SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Church history re-enactors added their talents to Gold Rush Days in Old Town Sacramento the first weekend of September, showcasing the early Church pioneers to the area. A highlight was the Mormon Battalion re-enactors who fired their cannon and muskets periodically.

Photo courtesy Richard Montgomery

Juliet Bascom, 5, fiddles along with Kirk Rosander in Eagle Theatre. They were among Church members who helped re-enact history during Gold Rush Days.

Church history re-enactors are members of the Church throughout California who dress in period clothing and re-create historical characters and events. (See article "California's history" in Aug. 20, 2005 Church News.)

"For the last four years, in the Eagle Theatre, the California State Railroad Museum has allowed the Church to play a significant lead in scheduling live performances that portray Mormons' contributions to California history," noted Sandra Lunceford, a Church public affairs coordinator for Gold Rush Days. "It has been a thrill to see our members sharing our history with thousands of people in a fun, friendly and enjoyable way."

The cobble streets of Old Town were temporarily covered with dirt to capture the true essence of the Gold Rush era. Attendance this year ballooned to nearly 150,000 visitors.

One living history character, fiddle-player Kirk Rosander of the Fair Oaks California Stake, said that one morning he was inspired to play some hymns on his violin for a group of passers-by, not knowing at the time that he was being filmed and would be featured on a TV news program. Later that day, a couple approached him and mentioned they had seen him on TV and wanted to know the name of the song he had played.

"I told them that, unfortunately, since I didn't know I was being filmed, I had no idea which song I had been playing at the time," stated Brother Rosander.

The gentleman promptly began humming the tune. It was "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief." Brother Rosander said, "At that point I was overcome with goosebumps and the Spirit and so I played it again and even sang a few of the verses."

The couple was very interested in the tune and Brother Rosander had an opportunity to tell them about its history and that it was a favorite hymn of the Prophet Joseph Smith."

S. Dennis Holland, California State Living History Chairman, said, "We had Church living history re-enactors from all over the state; even as far away as San Diego, here helping us with various presentations and talking with people about the Church's early pioneers."