Michigan Capitol gets cannons replaced.

[major bill]

The missing cannons on the grounds of the Michigan Capitol are being replaced to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the ending of the Civil War. Well sort of, but with replica cannons. Note they will have re-enactors but are asking for no Confederate flags. Also note that although the Capitol building once held the State's Civil War Battle Flags they flags are now stored in the State Museum. Anyone interested in seeing the original flags can arrange a viewing by contacting the right people. I may walk over to the Capital, less than a mile, and watch the program.

This article is from today's Lansing State Journal.

 

[Henry Whitworth]

It's odd that the article says the guns were believed to be melted down during WW2 and they were there until 1946.

It's cool that they're doing this. My wife's college in Iowa had a few cannon after the war which led to a tradition of firing them off for various occasions and excuses but they were requisitioned by the army again during the Spanish War. It would be good to see something like this done here as the college sent a good number of boys off to fight. I doubt there would be enough interest to get it done but I love the old pictures of the guns blasting black powder on the lawn outside my wife's office.

 

[major bill]

Yes World War Two had ended before 1946,. Perhaps this was a mistype by the newspaper. I hope they do not let the re-enactors fire cannon salutes with too much powder. Several years ago the Civil War artillery unit my cousin served in did this on the Capitol grounds and several building had their windows break and there was falling glass issues. For some unknown reason broken glass falling on pedestrians was considered a bad thing.

 

[Mild53]

A noble effort by the two state senators who raised private funds. Kudos to them.

 

[Jobe Holiday]

I have a couple of thoughts on this.

First: The 1946 date is most likely not a misprint, but rather an example of today's lack of real knowledge about America's history.

Secondly: "Re-enactors and Cannons". I have been around this stuff for a long time and their basic concept of "making a show" is deeply flawed. One of the underlying concepts is "How loud can we make it?" Over the years there have been more accounts of damage done by the ensuing concussions than I could ever enumerate. On the re-enactor side I have witnessed so much laughing and outright glee at the damage they have caused that it just makes me shake my head in disbelief that they think it is actually funny. Just read back through cannon firing threads on this very board and you will see many instances of "...how funny it was to set off so many car alarms...", etc. These cannons aren't toys, and it isn't funny folks, it is childish at best and you are not leaving a favorable impression of your hobby.

I will now respectfully retire from this morning's Soap box!

J.

 

[Henry Whitworth]

First: The 1946 date is most likely not a misprint, but rather an example of today's lack of real knowledge about America's history.


J.

I suspect it's just a moment of lazy writing. "...cannons once flanked the entrance from 1879 to 1946 but are widely believed to have been melted down during WW2." She's repeating two separate pieces of information. She looks it up and it says they were there till '46. Ask around and most people believe they went away during the war. Perhaps the "widely believed" thing is just an incorrect assumption and she didn't dig deep enough to figure out what actually happened to the original cannons. Maybe they'll find them mothballed in the Capital basement a week after they finish paying for the new ones.

 

[Daniel Webb]

I wouldn't be surprised if your correct, Henry. It's surprising what they find tucked away in government buildings, either forgotten by accident, or on purpose!