Lori Forgay of the Denton Record-Chronicle informed readers last week of a book concerning Texas Civil War monuments.  “In Sacred Memories: The Civil War Monument Movement in Texas,” author Kelly McMichael explains what Civil War monuments meant to the people who erected them in Texas.  After travelling to all 68 of the major Texas Civil War monuments, McMichael examines their history and what the monuments symbolize.  McMichael also examines the controversery that is involved with all monuments, for trying to tell one side of a multi-faceted story.  McMichael’s book is available through amazon.com.

The infamous location of Lincoln’s assassination, Ford’s Theatre, reopened its doors in February with a dual functionality: theatre and museum.  The Ford’s Theatre Society along with its partner the National Park Service renovated the historic Washington DC landmark, adding a 7,000 square foot exhibit which memorializes Abraham Lincoln, and restoring the theater to its appearance on the evening of April 14, 1865–the night John Wilkes Booth killed Lincoln.  The memorial exhibit offers patrons an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the presidential tenure of Abraham Lincoln through mini exhibits that document his endeavors beginning with his inaugural train ride and ending with his funeral precession.  Additionally, the balcony where Lincoln sat has been completely restored and will remain as a permanent exhibit within the actual theater.

If you find yourself planning a tour of our nation’s capital, you should definitely add the Ford’s Theatre to your list of sites to see.  However, if you don’t see yourself making the trip, I suggest you check out the society’s virtual tour.  For more information you should look over the New York Times’ review of the theater as well as the accompanying slideshow of digital photographs.

The Nashville Business Journal informed readers yesterday morning of the newly set plan to re-inter an unknown Civil War soldier found at a construction site near Franklin, Tennessee.  Those who have studied the soldier are unclear about which side he fought for, because of an amalgamation of uniforms.  Though, it seems fairly clear that the soldier was probably killed at the Battle of Franklin, in late November of 1864.  Yet, nonetheless, they know that he needs a proper burial.  “We have to go through some legal procedures … before we can re-bury him,” explains the man in charge of the re-burial, Sam Grant.  Because of such obstacles, the soldier will not be able to reach his final resting place until October, at the Rest Haven Cemetery.  Such work by men like Sam Grant, continues the fight to preserve and honor our past.

This weekend, the 18th and 19th of July, the National Park Service will hold an artillery demonstration at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, the Charleston Daily Mail informed readers this morning. The display is to show viewers how Stonewall Jackson’s men took the Union arsenal in the Battle of Harpers Ferry, in 1862. Also, there will be a demonstration concerning Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, informing the guests about the battle. These are just a few of these programs offered at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, a great place to visit.

The Smithsonian recently brought their Civil War collection to the internet.  The site allows users to view the different exhibits from the comfort of their own homes.  Each exhibit displays an image as well as a relevant description of the artifact.  The exhibits deal with issues such as slavery and abolition, soldiering, and leaders.  Additionally, the Smithsonian created a timeline section that follows the course of historical events beginning with John Brown’s raid in 1859 and ending with the convictions of the Lincoln assassination conspirators in 1865.  Also, the site lists a set of resources for each exhibit which includes general reference material, websites, and printed materials.  As expected (from the Smithsonian) this website smashes a home run when it comes to making history engaging and accessible.

If you are interested in spending a semester away from your home institution but don’t feel like heading for western Europe, and are a Civil War buff, the Gettysburg Semester is probably right for you.  The Gettysburg Semester, directed by Lincoln Scholar Allen C. Guelzo, is a semester designed to dive students into Civil War Era studies at Gettysburg College.  The Semester offers an array of courses dealing with the American Civil War, including a “field studies course,” in which students explore the many battlefields not far from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  The Gettysburg Semester is a great alternative to the traditional study abroad semesters offered by many colleges.

Twitter is the latest craze on the internet and its reach already extends across countless aspects of society, from news reports to celebrity gossip. It is only natural that the 140-character phenomenon would extend into the historical realm with TwHistory.

TwHistory is using the Twitter niche to tell history’s stories in a new and interesting way. As a tool, the team behind TwHistory argues that Twitter can be used to tell individual stories in a day-by-day format. Their current project is the Battle of Gettysburg and individuals currently “tweeting” include Abraham Lincoln, George Meade, and Edward P. Alexander. TwHistory is still a work in progress and is always looking for more volunteers.

A free Twitter account is required to view TwHistory’s publications and while you are at it don’t forget to use the service to follow the House Divided project.

With Lincoln Productions combines the acting talents of Michael Krebs and Debra Ann Miller to recreate moments in the life of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln.  The group has performed for the History Channel, news casts, schools, and special events; however, its most popular reenactment remains the “Lincoln Douglas Debates from 1858,” a series sponsored by C-Span.  Located on the With Lincoln Productions’ page is a section highlighting the Galesburg Debate reenactment with several short clips from the three hour event.  Although filmed in 1994, the video represents the most realistic interpretation of Lincoln as he would have appeared in 1858.  Also, the debate itself offers thorough orations from both Lincoln and Douglas as this reenactment follows the three hour format established by the two politicians.  As an added bonus, the site houses a link to the C-Span video library where you can watch a full version of the debate on flash (you may need to update your flash player), or you may simply purchase the DVD.  This is another great site for those of us looking to learn more about the debates.

Interested in all things Lincoln?  The city of Ottawa, Illinois’ webpage houses a pdf entitled The OttawaLincoln Knew.  This file pulls most of its information from Aletia Tisler’s book, “Lincoln was Here,” using only facts and anecdotes pertinent to the town of Ottawa.  Although the section focuses mainly upon the Lincoln-Douglas debate that took place there in 1858, it also showcases Lincoln’s first meeting with Douglas in the courtroom.  At the bottom of the file, the site includes a map of modern day Illinois with location markers that specify places made famous by Lincoln’s presence.  This site would be especially helpful for someone trying to create a unique family vacation seeped in history.

House Divided is a great place to learn more about the Lincoln Douglas Debates.  Through the Lincoln Douglas Major Topic Page, you can search by different events, such as by individual debates.  One such debate was the fourth, held in Charleston, Illinois. By searching through the Fourth Debate’s event page, one can find modern scholarship by prolific writer David Herbert Donald; people, places, and documents involved.  Also included is a word cloud generated by Wordle displaying the top fifty words spoken during the debate, offering a new perspective on an old debate.  House Divided offers ample important information on these nation defining debates.