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Civil War Weekend comes to Liendo Plantation
HEMPSTEAD - Liendo plantation was built in 1853 by Leonard Waller Groce, the son of Jared Groce, on what was originally a Spanish land grant of 67,000 acres. Liendo - named for land grant holder Justo Liendo - is one of Texas’ earliest cotton plantations.
This year on Nov. 22 and 23, the weekend before Thanksgiving, the recognized Texas historic landmark is the site of an annual “battle,” drawing nearly 1,000 living history reenactors. On Nov. 21 there will be a living history school day for area elementary and junior high schools.
Connie Hamilton’s “day job” is as a primary school teacher in Alvin, but camp life transforms her into a farmer’s wife of the 1800s.
“I enjoy the unique setting reenacting provides to demonstrate the details and routines of 19th century America,” she said. “I can see enthusiasm and imagination in the faces of both the children and adults as we have conversations about our camp setting and the civilian life of people in that era. They are having fun while learning.” Susan Gibson of Waller started reenacting 10 years ago upon meeting her husband, Wil Gibson, brigadier general of the 11th Texas Cavalry.
“Liendo is special to me because it has so much to see and do. The plantation house gives you that true period of time we are in during the civil war event and the demonstrators all throughout the lawn area are incredible,” she said. “The school day on Friday when the school kids come for the Living History is a lesson that can’t be duplicated in a classroom.”
Cannons, Agar Coffee Mill machine gun, black-powder weapons, period musicians, a blacksmith, horses, and men lined up for battle - this is not your average history classroom.
For a brief time after the War, Liendo, served as headquarters for General George Armstrong Custer, who disobeyed Federal orders to burn the home to the ground because the family had been kind to he and his wife.
Reenactors of all ages speak of Liendo as a special place: the house, the grounds, the actual historical import of the plantation.
“My favorite memory of reenacting is the first time I went to Liendo. We drove in late Friday night. Camp fires glowed, silhouetting the tents and casting shadows in the trees. A blanket of smoke hovered above the camp and, when I got out of the truck, I could hear low, muffled voices of men and the shuffling of restless horses moving on tether lines. It was really like stepping back in time,” Connie Hamilton reminisced.
Lt. Michael Bunch said, “ This year on November 21st, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., area school children will attend as a historical and educational field trip. We demonstrate to the students the aspects of civilian and military life in the mid-19 th century. The event is then presented to the public on Nov. 22 and 23, Saturday and Sunday, in order to demonstrate U.S. and Texas history during this era.”
The gates open at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday for the public and the battles are at 2 p.m. both days. Seniors 55 and up and children ages 7 to 12 pay $5; everyone else, $10.
“We usually have about 1,000 re-reenactors who portray the cavalry, infantry, artillery, and medical branches of service on both the U.S. and C.S. sides,” Lt. Bunch explained. “We all work very hard to present this living history weekend in order to earn funds to preserve historical civil war sites, offer history students at college a small scholarship and to support the Civil War Museum located in Spring.”
The restored Liendo Plantation House opens its doors for guided public tours during the living history weekend for an additional fee of $5 per person. Besides its distinction as a historic landmark in this state, Liendo also is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was the home of world-renowned sculptor Elizabet Ney.
B.G. Gibson said. “The Will Detering family (Liendo’s owners) are heroes in their own right. Today Mr. Detering opens his yard and home to the people of Texas every November, the weekend before Thanksgiving and allows some 1,000 living historians to camp on his front lawn and throws open the doors of his antebellum home for all to see.”
Liendo Plantation is in Hempstead, 55 miles west of Houston off U.S 290. Coming from Houston take Highway 290 north, exit FM 1488 and turn right on FM 1488, about ¾ of a mile then turn right onto Wyatt Chapel Road. The gate to the plantation will be well marked about one mile on the right. Follow the signs.
