Mendota After Hours: In Disguise: Women in the Civil War

Dates

  • Friday, November 20, 2026 | 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

About

Join historian Pamela Toler as she discusses stories of women who disguised themselves as men to enlist in the American Civil War and how they fit into the long lineage of cross-dressing women soldiers.

Armed with a PhD in history, a well-thumbed deck of library cards, and a large bump of curiosity, author, speaker, and historian Pamela D. Toler writes historical non-fiction for a popular audience. She has authored ten books of popular history for children and adults, including Heroines of Mercy Street: Real Nurses of the Civil War, Women Warriors: An Unexpected History, and The Dragon From Chicago: The Untold Story of an American Reporter in Nazi Germany. Her work has appeared in American Scholar, Aramco World, Calliope, History Channel Magazine, MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History, Ms., Time.com and The Washington Post and has been featured in National Geographic.

Photo image of Frances Clayton, a female soldier from the Civil War. Hailing from Minnesota, she and her husband both joined a Missouri regiment, actively participating in numerous battles. Photo provided by the Library of Congress.

In commemoration of America’s 250th birthday, the Dakota County Historical Society is proud to offer programming that celebrates the diverse people of the past who contributed to the American story of liberty and prosperity.

Registration is required. Learn more and sign up at https://dakotahistory.org/events/1109-nov-20-mendota-after-hours-in-disguise-women-in-the-civil-war-...

Can't get enough Civil War content? Pamela Toler will be speaking at the LeDuc Historic Estate the day after (Saturday) on the nurses of the Civil War. You can find that lecture through the same link!

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