Huntington Beach Happenings
by: Chris MacDonald
Published: September 19, 2022
HUNTINGTON BEACH...Happy 16th Wedding Anniversary to Cheryl Coleman and Tommy Teissere of Huntington Beach.
David Fait from The City Of Huntington Beach Public Works Department Said: The Work at Springdale Street between Slater and Warner continues. Around September 24th, 2022 the paving project shall be completed.
From Patrick Brenden, Bolsa Chica Conservancy CEO... CALIFORNIA COASTAL CLEANUP DAY, Saturday, 9/17/2022, 9am-Noon Every year since 1985, the California Coastal Commission has organized Coastal Cleanup Day on a Saturday in September. The original idea for a statewide beach cleanup effort came from Oregon in 1984 and California was quick to notice and replicate the concept. For a map of locations where you can pitch in this year, go to https://bit.ly/2022CCDmap.
Huntington Beach City Historian Jerry Person presents: Remember When -
Remembering the first Civil War Days reenactment
Labor Day weekend turned out to be a real scorcher with over 100 degree weather that we have not seen for many years. It was a weekend when our residents went to the movies or a trip to a cool market or just any place they could find cooler temperature.
Huntington Central Park East was the scene for the annual Civil War reenactment between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America on Saturday and Sunday of the three-day Labor Day weekend.
Some people even braved the hot weather to go and watch the annual Civil War reenactment in Huntington Beach Central Park where actors dressed up in heavy uniforms of the North and South.
But unlike the real Civil War, these actors performed on beautiful mowed green grass and cool shade of the trees in the park.
This week I am going to remember that very first Civil War Days reenactment that took place in Huntington Beach 29 years ago. I'm sure there are still some of our residents who attended that first event in 1993 that was hosted by the Huntington Beach Historical Society.
The first Civil War Days reenactment wasn't held in Central Park as it is today, but in Bartlett Park next to the historic Newland House Museum and was the brainchild of former Huntington Beach Historical Society President Carl Clink with that first Civil War event held on November 13th and 14th, 1993 in Bartlett Park. Carl Clink had been a member of the Civil War Round Table of Orange County and had participated in other Civil War reenactments.
He wanted to bring the history of that great war to the people of Huntington Beach. Beginning with less than a hundred reenactors and a handful of tents that first reenactment brought a number of people to the park to watch the event.
Bartlett Park at that time was barren dry land of dirt and dust, much as the original soldiers who would have fought on down south.
Little do most Americans today know of the hardships these men suffered for their just cause from 1861 to 1865. It was a time when brothers fought against each other and at times even killed a member of their own family.
Ragtag army soldiers of the South march along, tired, hungry, never knowing if they would ever see their loved ones again. These soldiers were carrying their heavy, single shot rifles with bayonet attached. After a real battle, they would find dead soldiers with their rifles or muskets with several loads inside the barrel.
In that real war wives, sisters and sweethearts followed their man to help in camp. Many also saw their brothers and sweethearts killed in battle and helped to bury him far from home.
Here their men were marching into a fierce battle. In those days even a minor wound could bring death from lack of medical treatment. Many soldiers on both sides brought their wives and sisters along to help with cooking and keeping the camp more civilized.
Clink wore his Northern uniform as he made ready his army for the day's battles against the South. There were two battles with each side winning one.
At this first renactment there were only a few ladies dressed in their hoopskirts and they were not to happy about getting the bottoms of their dresses all dirty from all the dust and dirt kicked up during their walk on the hillside.
Neighbors below the mesa could hear the cannors going off along with rifle fire. I understand a few homeowners complained to the city of the noise.
The next year it was brought over to Huntington Central Park where it has grown much larger with many more actors and the ladies are not getting their dresses dirty.