HARTFORD CITY, Ind. (WANE) -- Blackford County turned back the clock Friday as Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis roamed the site of the 33rd annual Hartford City Civil War Days. The weekend event, which claims to be the largest Civil War reenactment in Indiana, features a mix of battle demonstrations and presentations from actors portraying key figures from the Civil War. Hartford City Civil War Days aims to teach visitors about the historic war in a hands-on approach while also honoring Blackford County residents who fought in the Civil War. In addition to learning about important people and battles, visitors can also learn about what life was like for the average American citizen during the war. Sean Cavanaugh, president of the Blackford County Civil War Reenactment Club (BCCWRC), said Civil War Days started in 1993 thanks to a group of people led by Orville Uggen. "We had almost 300-some people from Blackford County who fought and served in the war in many different regiments, and [Uggen] wanted something to honor those men and the men who moved to Blackford County after the war," Cavanaugh said. In addition to hosting Hartford City Civil War Days, the BCCWRC also worked for years to raise money for a Civil War memorial that now sits on the southwest corner of the Blackford County Courthouse lawn. A monument dedicated to Civil War veterans from Blackford County sits on the southwest corner of the Blackford County Courthouse lawn. A monument dedicated to Civil War veterans from Blackford County sits on the southwest corner of the Blackford County Courthouse lawn. Cavanaugh has volunteered at Hartford City Civil War Days in some capacity since 2008 and recently became president of the BCCWRC, and being able to keep the event going is a task he takes seriously because he had an ancestor who fought in the Civil War. "It's been awesome the last eight months, nine months, 10 months to be able to put on an event this size," Cavanaugh said. "It's definitely paying off. We have a huge crowd out here today [and] it's going to be an amazing weekend. Cavanaugh expects to see up to 15,000 visitors throughout the weekend, many of whom were school students attending the opening festivities Friday on field trips to learn about the Civil War. Regardless of whether it is a school student or a lifelong Hartford City resident, Cavanaugh hopes visitors leave with a newfound knowledge and respect for the history of the Civil War. "We have a great country we live in, but it took a lot of struggles to get here, and I hope they take that into consideration," Cavanaugh said. A dozen volunteers helped set up the entire event, and while Cavanaugh commended their efforts, he said the BCCWRC is always looking for more volunteers to help throughout the year. Hartford City Civil War Days runs through Sunday and is located across from the 3M plant on the city's southeast side. A full schedule of events can be found on the event's website.