11 Mar 2012 Annual Meeting
The McFarland Historical Society’s Annual Meeting was held at the E.D. Locke Library on Sunday, March 11, at 1:00 PM.
Guest speaker Bob Kann, author of “Cordelia Harvey: Civil War Angel,” said that Cordelia Harvey was known as ‘The Wisconsin Angel” and “The Florence Nightingale of Wisconsin” for her compassionate and competent care for Wisconsin soldiers during the Civil War. The wife of Wisconsin governor Louis Harvey, she advocated for better care for hospitalized soldiers, took care of the wounded, gave hope to the sick, and comfort to the dying. <img class=”size-medium wp-image-15700 alignright” src=”http://mcfarlandhistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/cordelia-harvey-252×300.jpg” alt=”” width=”252″ height=”300″ />Cordelia convinced President Lincoln to open a military hospital in Madison (“The Harvey Hospital”) and engineered its subsequent conversion to an orphanage (“Soldiers’ Orphans Home for the State of Wisconsin”) in which Cordelia served as its superintendent when the war ended. Located in former Governor Farwell’s mansion, both the hospital and orphanage provided care for hundreds of needy Wisconsin soldiers and children.
The meeting also featured a remarkable display of Civil War memorabilia loaned by Eric Opsal. Wes Licht explained that the theme for the Museum Lobby display will be Wisconsin’s part in the Civil War since this year marks the 150th anniversary of that conflict. Reports were given by McFarland Historical Society officers, including reports on the Chocolate Fest and the Larson House.[/vc_column_text]
