Rails to Remembrance: Civil War Stories Come Alive at Curtin Village

This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.

BELLEFONTE — On Sunday, June 8, history isn’t just coming alive; it’s boarding the train.

As part of the inaugural Civil War Weekend in Bellefonte, the Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society is rolling out a special summer tour season opener with a one-of-a-kind rail excursion to Curtin Village. But this isn’t just a scenic ride. It’s a moving tribute to the men of Eagle Iron Works who left their homes and to fight for the Union.

The train departs from the Bellefonte Train Station at 10 a.m. and returns by 1 p.m. Tickets are available at bellefontetrain.org, but here’s the catch: the Civil War tribute is exclusively for those on the train.

Once at Curtin Village, passengers will take a short walk to the Curtin United Methodist Church, where they’ll hear stories of eight local Civil War soldiers who once called the village home. These aren’t textbook figures or nameless statistics. They were brothers, cousins, fathers and sons. In fact, of the 37 men known to have left Curtin Village to join the Union ranks, about a full third had siblings who also served.

Among those featured in Sunday’s program are James Barnhart Curtin, twins Constance and James Barger, William Hugh Shultz, Samuel Bryan, Austin Curtin, Adam and Sarah Peese Boyer, and John Irvin Curtin. These “iron men” were more than laborers. They were patriots whose sacrifices echo through the very ground of the Eagle Iron Plantation.

As part of the experience, guests will receive a complimentary 34-page booklet, “Iron Men in Union Blue: Eagle Iron Plantation’s Civil War Soldiers,” packed with biographical sketches and rare photographs of the 37 known soldiers from the village. This booklet is only available to rail excursion passengers, making it a unique keepsake from a uniquely local story.

After the Civil War tribute, guests will tour the Curtin Mansion and the historic Iron Furnace Complex, where the industrial heart of 19th-century Centre County still lingers in stone and iron. The train departs Curtin Village at 12:30 p.m., giving everyone a chance to soak up the scenery and some refreshments before the ride home.

This event is made possible by the Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society, the Roland Curtin Foundation, and the Bellefonte Historical and Cultural Association, with financial support from The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Centre County Board of Commissioners.

This Sunday, take the ride. Honor the names and remember the iron men who helped shape not just a village, but a country.