Curator continues campout at National Civil War Museum despite adverse weather

CHRIS A. COUROGEN, Of The Patriot-NewsBrett Kelley, collections curator for the National Civil War Museum, sips a cup of coffee and enjoys the warmth of the sun outside his 10-foot by 8-foot reproduction of a Civil War-era winter quarters shelter. Kelley is three days into his planned two-week encampment to raise funds for the museum.

Saturday night was a tough one for Brett Kelley, curator of Harrisburg's National Civil War Museum, who

began a two-week encampment

outside the museum in Reservoir Park in the middle of the weekend's blizzard.

“I was thinking 'What have I gotten myself into,'” said Kelley, who is living the life of a Civil War era soldier as authentically as possible in his effort to raise funds for the museum. “My firewood was green and wouldn't burn. When my fire went out around 1 a.m., I just got in my bunk and burrowed under my blankets and my wool coat.”

Since then, Kelley has reinforced his 8-foot by 10-foot winter quarters style log shelter. He hung civil war era rubber blankets on the windward wall and inside the front door and stuffed cracks in the walls with straw. He also obtained some dry firewood.

Now, he says, “It has actually been quite comfortable in the evening.”

Kelley has not set foot indoors since beginning the encampment. He plans to stay there until the afternoon of February 20.

Kelley hopes to raise $10,000 for the museum through his efforts. Contributions can be made online at the museum's Web site.