Step back in time: Civil War reenactor will performs Thursday Zearing Heritage Hall

Ronna Faaborg, Ames Tribune
·2 min read
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Reenactor O.J. Fargo will present the program “Just Before the Battle, Mother — A Visit from a Civil War Soldier" at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Dakins Community Center, 105 E. Main St., Zearing.
Reenactor O.J. Fargo will present the program “Just Before the Battle, Mother — A Visit from a Civil War Soldier" at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Dakins Community Center, 105 E. Main St., Zearing.

The Zearing Heritage Room is welcoming a Civil War reenactor for a free program at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Performer and historian O.J. Fargo will present “Just Before the Battle, Mother — A Visit from a Civil War Soldier” at the Dakins Community Center, 105 E. Main St. in Zearing.

The program will begin with an overview of Iowa’s involvement in the Civil War and will end with a chance for guests to search the roster of Iowa Civil War soldiers, which could include their ancestors.

“History is not a cut-and-dried science and is open to many opinions and interpretations. Seeing people of all ages gathering facts then applying their own experience to draw their own conclusions is an exciting concept to me,” Fargo said. “Research says that the closer the topic is to learners of any age, mentally or physically and the more actively involved they are in their own learning them more they will learn and the more excited they will become.”

The audience is encouraged to ask Fargo questions while he remains in character as a Union Army soldier in full uniform.

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Reenactor O.J. Fargo will present the program “Just Before the Battle, Mother — A Visit from a Civil War Soldier" at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Dakins Community Center, 105 E. Main St., Zearing.
Reenactor O.J. Fargo will present the program “Just Before the Battle, Mother — A Visit from a Civil War Soldier" at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Dakins Community Center, 105 E. Main St., Zearing.

Maintaining Civil War authenticity

Fargo focuses on an individual soldier’s experience during his program.

“I specialize in what common folk, like myself, would be doing rather than the traditional study of big events or prominent people,” he said.

Fargo has presented more than 100 history sessions in Iowa communities and has written three books. A retired social studies consultant and director of support services at Green Valley AEA in Creston, he has served on many state historical committees, been a history lecturer and researcher, and served as an adjunct professor for Buena Vista University and Southwestern Community College.

Fargo began re-enacting historical scenes as a hobby in 1993, which allowed him to indulge his love of history and interact with fellow enthusiasts.

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He is president of the Army of the Southwest, a Waukee-based organization of Civil War reenactors.

Fargo’s most recent project is the production of four CD-ROMs containing 320,000 pages of searchable text and 10,000 pictures.

He will have a full, searchable roster of all men who served in and from Iowa in the Civil War on Thursday. Participants will be able to check for ancestors who served and gather data on regiments or Iowa Civil War military in general.

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Reenactor O.J. Fargo will present the program “Just Before the Battle, Mother — A Visit from a Civil War Soldier" at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Dakins Community Center, 105 E. Main St., Zearing.
Reenactor O.J. Fargo will present the program “Just Before the Battle, Mother — A Visit from a Civil War Soldier" at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Dakins Community Center, 105 E. Main St., Zearing.

Ames Tribune reporter Ronna Faaborg can be reached at rlawless@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Civil War reenactor O.J. Fargo to speak in Zearing Thursday night