The U.S. Navy has a big birthday coming up Tuesday, and the Vicksburg National Military Park commemorated the U.S. Navy’s 240 years through living history Saturday at the USS Cairo Museum.

“Tuesday is the 240th birthday of the Navy so that’s why we’re doing this this weekend,” VNMP ranger Jake Koch said.

The daylong celebration featured park volunteers and rangers who offered a couple of spoken programs about the Civil War ship and rifle demonstrations throughout the day.

“It’s been pretty busy out here today,” volunteer Quanta Lewis said.

The day started out cloudy and cool, but the sun broke through by afternoon.

Near the boat’s entrance four men dressed in Civil War era Navy uniforms stood with items a seamen may have with him on the boat like a telescope, lice pick, toothbrush, checkers and a sewing kit-called a housewife. The men had barrels to sit on and metal cups to drink from. An axe and megaphone were other pieces of equipment on hand for the public to view. Adults and children alike were allowed to touch the items and even wear the replica clothing. Barbara Hickman of Spokane, Wash. was living a lifelong dream by visiting the VNMP with her niece Kristina Buelna from Houston.

“I’ve always wanted to come to Vicksburg,” Hickman said. “I’m a Civil War buff.”

Seeing the ship was thrilling for her and she excitedly called her husband, who was back home,  to describe the USS Cairo to him.

“My husband was in the Navy,” Hickman said, explaining why she chose to visit Saturday.

An interactive demonstration was set up to let the public experience how the men on the ship measured the depth of the water with a sounding lead, a hollow metal cylinder filled with bee’s wax tied on the end of a length of several different materials.

The shipmen measured the water’s depth for navigation purposes as well as to keep it afloat.

“The Cairo itself had a draft of 6 feet so you needed at least 6 feet of water for it to float,” Koch said.

The living history Navy men were on hand to inform the crowds of life on the ship.

“We do what we can to answer your questions,” volunteer Kenny McMillin said.

He said they find answers for people in an effort to make sure no one leaves with the questions they came in with. This is his fifth year volunteering at the park, and he said it was Lewis’ sixth year.

“This is actually the first time we’ve done our Navy Day, which is really something,” McMillin said. “We have celebrated Navy Day before, but this is just the first time we’ve done it with living history.”

As for why they continue to volunteer, McMillin said he likes to serve the community and he enjoys the exhibits.

“It’s not so much celebrating Navy Day itself, it’s more along the lines of coming out here and really helping out our community by helping with the park,” McMillin said.

Vicksburg is home to one of a few national parks who can properly recognize the birthday.

“We have the Cairo here, and it’s so unique. We’re the only national park that really deals a lot with the Navy because most of them are land based and with the Navy being on water, it’s a little difficult,” Koch said. “We’re spoiled by having it here really. It gives us something to talk about. It’s a story that a lot of people aren’t familiar with.”

He said even Civil War historians aren’t as familiar with the war’s naval efforts.

“Very few know much at all about the Navy so to have that here is very unique,” Koch said.

A resolution creating the Continental Navy was passed on October 13, 1775.

The infant Navy was composed of just two vessels, with 10 cannon each, and a total of 160 men. Authorization for an additional 13 vessels was given that December.

From such humble beginnings the United States Navy has grown into the world’s largest with nearly 330,000 active duty personnel, over 270 deployable ships and over 3,700 operational aircraft.