See 'Gods and Generals', learn about reproduction furniture used in movie

A metro Atlanta university is offering an interesting twofer: A free screening of 2003's "Gods and Generals" and a talk by a master cabinet maker who made furniture pieces used in the film.

The Center for the Study of the Civil War Era at Kennesaw State University will present the movie at 6 p.m. June 18 (Monday) at the Social Sciences building theater. Popcorn will be provided.

At 7 p.m. June 23 (Saturday), furniture maker Joe Cress of Abingdon, Va., will discuss items he made for the film and his interest in battlefield preservation. That program, also free, is the building's auditorium.

“You could put some of his reproductions next to the original items and you would be very hard-pressed to tell them apart," said Michael K. Shaffer, assistant director of the center.

"Gods and Generals" focuses on Confederate Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and his spectacular successes from 1861 to 1863.

Cress specializes in making high-quality reproductions of furniture used by Confederate generals. At Kennesaw, he will show his Robert E. Lee camp chest, a bed leg from the death bed of Jackson and the J.E.B. Stuart field desk (right). A few of his company's designs are licensed with Virginia Military Institute and the Museum of the Confederacy, which have the originals.

He made seven or eight items for the movie.

“The set decoration folk have warehouses of artifacts they can choose from," Cress told the Picket. “They wanted to get as close to the original pieces as they could."

For more information on either program, contact Shaffer at mshaffe3@kennesaw.edu or 678-797-2551. Guests should park in the West Parking Deck, then enter Building 22, the Social Sciences building. Photo of Stuart desk courtsey of Logan Creek Designs.

• Kennesaw State University campus maps
• Civil War Center's Facebook page

COMING TUESDAY IN THE PICKET: A closer look at Joe Cress' specialized craft