Seven Springs making preparations for festival
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on May 8, 2005 2:05 AM
SEVEN SPRINGS -- There's going to be war here this summer.
The Seven Springs Historical Society and the Andrews Battery Civil War re-enactors will be on hand for the upcoming Ole Timey Days festival.
Bobby and Karen Mozingo, who are members of both organizations, are helping plan the event, which will run from June 10 to 12, with a Civil War encampment beginning around noon that Friday at the River House on Main Street in Seven Springs. The re-enactors will remain encamped until 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 12.
Saturday, June 11, will be the big day of the three. Events will open with a ceremony at 10 a.m. in front of the River House. The ceremony will be held to honor a Korean soldier from Seven Springs who is still missing in action.
The speaker will be Stephen Holmes, whose family has been long time residents of Seven Springs. Holmes is with the 26th North Carolina re-enactors, and he lives in Mebane. His grandmother is Geneva Dawson, who still lives in Seven Springs.
Present will be four batteries of Civil War artillery, several infantries and the Navy.
Mozingo said so far the 7th, the 27th and 51st infantries have committed to participate. But he expects to see more.
Mrs. Mozingo said a Civil War field hospital will be on display, and her husband said there will be on-going demonstrations, including infantry drills.
There will be plenty of food at both ends of Main Street. Turkey dinners will be sold at the Seven Springs Restaurant to benefit the town. At the River House will be barbecued pork by the sandwich or by the tray, hot dogs, all kinds of snacks and soft drinks.
Proceeds will go to benefit the Seven Springs Museum, which is nearing completion.
At 1 p.m. on Saturday will be a period fashion show, which will be held under a tent in front of the River House.
At 2 p.m. on Saturday will be a narrated re-enactment of the Battle of Whitehall on both sides of the Whitehall Bridge.
Vendors will have plenty of Civil War memorabilia. The Mozingoes said at least four have already committed. One is a man from Greenville who can create a doll to look like anybody you want it to resemble. Another vendor does hand carvings of the blockade runners and ironclad ships, including the CSS Neuse, which was built at Whitehall.
At 1 p.m. on Sunday, the town will dedicate Whitehall Landing, its new Civil War park, which is designated as an official stop on the state's Civil War Trail. A monument is being erected in the park, with one side dedicated to prisoners of war and those missing in action from all wars. On the other side of the monument will be two flags crossing each other. One is the U.S. flag, and the other is the First National Flag of the Confederacy. The 13 circling stars stand for those southern states that seceded from the Union.
The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 272 of Greenville helped pay for the monument, said Mrs. Mozingo. She and her husband are members of this organization, too.
"It's not just for the South. It's for both sides," said Bobby Mozingo. "It says something to the effect that we were brothers and cousins, but one had to be conquered, and the other had to conquer."
Vendors are welcome and can call Mrs. Mozingo at 569-1581. Booths are $15, $25 if you will need electricity. Food vendors must meet Wayne County Health Department specifications and be prepared to be inspected.