Thanksgiving may still be several days away, but visitors to a southeast Iowa community today will get the chance to see what Christmas may’ve looked like 160 or so years ago. Cheryl Duke is organizing the “Presence of the Past” celebration underway in the Van Buren County town of Bentonsport. The town takes you back to the 1840s and people run the stores as period characters.There’s the blacksmith, potter and other vintage-style reinactors , Duke says there will be carriage rides, carolers and other entertainment like several wandering barbershop quartets. All of the people associated with the event will be dressed in 1800s-period costumes and Duke says vistors are welcome to dress up too. The lighting of the community tree is tonight at 7:30. Duke, who manages Bentonsport’s Greef General Store, says it’s easy to get more information by surfing to “www.bentonsport.com” or call (319) 592-3579.
