I realize that, working at a history center, we usually spend our time digging into…well…history! But, these days, a lot of activities taking place at KHS are focusing not only on the past but also on the future.Though 2010 has only just begun but we at KHS have actually been looking at 2011 for quite a while now.
2011 is the Civil War Sesquicentennial – the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. Kentucky’s role in this struggle was a defining event for people throughout the entire state.
This commemoration is a prime opportunity to rekindle an interest in a vital time in Kentucky’s history, to provide educational opportunities for both young folks and adults alike, and to perhaps assist historians and scholars dig further and attain new depths of understanding about this event.
In order to help foster the Historical Society’s participation in the sesquicentennial, the KHS library has been doing what we can to build our collections centering on the Civil War.
One of the newest and most extensive collections that we’ve recently added has me particularly excited: the complete set of The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
I’ll quote part of a wonderful description of this set which I found online:
“128 volumes of the Official Records provide the most comprehensive, authoritative, and voluminous reference on Civil War operations. The reports contained in the Official Records are those of the principal leaders who fought the battles and then wrote their assessments days, weeks, and sometimes months later. The Official Records are thus the eyewitness accounts of the veterans themselves.”
You can read more about this series here:http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/sources/records/about.cfm
In addition, we have also obtained the 52 volume set of the Southern Historical Society Papers, a wonderful compliment to the above series.
Morningside Press gives a very good synopsis of this collection:
http://www.morningsidebooks.com/cgi/bookshop/mspress.cgi?vs=socpapers
These are wonderful collections which we’re eager to share with the community! We don’t circulate materials but our library reading room provides a wonderful atmosphere for study and research.
So, come spend some time digging your own new depths of understanding with this marvelous Civil War collection.
As always, if you have questions, feel free to call or e-mail me at any time:
Sally Bown
Sally.bown@ky.gov
502-564-1792 x4496
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