In 1995, George and Diane Bernheimer began bringing the people of our past into the present, with their portrayals of the men and women of the United States Sanitary Commission; the organization that provided comfort, and support to Union troops during the American Civil War. They have since added other portrayals to their portfolio, including those from the Kansas territorial period of 1854 to 1861. Their portrayals are usually not of the “famous” people of our history, but are commonly of those men and women who were ordinary people living in extraordinary times. Whoever is being portrayed, the goal is to always give the audience a historically accurate, entertaining, and an educational presentation, designed to introduce the characters, and to give the audience a better understanding of the times that these people of our history lived in.
The Bernheimer’s live in Topeka, Kansas and are members of the|Kansas Alliance of Professional Historic Performers|,|8th Kansas Volunteer Infantry (Civil War)|,|Missouri Civil War Reenactors Association|,|National Park Service Volunteers-In-Parks|, Civil War Roundtable of Northeast Kansas, and are listed with the|Civil War Preservation Trust|as Classroom Visitors.
Their first person portrayals of the people of our history are presented to schools, civic groups, church groups, historical interest groups, and as part of living history programs at historical sites, and other living history venues. Venues for their portrayals have included: Constitution Hall Kansas Historic Site, Fort Scott National Historic Site, Nathan Scarritt House Historic Site, Shawnee Indian Mission School Historic Site, Shawnee Town Museum, The John Wornall House Museum, The National Frontier Trails Museum, and the Watkins Museum.
Last Site Revision January, 2011
Icon Photograph Courtesy of Anna Surface
www.SurfaceandSurfacePhotography.com
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