What the Civil War Looks Like To A 4 Year Old | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Fresno, CA Four-year old Carter Chitiva has grown up visiting Civil War reenactments with his mother.

"I wanted to teach my children history the easy way and I think history the easy way is living it," said Elisa Chitiva. And feeling it!

Carter is so captivated with these mock skirmishes taking place at Kearney Park he barely had time to explain to me how this simple kids game from the 1800's was played.

"You catch the ball in here," I asked him. "No,' he said, 'When it's done I get to shoot them!"

This type of fascination and curiosity is what these civil war buffs hope catch young and old minds alike. This annual outing is one of the largest 'Living History Studies' in California.

Civil War actor: Michael Maurier from Palo Alto: "California had some of the most notable participants were in the regular army in the garrisons out here at the time when things got under way. Grant, for instance, was posted here."

The Fresno Historical Society said 'Revisiting the Civil War' is so successful, they're considering adding a new event to their calendar: the 'Living History of the Central Valley."

Jill Moffet, executive director of the Fresno Historical Society: "We're looking at maybe moving the Civil War event to the late Spring and staging the newer one in the Fall."

Moffet said the new event will show what makes the Valley a vital contributor to the agricultural industry.

Meanwhile Carter, who did not want our camera to leave, will most likely have to wait until Spring 2011 to revisit Kearney Park and the Civil War.