The Civil War will be coming to McCracken the evening of Nov. 7, with the showing of the award-winning documentary The Road to Valhalla. The presentation is open to all, featuring a hearty, homemade soup supper prior to the film at 5 p.m., and a showtime of 7 p.m. The event will be held at the McCracken City Building, one block west of Main Street. Free will donations will benefit the McCracken Public Library, who along with Lone Chimney Films, and the Rues Law Firm, LaCrosse, are sponsoring the showing.
Documentary film maker Ken Spurgeon will be present during this viewing of his film, The Road to Valhalla, which explores the violent Kansas-Missouri border issues during the Civil War. Through the use of historic photographs, interviews, and reenactment footage, the long ago tales are brought to vivid new life, covering the well-known large battles, to the smaller guerrilla actions. The film has considerable attention devoted to the effect that the war had on the civilian population. Textbooks describe the dry, large-scale events and timeframes, but the true interest almost always lies in the smaller, relatable stories, and this documentary excels at just that. The almost inconceivable events that occurred in this region are explored with the touch of a master storyteller. The 90 minute film was voted the “Best Documentary of 2015” by the Cowboy Hall of Fame, and is narrated by legendary character actor Buck Taylor, who starred in Gunsmoke, Tombstone, Gettysburg and the more recent Cowboys and Aliens.
Native Kansan Spurgeon is a historian, filmmaker, author, and educator, who as executive director of Lone Chimney Films wrote, directed and produced the film. He utilized the talent of nearly 200 volunteers, reenactors, and educators in the making of the documentary, including McCracken native and historian Tim Rues, who portrays the complicated firebrand Senator, James Lane-- a supporter of the Free State and subsequent Union cause.
Signed copies of all Spurgeon’s documentaries will be available on DVD, and music from The Road to Valhalla, including performances by Michael Martin Murphrey will be available on CD. His book A Kansas Soldier at War: The Civil War Letters of Christian and Elise Dubach Isely will also be available for purchase. Items can be viewed at http://lonechimneyfilms.org
The soup supper will include homemade ham and bean, vegetable beef, chicken and noodle, as well as green bean and dumpling. Breads, deserts, relishes, and drinks will also be provided. The menu is full of homemade treasures that will certainly enhance the evening. Don’t miss this highly anticipated event which will prove to be enjoyable, informative, as well as providing support for our wonderful McCracken Library.
For more information about the evening and the event, call Rose at 785-394-2549 or 785-250-6002.