People living in St. Joseph will hear a lot about the Civil War during the next five years.

For those who don’t remember, the nation began to tear itself apart 150 years ago. Now this community and hundreds of other towns across the nation will be commemorating those events and talking about why it’s still important to remember.

“We’re so far ahead of a lot of other parts of the state on this, because we started developing a program seven years ago,” said Marci Bennett, executive director of the St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The bureau’s award-winning visitor’s guide features a Civil War theme on its 2011 cover and recounts some of the city’s turbulent Civil War history.

The Pony Express Museum completed three talks and has three more scheduled on Tuesday nights to introduce the community to some Civil War happenings, said Joe Houts, chairman of the county tourism board. He’s also a banker and a member of the state’s Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.

Bob Ford and Mr. Houts started the Border War Society, a Civil War discussion group, that’s been looking at Civil War history for 10 years.

Other events are planned for this year. The Patee House became headquarters for much of the Union Army and federal government that operated in the city during the Civil War. Director Gary Chilcote, museum staff and volunteers have been adding Civil War exhibits for several years in preparation for the museum’s spring opening. As the city begins to thaw out and there is less chance of snow, the museum will be announcing a series of programs about the Civil War, Mr. Chilcote said.

In April, the staff at the St. Joseph Museums will welcome visitors to a new exhibit on Civil War medicine.

“We’re planning to have Union and Confederate re-enactors during the Apple Blossom Parade weekend and encamped during Trails West!” Mr. Houts said. And plans are moving forward to dedicate the reopening of Fort Smith on Prospect Hill in the fall.

Local libraries, museums and historical groups are planning more events that will be announced at a later date.

For a timeline of St. Joseph events during the turbulent days before and after the Civil War, visit www.stjomo-civilwar.com.

Marshall White can be reached at marshall.white@newspressnow.com.