americans? Find out for yourself by visiting Gibson Ranch and seeing the history right before you. For more information, see here.
What: Civil War Days Experience
When: Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sunday, May 4, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Where: Gibson Ranch Regional Park, 8556 Gibson Ranch Road, Elverta
Cost: General $7, Children (Ages 10 and under) free
