History came in the form of a straight-razor and ersatz three-finger bourbon at Camp Floyd State Park on Saturday.

This Labor Day weekend marks the fourth annual Camp Floyd Days, celebrated in conjunction with the Utah Territorial Civilian Commission and Utah Civil War Association. Events continue on Monday.

Established in 1858, Camp Floyd was the largest military installation then in the United States. The army was sent to Utah to put down a Mormon Rebellion, which never took place. The army was recalled in 1861 with the outbreak of the Civil War.

Camp Floyd Days allows visitors to immerse themselves in that history, experiencing the camp life of the soldiers of Johnston's Army. Events include re-enactments, encampments, firearm and cannon demonstrations, marches, drills, 1861 period games and photos in period uniform.

Paula and Richard Kone of Taylorsville, members of the civilian commission, set up not just a period camp, but a full-service, working barber shop as well. This was not just a folding chair-and-scissors operation.

Richard Kone gave shaves, seating customers in a period-replica barber chair he fashioned himself, handing out hot towels warmed on a working pot-bellied stove. He used an actual straight razor, offering clients a three-finger bourbon which was really apple juice, though in his real barbershop in Salt Lake City he hands out the real thing.

On Saturday he also used an old-fashioned bristle brush and soap cake to lather up those in need of a shave, and then offered menthol cream and after-shave, all from period antique glass canisters. Talk about going back in time.

Kone has been giving these shaves at this event for three years, but at first he wanted nothing to do with it. Clients in his weekday barbershop asked him repeatedly to demonstrate his old-time trade, and finally he gave in. And then he was hooked.

"I said we have to do this," he said with a laugh. "I really like it. It's teaching people about history, Utah history. And it gives me a chance to step back 150 years in my own trade."

Camp Floyd Days features an entire camp of such re-enactors. Paula Kone sold pickles from a crock, and grain wafers. When not selling edibles, she sewed a gown on her antique Singer sewing machine, using gold thread on brocade.

Michael Sanchez, a brickmason from Taylorsville, takes on a whole new persona for the weekend, portraying John F. Hillen, a historical military artist. Sanchez is an artist too, and sketched battle re-enactments. He also taught visitors about the abolitionist movement. Sanchez has visited the Library of Congress to see some of Hillen's actual sketches.

"It's like I walked in his steps," said Sanchez, who has visited many of the scenes of Hillen's life.

Spending a weekend teaching history as a volunteer is relaxing, he said.

Brad and Cathie Nielsen of Pleasant Grove brought their teen son Noah to the event, where he got to shoot a musket. Brad Nielsen's great-great-grandfather was a soldier here, and the family had come to look through historic records to see what information they could glean about their ancestor.