March 24th 2026|
Photo – Event Poster
The Hanna Basin Museum will host Civil War reenactors next month. The Platte Bridge Company of Casper will recreate a Civil War-style encampment at the Hanna Basin Museum on Saturday, April 11th. Speaking at the March 10th Hanna Town Council meeting, Platte Bridge Company co‑founder Jane Benjamin, wife of First Baptist Church pastor Larry Benjamin, explained that she and her husband are avid living‑history enthusiasts. Benjamin said the 70‑member Platte Bridge Company stages Civil War reenactments around the state. After learning about the organization, she said Hanna Basin Museum Board Vice President Diane Springsguth asked her to bring a Civil War event to the museum.
Benjamin said the Platte Bridge Company intends to construct an example of a Civil War camp on the Hanna Basin Museum grounds. Despite Hanna being founded 24 years after the war ended, Benjamin said it wouldn’t have been unusual to see U.S Army soldiers in the area.
Benjamin said the reenactors will dress in period-correct clothing and stay in tents from the same era. She added that the reenactments are an effective way to teach young people about life during the Civil War.
Benjamin said the reenactors will fire Civil War‑era weapons, using black powder with no projectiles. She asked if the Platte Bridge Company needed to file a special permit to host the event, adding that the organization is focused on fire safety.
Despite the lack of projectiles, Benjamin said the reenactors will establish a safety perimeter when the firearms are used and point the guns away from town.
The governing body offered to inform the Marshal’s Office and Hanna Fire Department about the event. Residents will be notified about the gunfire through advertisements and social media.
The event is set for Saturday, April 11th. Benjamin said up to 30 members of the Platte Bridge Company will set up camp on Friday night. Once the camp is established, the reenactors will conduct military activities throughout the day.
Additionally, Hanna Civil War veteran James Case will be recognized during the event.
The Platte Bridge Company’s Civil War encampment is scheduled for Saturday, April 11th, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Hanna Basin Museum, located at 502 Front Street. The free event will feature period tents and authentic dress, soldier and civilian reenactors, cooking over an open fire, military drills, and an exhibit on the fur trade. The Platte Bridge Company is requesting donations of firewood. For more information or to donate wood, call the Hanna Basin Museum at 325-6465.
