Press Release from Chestnut Square Historic Village & North Texas History Center: 

The Civil War will come to life the weekend of April 12-13 in downtown McKinney as the North Texas History Center and Chestnut Square Historic Village present “A Weekend of Civil War History in McKinney.” 

The Collin County Civil War Living Historians and the Chestnut Square Living History Group will provide demonstrations and reenactments at Chestnut Square Historic Village, while the North Texas History Center will feature their current exhibit, “The Reluctant Confederates.”  Both events are free. 

Chestnut Square is the ideal place to host a reenactment, according to Cindy Johnson, Executive Director. 

“The Faires House, the oldest standing residential structure in McKinney and one of the houses on our site, was in the line of fire during the only Civil War incident fought in McKinney,” Johnson said. 

On May 31, 1864 William Clark Quantrell with 75 men in his guerilla company arrived in McKinney to hang Sheriff James L. Reed, a former Confederate officer.  The charges were desertion.  Reed and his friend former Chief Justice of Collin County, James M. McReynolds took refuge in the partially finished building called Shorts’ Mill on South Tennessee Street near the original site of the Faires House.  Reed and his men were able to hold off Quantrell’s Raiders all day because their shotguns were superior to the long rifles used by Quantrell.  When night came, Reed and McReynolds escaped on horses but were betrayed by officials and hanged near Tyler. 

“When the Faires House was moved to Chestnut Square a metal detector was used to recover two Civil War bullets from one of the big bois d’arc foundation blocks,” Johnson explained. 

The North Texas History Center’s exhibit, The Reluctant Confederates, also depicts McKinney’s involvement in the Civil War.  This exhibit, developed by the staff of the North Texas History Center, uses words, photos, and objects to tell the story of life in North Texas during the Civil War era.  Artifacts on display include Civil War clothing, newspapers, the latest medical equipment of the era, and much more.  Visitors of all ages will enjoy the hands-on history gallery. 

Skirmishes reminiscent of those that occurred throughout the South will be reenacted on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Chestnut Square Historic Village.    In addition, the two day reenactment at Chestnut Square will feature the following demonstrations:
• Infantry equipment, weapons and rations.
• Camp Life including authentic tents, cooking demonstrations and items that were found around a Civil War camp site.
• Different types of flags used and what each meant.
• How the musket was loaded and the steps used to fire it.
• Medical aid rendered and equipment used (not for the faint of heart!)
• Kids Toys, Women’s Clothing, Corn Husk Dolls, Language of the Fan – All of these activities illustrate what the women were doing while the men were away at war.
• What did the soldiers have to do to learn how to march?  Come on out and learn with fun drills.
• Dance demonstrations at 3 p.m.
• Ghost stories around the campfire, 7 p.m. on Saturday night.
Chestnut Square Historic Village is located at the corner of Chestnut and Anthony Streets just South of the Collin County Government Complex.  The North Texas History Center is located at the corner of Chestnut and Virginia Streets two blocks north of the Government Center.  Activities begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 12 and end at 4:30 p.m.  Ghost stories begin the evening of April 12 at 7 p.m. ending at 8 p.m.  Sunday activities begin at 11:30 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.