This event will occur rain or shine. Additional information is available on www.liendoplantation.com or www.11texascav.org or by call (979) 826-3126 or 281-443-2602. The event is sponsored by the Historic Liendo Plantation and the 11th TX Cavalry HQ Inc., both non-profit organizations.
This year on Nov. 22 and 23, the weekend before Thanksgiving, the recognized Texas historic landmark is the site of an annual “battle,” drawing nearly 1,000 living history reenactors. On Nov. 21 there will be a living history school day for area elementary and junior high schools.
Connie Hamilton’s “day job” is as a primary school teacher in Alvin, but camp life transforms her into a farmer’s wife of the 1800s.
“I enjoy the unique setting reenacting provides to demonstrate the details and routines of 19th century America,” she said. “I can see enthusiasm and imagination in the faces of both the children and adults as we have conversations about our camp setting and the civilian life of people in that era. They are having fun while learning.” Susan Gibson of Waller started reenacting 10 years ago upon meeting her husband, Wil Gibson, brigadier general of the 11th Texas Cavalry.
“Liendo is special to me because it has so much to see and do. The plantation house gives you that true period of time we are in during the civil war event and the demonstrators all throughout the lawn area are incredible,” she said. “The school day on Friday when the school kids come for the Living History is a lesson that can’t be duplicated in a classroom.”
Cannons, Agar Coffee Mill machine gun, black-powder weapons, period musicians, a blacksmith, horses, and men lined up for battle - this is not your average history classroom.
For a brief time after the War, Liendo, served as headquarters for General George Armstrong Custer, who disobeyed Federal orders to burn the home to the ground because the family had been kind to he and his wife.
Reenactors of all ages speak of Liendo as a special place: the house, the grounds, the actual historical import of the plantation.
“My favorite memory of reenacting is the first time I went to Liendo. We drove in late Friday night. Camp fires glowed, silhouetting the tents and casting shadows in the trees. A blanket of smoke hovered above the camp and, when I got out of the truck, I could hear low, muffled voices of men and the shuffling of restless horses moving on tether lines. It was really like stepping back in time,” Connie Hamilton reminisced.
Lt. Michael Bunch said, “ This year on November 21st, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., area school children will attend as a historical and educational field trip. We demonstrate to the students the aspects of civilian and military life in the mid-19 th century. The event is then presented to the public on Nov. 22 and 23, Saturday and Sunday, in order to demonstrate U.S. and Texas history during this era.”
The gates open at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday for the public and the battles are at 2 p.m. both days. Seniors 55 and up and children ages 7 to 12 pay $5; everyone else, $10.
“We usually have about 1,000 re-reenactors who portray the cavalry, infantry, artillery, and medical branches of service on both the U.S. and C.S. sides,” Lt. Bunch explained. “We all work very hard to present this living history weekend in order to earn funds to preserve historical civil war sites, offer history students at college a small scholarship and to support the Civil War Museum located in Spring.”
The restored Liendo Plantation House opens its doors for guided public tours during the living history weekend for an additional fee of $5 per person. Besides its distinction as a historic landmark in this state, Liendo also is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was the home of world-renowned sculptor Elizabet Ney.
B.G. Gibson said. “The Will Detering family (Liendo’s owners) are heroes in their own right. Today Mr. Detering opens his yard and home to the people of Texas every November, the weekend before Thanksgiving and allows some 1,000 living historians to camp on his front lawn and throws open the doors of his antebellum home for all to see.”
Liendo Plantation is in Hempstead, 55 miles west of Houston off U.S 290. Coming from Houston take Highway 290 north, exit FM 1488 and turn right on FM 1488, about ¾ of a mile then turn right onto Wyatt Chapel Road. The gate to the plantation will be well marked about one mile on the right. Follow the signs.
This event will occur rain or shine. Additional information is available on www.liendoplantation.com or www.11texascav.org or by call (979) 826-3126 or 281-443-2602. The event is sponsored by the Historic Liendo Plantation and the 11th TX Cavalry HQ Inc., both non-profit organizations.
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