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In hoop-skirted dresses and Union and Confederate soldier uniforms, Civil War buffs gathered Friday night at Fort Douglas to re-enact a moment in history a ball in a time of war.
Several dozen re-enacters and historical dancers swept across the floor, dancing reels and quadrilles, contras and country dances in the new addition to the Fort Douglas Museum on the University of Utah campus.
The Civil War Dance was a prelude to Saturday's Fort Douglas Day events on the old fort's parade grounds. Most of those dancing Friday night were members of the Old Glory Vintage Dancers and Utah Civil War Association.
Chris Dye, of Murray, said he got involved with Civil War re-enactments at age 14 because he loves history. Now, he does more dancing than re-enacting.
The lure? "Nobody does this anymore!"
Lindsey Lopez, of Cedar Hills, who dresses as a male soldier during re-enactments, wore a purple gown Friday night. "Who doesn't love to get all dressed up and fluffy?" she asked.
Lopez's soldier uniform during re-enactments, though, tells a little-known part of history: that 200 to 300 women disguised as men fought for both the North and the South in the Civil War, she said.
"Some were found out and some never were found out," said Rachel Crane, of Heber City, co-president of the women's auxiliary for the Utah Civil War Association, which is based at the Fort Douglas Museum. She wore a hand-made brown cotton gown and ringlets.
Crane got into re-enacting after her friend and co-president, Amanda Jones, of Heber City, asked her for help making a dress authentic to the Civil War period.
Jones grew up doing re-enactments in Kentucky, "so I'm just carrying on the family tradition," she said.
Kimberli Grant, of Sandy, a founder of Old Glory Vintage Dancers, called the steps Friday night as she moved about in her pink satin dress. She stitched the ball gown from 40 yards of fabric. It weighs 14 pounds, she said.
"This is probably the fluffiest dress I own," she said.
Grant teared up as she described moving from Georgia to Utah five years ago. "We miss the South," she said. "This was something we could bring with us."
Ephriam Dickson, curator of the Fort Douglas Museum, said the museum is trying to build more ties with area residents to help spread word of its existence. "Most people don't even know the museum exists," he said.
The new addition was funded with private, state and federal money, and $100,000 was donated to design the exhibit space, which will occur over the next year. Donations also will be sought for the exhibits, he said.
"This was a Civil War fort," said Dickson, sweeping a hand toward the old fort's parade grounds. "It was the gentile center, the seat of federal power in Utah."
Fort Douglas, created during the Civil War, was declared surplus property in 1947 and eventually, most of it was transferred to the university. Army, Navy and Marine reserves still have offices at the old fort, however.
Fort Douglas Day
P The Fort Douglas Military Museum will host Fort Douglas Day-Preserve the Legacy from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the fort's parade grounds, 32 Potter St., in Salt Lake City. There will be a Civil War encampment, vintage military vehicle parade and recognition of all veterans at noon, and displays of World War I and World War II equipment. An anti-tank cannon will be fired throughout the day.