Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

[tomarch]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

Being born in Canada and raised in So. Cal. there's not a whole lot of C.W. connection for a young kid like myself in '63. I was nuts over anything military and used to pester Navy and Air Force recruiters for stuff (mainly cool photos). One day the Navy recruiter gave me a couple of small comic books on the history of the U.S.Navy during the Civil Way and I immediatly fell in love w/ ironclads! a few weekends later we were visiting "Gramma West" in Pismo Beach and I found her original set of "Miller's Photographic History of the Civil War" That was IT!! Hooked forever......

[ArtilleryNick]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

I had visited Gettysburg a few times on family trips, and a school field trip in the 5th grade or so really did it for me. Add to that the thrill of having seen Civil War Artillery demonstrations the year prior, and I was hooked. From that point on, I've been extremally interested in the Civil War. It was 9 years ago at a Memorial Day fair in Boalsburg, PA where I once again saw artillery being done. Up to this point, I had been thinking over a local infantry group, but the thrill of the big guns drew me in. It's been the last couple years where I've been trying to upgrade the way I present my self thanks to all the great info on here.

[Milliron]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

I was always interested in history, but when I was ten or so, I was introduced to my now best friend John. John was very interested in the ACW and had relatives who fought for both sides. He had some Britains miniatures of the Civil war and brought some issues of CWTI and I was forever hooked. That, and The Golden Book of the Civil War and I became a maven for going on thirty-plus years now.

[hiplainsyank]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

We went to Gettysburg when I was 8 years old for summer vacation and I was hooked. My parents encouraged my interest by purchasing the (I think American Heritage) Civil War book--the one with the way cool maps that had the little soldiers drawn on them--for getting all As in fourth grade. My mom also put an ad in the Yankee Magazine swap column offering to paint slates in exchange for small relics for a child. I still remember that a Mr. Corette, I believe, from NH sent me three post-war state buttons for free to further my interest. Every time we went to my mom's parents for Sunday dinner, I would study the pictures in Frasanito's Gettysburg: A Journey in Time, and wonder if I would ever read books as thick as Shelby Foote's The Civil War.

But I have joked that my first time to Gettysburg was when my mom was 7-8 months pregnant with me. Perhaps taking Gettysburg water in utero did the trick?

Nice thread.

[47thNYReb]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

My brother ignited my spark in the Civil War. Of course his spark almost ended my life (at six years old!) on the Chickamauga battlefield when I was thrown from a horse while on the guided tour. I managed to find the only rock and landed with my head on it. After that, it seemed to be the only thing that we had in common. I still remember the really cheesy uniforms that he made for us to wear to the Olustee reenactment every year. They made the CC special look hardcore, but the reenactors were really cool to us. I guess kids with plastic swords, gray jeans, and a shell jacket are still okay as long as they are showing an interest. The final nudge was watching Glory in a theater full of men in wool. I began saving my pennies. The rest is history, albeit a very expensive history. Of course, I still manage to keep a few buttons to pass out to kids with plastic swords who come by our camp.

[Mutt]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

I've told what added up to my "dressing up and sweating my butt off in 90+ degree heat" story many times but not here.

I was between 7 and 9 when friends of the family were cleaning out their old books from their house. Most were from the series many of us see volumes from, put out by The National Geographic Society in 1969. One in the series was "The Civil War" another "The Revolutionary War". I think it was the uniforms, cannon and beautiful photos compounded with my cross referencing in my head the "old time-ness" feel I got from the books and my trips to the local Hopewell Furnace.

I'd lug those books to school everyday, take them out at break time, try to pull my friends over show how cool that guy looked. I was hooked from then on. As I got older I watched Glory, then read Killer Angels and so on. Bought my first "kepi" at Disney World along with a musket heh. Here I am now, addicted to military history, Americana, and old stuff. :)

Best,

[sf46]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

I've pretty much been interested in the Civil War for as far back in my life as I can remember. Once I joined the Sons of Confederate Veterans, my interest grew even more. I learned more at SCV events and meetings and later decided to get into reenacting from there.

[English Doc]

Re: Tracing your CW interest catalyst...

I was bitten in my home country (England) in the early '60's (1960's!)

With my pocket money (allowance, in US Parlance) I used to buy ABC bubble gum cards - I can remember some of the gory (read appealing to kids!) pictures they had on them and the big PLUS! free money!

My interest never waned. Studied the history of battle, regiments, personalities and then when I left the Army 'stumbled' upon a re-enactment! The difference between then and now is vast - but great (expensive!!) fun it has been getting to this point in time!