Civil War re-enactors and local honey enliven Burtner House festival

The Burtner House’s Fall Harvest Festival keeps the history of the 201-year-old homestead alive.

True to the character of the home, more than 35 volunteers dressed in Civil War-era costumes wandered the grounds and staffed food booths and other stations Saturday for the outdoor festival.

The fall harvest and the spring strawberry festivals are the two primary fundraisers that pay for the continued upkeep of the three-story stone farmhouse, which is a national and state landmark.

Among the throng of costumed volunteers were about a dozen Burtner family descendants.

“We try to stick to the Civil War period given the history of the site,” said Patty Jones, vice president of the Burtner House Restoration Society and a family descendant.

The society’s historical mission to preserve the house is attracting a new wave of volunteers, which is bolstering fundraising events.

“I think it’s awesome,” said Susie Curcio of Butler Township, a volunteer who learned about the event from a friend who is related to the Burtner family.

Curcio wore a pleated, muted red Civil War era skirt topped with a black wool coat to ease the chill of the day.

“I love the historical clothing,” she said.

Civil War soldier re-enactors from the 78th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Company F, Freeport, displayed their period guns and other artifacts such as a drum, a bugle, bayonets, artillery and a petrified soldier’s ration of crackers.

Their period clothing and replica uniforms were on display as well.

The Civil War is remembered at the Burtner House because the home served as a recruiting station for the Union soldiers, said Jeff Jones, president of the Burtner House Restoration Society.

Jones erected an authentic tepee he bought in South Dakota. “Kids and adults love it,” he said.

The fall event featured crafters and local vendors promoting local products such as soaps, lotions, and decorative crafts.

Booths were set up in parts of the grassy hilltop property with Little Bull Creek splitting the site.

Kids buzzed to the Russellton Bee Works stand featuring a live honey bee hive.

Owner Vicki Kleber of West Deer, held a male drone on her fingertip to show stunned onlookers how docile the honeybees are compared to the more aggressive yellow jackets and wasps.

“I’m enjoying having the bees for people to see so they aren’t afraid of them,” she said.

Kleber has between 60 to 70 hives including some on the Burtner House property. She sells honey and other honey-based products.

The Burtner House plans to shine a light on Kleber’s bees and honey next year for a summer event focused on local honey bees.