CIVIL WAR DAYS: Interacting reenactment

Jennifer Mulvey has two uniforms.

The one she wears most often has a collared shirt, arm patch and a shiny brass badge.

But this weekend she will exchange it for a hoop skirt, corset and apron.

Mulvey, a front desk officer at the Newport Beach Police Department, transforms into Mrs. Ealasiad “Elsie” Mulvey, an Irish servant at the Johnson Oak Inn, when she and the other members of the Historical Citizens Assn. attend Civil War reenactments throughout the region.

This weekend, the group will be at the large Huntington Beach Civil War Days event. Mulvey and her friends will set up shop over 4,000 square feet to create their makeshift Inn, and will spend the entire weekend in character, from their frocks to their phrasing to their food.

“I’m having the time of my life,” Mulvey said. “I didn’t even know people did this kind of thing. This is the closest group of friends I’ve ever had.”

The Historical Citizens Assn. was founded in 2006; Mulvey found out about it through a costume college she was involved with.

Rebecca Thelin, the group’s founding president, first got involved in reenacting in 1999, when she attended the Huntington Beach event.

“I came and watched the first battle, and I was in the next three,” she said.

“They dress you up and let you fire a gun, and then you’re hooked.”

After a few years disguised as a male soldier, Thelin decided she wanted to “look pretty,” she said.

She and her friend Marcela Vargas noticed there wasn’t much of a civilian presence in the battle-heavy events. So Vargas formed her own group, Winstontown; Thelin was one of her first members.

Vargas was diagnosed with cancer and died in 2005. Winstontown took a different direction in its approach to reenactment afterward, so Thelin and some other members founded their own organization in 2006.

The 2007 Huntington Beach Civil War Days was the Historical Citizens Assn.’s first event.

It now has more than 25 members, and is neutral — it outwardly supports neither the North nor the South.

“We have friends on both sides,” Thelin said.

She said her favorite aspects of reenactment are researching the everyday life of the period and being able to share that life with the general public through her character, Miss Violet Johnson, the inn’s proprietor.

The group’s account is that their town became the site of a Civil War battle; following a questionable fire, the inn burned down, and the staff now works out of canvas tents.

A teacher conducts lessons for children — both reenactors and visitors who drop in — and meals are still served with china and silver.

“We want to do a good impression,” Thelin said.

This weekend, they will join other groups in the civilian area like the American Anti-Slavery Society, which conducts rallies featuring Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman.

For Mulvey, the highlight is being able to run away for a weekend, turn off the cellphone and “just be silly,” she said.

She also loves the strong sense of community at the events; with no television and Internet to distract reenactors, they interact with each other.

“It’s something that we’ve lost in society,” fellow reenactor Jennifer Kautto said.

Her favorite element of reenacting is shared by many other participants.

“I enjoy dressing up, because I never did as a kid,” she said.

But reenacting isn’t all about pagoda sleeves and cage crinolines.

The Huntington Beach event includes live weapons demonstration, battle reenactments, troop encampments and sutlers, merchants selling period-inspired clothing wares.

Food and refreshment sales benefit the Huntington Beach Historical Society; the event is one of their major fundraising efforts.

Saturday’s events include a 1:30 p.m. battle, living history weapons demonstration at 2:30, and an evening battle at 4, followed by a twilight concert.

A church service will begin at 8 a.m. Sunday, followed by more revelry throughout the day.

Thelin, Kautto and Mulvey urged interested visitors to drop by the civilian area to ask questions and learn more about the Civil War — or how to get involved.

“All you have to do is start talking to us, and we’ll suck you in,” Mulvey quipped.

The worst part of reenacting?

“The heat,” the three all said in unison.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Huntington Beach Civil War Days

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Central Park, behind the library off Gothard Street between Slater and Talbert avenues

COST: Free to attend

INFORMATION: (714) 969-8928 or hbhistory@aol.com

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CANDICE BAKER can be reached at (714) 966-64631 or at candice.baker@latimes.com.