Huntington Beach, home to Civil War reenactments, hosts a rare Revolutionary War event
It was a quiet Saturday morning at Central Park in Huntington Beach. A thick fog had engulfed the grassy area behind the library, where people were busy setting up tents and booths.
“Fire in the hole!”
The park was rocked by two booming cannon shots and applause, signifying the start to the Revolutionary War reenactment hosted by the Huntington Beach Historical Society.
The society is known for the large Civil War reenactment it hosts every Labor Day weekend at Central Park. The group also organizes a Presidents Day commemoration at the Newland House Museum, the oldest residence built in the city, but a scheduling conflict this year forced the event to be moved to Central Park, said Darrell Rivers, president of the historical society.
However, when word spread that the Presidents Day event was at Central Park this year, the commemoration quickly turned into a two-day event with battle reenactments.
“People all over the world wanted to come to it since they know we run a good event with our Civil War Days,” Rivers said.
During the Civil War reenactments, the historical society finds someone to portray Abraham Lincoln. For Saturday’s revolution, the group had Benjamin Franklin, who was played by Orem, Utah, resident Gregg Hardy.
Hardy, who made the trek to Huntington Beach with his wife and son, said he thought that Southern California had a Revolutionary War reenactment about 20 years ago.
“It’s a delight to see something like this come back to Southern California, especially now when people have questions about how we became Americans,” he said. “Bringing this back to life is important.”
Rivers said he is looking to make the Revolutionary War reenactment an annual event should its popularity support such a commitment.
About 200 people participated over the weekend. This number compares to the 800 reenactors who flock to Central Park during the Civil War reenactments.
Otherwise the two events are not that different.
The distance between the colonists’ and British campsites was about 40 yards, whereas the campsites for the Union and Confederate armies are about 100 yards apart. And though the reeactors pay homage to different periods of time, their enthusiasm for history is equal — as is the enthusiasm of the guests.
Dozens of visitors asked the Revolutionary War reenactors questions about their clothing, equipment and the battles that took place during the eight-year conflict, also known as the War of Independence.
The sound of musket shots and the smell of sulfur filled the foggy air as other reenactors tested their vintage firearms before going into battle.
The Revolutionary War reenactment is personal for Rivers. His grandmother, Maureen Rivers, started organizing the reenactments in Huntington Beach in the early 1990s, favoring the revolution over the Civil War because of her Lexington, Mass., roots. But the Civil War events are the ones that caught on.
Maureen died on Jan. 30. To honor her, the first battle of the weekend, the Battle of Lexington, was dedicated to her, Rivers said.
That morning, reenactors finished putting on the costumes they either bought or custom-made. Arthur Mayhew, 42, of Rosamond donned a red British Army uniform and was eating a non-period glazed donut for breakfast.
Mayhew, a former Marine, said he has participated in numerous reenactments since he was a teen. He has also been part of the Civil War reenactments at Central Park since 1998.
Though he enjoys keeping the history of these periods alive, Mayhew said wearing the costumes can sometimes be a hassle.
“Certain clothing compresses the lower back,” he said. “Ten to 20 years ago it didn’t affect me, but now it’s a pain.”
Meanwhile, at the American side of the battlegrounds, Fullerton resident Sam Kamau was practicing a period dance that he would be performing with several other people later in the day. It was his second time participating in a reenactment.
Kamau, 28, had on nearly all period-appropriate clothing except for his tan sneakers, which he said he wore to ensure that he did not slip during the performance and could be comfortable.
“If I’m going to be standing, I want to be comfortable,” he said with a laugh. “Heels on those old shoes suck. I gotta keep my swag.”
