The concept of creating a company to supply the needs of Civil War reenactors finally took shape in 1990 when Gerald Durbin decided to take his hobby to the next level.

For years Durbin had been involved on a personal level as a participant in many reenactment events. He discovered that there was a need for a source that could provide historically accurate clothing and accessories and so Coon River Mercantile was born in Des Moines, Iowa.

Today, Coon River is one of the major suppliers both in the United States and abroad for realistic, high quality civil war uniforms, weapons, shoes, boots, insignias, hats, leather goods and much more. In addition Coon River manufactures a large selection of period clothing from 1860 through 1880.