Hurricane's Civil War days return with re-enactment

HURRICANE, W.Va. — Hurricane’s Valley Park is turning nostalgic this weekend as the 11th Annual Civil War Weekend celebration begins.

Linda Bush, director of the Putnam Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the agency’s staff has been busy this week answering phone calls and e-mails with requests from across the country to participate in the three-day weekend event at the park, which is located on Valley Park Road off W.Va. 34.

Past re-enactments have included as many as 370 registered re-enactors from up to 17 states.

“Everyone looks forward to this event being the first (re-enactment) of the year,” Bush said. “It’s just like a big family reunion.”

Hurricane Development and Tourism Manager Brenda Campbell said the event has a positive impact on the community because it brings a lot of out-of-state visitors to town, some for the first time.

“They’ll get to shop and visit the stores and learn about our area. And hopefully they’ll return.”

In addition to scheduled activities, there will be food, clothing and time period vendors selling their wares. An educational wagon from the West Virginia University Extension Service also will be on hand providing candle-dipping demonstrations and a variety of hands-on activities.

“We just hope that we have wonderful weather and a safe event,” Bush said. “It should be a wonderful weekend.”