Timely Civil War Exhibits in Kansas City, Missouri

 Don’t miss two timely exhibits commemorating the American Civil War in our region.

Guerrillas in our Midst

An exhibit entitled “Guerrillas in our Midst” is currently on display at the Kansas City Public Library’s Central Branch at 14 West 10th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105. The exhibit is located on the fifth floor near the Missouri Valley Special Collections room. The exhibit will be on display until December 29, 2013. Parking is free on the weekends and one hour is free if you park in the garage west of the Library and get the parking ticket validated inside the Library.

Here is the Library’s description of the exhibit

Before and during the Civil War, Confederate guerrillas – men like William Clarke Quantrill, “Bloody Bill” Anderson, and Frank and Jesse James – battled federal troops and Jayhawker irregulars along the Missouri-Kansas border.

That brutal era comes to life in Guerrillas in Our Midst, an original exhibit of drawings and photographs from the Library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections. It covers not only the war but also its aftermath, when former bushwhackers like the James brothers turned to outlawry.

Featured are portraits of these colorful personalities, both as youths and old men; engravings of major events such as the raid on Lawrence, Kansas, and the assassination of Jesse James; and vintage photographs

Most, if not all of the portraits on display at the library are also available online in the library’s digital gallery.

Order No. 11: Martial Law on the Missouri Border

An exhibit entitled “Order No. 11: Martial Law on the Missouri Border” is currently on display at The Box Gallery in downtown Kansas City, Missouri on the first floor of the Downtown Crossing (former Arcade) of the Commerce Bank Building at 1000 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106. The exhibit runs through October 25, 2013. Park in the building garage and get the parking ticket validated at the Guards/Information desk.

Here is The Box Gallery’s description of the exhibit

An exhibition in downtown Kansas City outlines a tragic period in western Missouri’s history during the Civil War.

Created by Wide Awake Films, the exhibition includes Civil War-era objects and reproductions, map graphics, an original portrait of two Missouri sisters caught in the war, a reproduction sculpture of a Civil War-era handcart, and a video that elaborates on the display.

“Instead of focusing on the Civil War’s battle strategy and weapons, we designed the exhibition to emphasize the community impact.  The war along the Kansas/Missouri border was fought in a very modern style and civilians were often its targets,” states Shane Seley of Wide Awake Films.  “We really wanted to focus on the societal disruption that inevitably trails war and conflict.  This may have happened over 150 years ago but it’s relevant today, especially when you look at what’s going on in places like Syria and Egypt.”

Last changed: Sep 17 2013 at 1:06 PM