With the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in full swing, the Brick Store Museum is doing its part to commemorate the struggle and the many locals who played a part in the conflict.

The Civil War exhibit, titled “From the Kennebunks to Appomattox: The Civil War at Home and Away,” features artifacts including weaponry, clothing, and letters and journals written by soldiers. Although Maine is often not the first state thought of when it comes to the five-year war, several dozen regiments and units comprising thousands of Mainers played a part in the war, from the battlefield to defending forts.

In Kennebunk alone, about 300 men fought in the war, according to Brick Store Museum Director Chris Farr, and he said, many of their wives and other women had to take up jobs done by men to keep the area going. The museum has many items as well as interactive parts of the exhibit to help engage and educate visitors.

Taking part in the sesquicentennial is important, and we’re pleased the Brick Store Museum stepped up to show current area residents how our ancestors played a role in the conflict that divided the nation.

In addition to commemorating this anniversary, the Brick Store Museum took the exhibit a step further in an effort to bring awareness to current conflicts and service members by inviting visitors to write letters that will be mailed to current American soldiers fighting abroad. The doorway to one of galleries is home to the letters, and once it’s full, they’ll be forwarded to the United Service Organization, which will select the recipients of those letters. The museum intends them as both a morale boost for the troops and a way to inform visitors of the struggle involved with serving one’s country during wartime.

Praise is also due to the Fifth Maine Regiment Community Association, located on Peaks Island, which is a Civil War and local history museum. Earlier this year, the association contacted museums across the region ”“ including the Brick Store ”“ to see if they would be interested in acknowledging the war’s sesquicentennial.

The State of Maine has set up a website for the sesquicentennial with information about Maine’s involvement in the Civil War, www.maine.gov/civilwar, for those who are interested in learning more about the state’s role in the war. “From the Kennebunks to Appomattox: The Civil War at Home and Away” will be on display at the Brick Store Museum through December 2013.

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Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.