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Living History Events - May & June 2008 By Suzanne and Craig Sheumaker
authors of the new travel book America's Living History-The Early Years (ISBN: 978-0-9792598-0-7)
http://www.AmericasLivingHistory.com May 1, 2008 - Want to avoid the vacation crowds? Plan on traveling during late spring and early summer. Many of America's great historical attractions are open and have special events during this period, recalling a fascinating history and making the past come to life. We used our book, America's Living History - The Early Years, to help us create the following period-oriented list. It's just a sampling of what awaits you. Check the websites for details and additional listings too numerous to mention here. Also see our book for more exciting historical places to visit. Next Chapter America’s Native Peoples Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Collinsville, Illinois
(618) 346-5160. http://www.cahokiamounds.com/calendar.html
May 3 - Storytelling Program - Sponsored by the University of Missouri-St. Louis and the 27th Annual St. Louis Storytelling Festival.
May 10 - PowWow - Organized by “Natives for Life” to support the Long Walk 2 and commemorate Earth Day At the picnic grounds. Vendors, food, drumming & dancing.
May 18 - Kids Day - Hands-on activities for children of all ages, including flintknapping, pottery making, Indian games, corn grinding, spear throwing, identifying animal tracks and pelts, and watching an Indian dance group.
May 24 - Nature/Culture Walk - 3-mile hike with an archaeologist and naturalist who will explain what is known about various areas from archaeological work and also learn how the various plants were used for medicine, food, fiber, dyes, and shelter.
June 15 - National Road Festival - See activities at communities along the National Road (old US 40), including at Cahokia Mounds: Tours of digs.
June 22 - Summer Solstice Sunrise Observance - Meet at the reconstructed Woodhenge to hear an explanation of the discovery, form and function of this ancient sun calendar. No ceremonies performed. Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, Mandan, North Dakota
(701) 667-6380. http://www.fortlincoln.com/calendar.aspx
June 6-8-; 13-15; 20-22; 26-28 - Summer Melodrama - Produced by the Fort Lincoln Dramatic Association. A fun and entertaining production filled with Villains and Heroes, played in the Fort Lincoln Granary Friday and Saturday evenings and early afternoon on Sundays. On-A-Slant Mandan Indian Village is open for tours. Ganondagan State Historic Site, Victor, New York
(585) 742-1690. http://www.ganondagan.org/events.html
May 17-18 - Living History Re-enactment Event - Take a trip back in time to witness the historic Seneca encounter with the 1669 LaSalle expedition. Costumed interpreters deal with many aspects of colonial and Seneca life. This is a family-friendly event with artists, vendors, speakers, food and activities. Petroglyph National Monument, Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 899-0205. http://www.nps.gov/petr/planyourvisit/events.htm
May 3 - Prehistoric Tool Technology of the Southwest - Join archaeologist Ron Fields for a fun and educational hands-on experience with atlatls, spears, stone tools and other American Indian tools used by ancient societies.
May 17 - Annual Navajo Rug Sale - Steve Pickle, trader from Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site in Arizona, will bring over 100 Navajo weavings for you to browse through and purchase.
May 18 - The Mystery of Chaco Canyon - Join author Stephen Allten Brown for this lecture on Chaco Canyon and its spiritual quietness, awe, and wonder.
May 19 - Kokopelli`s Legacy - Listen to David Wolfs Robe while he plays soothing American Indian flute music on the patio.
May 31 - Mimbres Pottery and Its Imagery - Lecture on Mimbres classic black-on-white pottery and the use and significance of the painted symbols and designs commonly seen on this style of pottery.
June 1 - Spanish Colonial Tin Punch Workshop - A hands-on workshop where you'll learn the historical craft of Spanish Colonial tin punching. Instructed by Jason Younis, a renowned regional tin smith who has won several awards for his tin work.
June 7-8 - Mimbres-Style Pottery Workshop - Join Michael Kanteena for this 2-day workshop while you learn how to make Mimbres-style black-on-white pottery.
June 14 - Flint Knapping Workshop - Learn the ancient craft of flint knapping, the making of arrowheads, spear points, and knife blades from obsidian (volcanic glass). SunWatch Indian Village & Archaeological Park, Dayton, Ohio
(937) 268-8199. http://sunwatch.boonshoftmuseum.org/special_events.html
May 3 - Family Day: Excavation & Reconstruction - Participate in a simulated excavation, help rebuild a SunWatch house, and listen to site interpreters discuss the history and archaeology of SunWatch.
June 21 - In Celebration of Summer Solstice - Tour the 800-year-old reconstructed Fort Ancient Village located on the bank of the Great Miami River. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, open bar, silent auction and Native American games in the partially-reconstructed Indian Village. Advance registration is required. Taos Pueblo, Taos, New Mexico
(505) 758-1028. http://taospueblo.com/calendar.php
May 3 - Santa Cruz Dance - Religious ceremony.
June 13 - San Antonio Feast Corn Dance - Religious ceremony.
June 24 - San Juan Day Corn Dance - Religious ceremony.
Visitors are welcomed at these events, but no photography is allowed. Out of courtesy, please show the same respect that you would in your church at home. Previous Chapter Next Chapter European Colonization Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, St. Augustine, Florida
(904) 829-6506, ext. 234. http://www.nps.gov/casa
May and June, every Friday-Sunday - Historic Weapons Demonstrations - Rangers and volunteers demonstrate the weapons, and relate the experiences of the colonial Spanish soldier of 1740s St. Augustine. Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area, Williamsburg, Virginia
(800) 447-8679. http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/visit/eventsAndExhibits/calendar/index.cfm
May 4-7 - The 62nd Colonial Williamsburg Garden Symposium - Celebrating the American Garden. Keynote speaker Lynden Miller, director of The Conservatory Garden in New York's Central Park, speaks about garden design with emphasis on plants that can be used to soften and civilize city life and change human behavior.
May 16-18 - Drummer's Call - The beginning of Colonial Williamsburg's Fifes and Drums 50th anniversary year of special events. Fife and drum units from across North America reunite to march and play.
May 26 - Memorial Day - Attend a 45-minute Memorial Day service in front of the Governor's Palace, at Bruton Parish Church and at French gravesites near Providence Hall (honoring our allies in the American Revolution).
June 24 - Masonic Procession - The Feast of St. John the Baptist is a day of solemn observance for the Mason's historic Williamsburg Lodge No. 6. Colonial Williamsburg interpreters and current lodge members annually collaborate to re-enact this procession and sermon.
June 27-29 - Under the Redcoat - Witness the arrival of the British Army as they seize Williamsburg, raise the British flag over the Capitol and commence occupation of the town. Learn how life in 18th-century Williamsburg changed under Redcoat control. Gain added perspective from the women and the enslaved community. The Fort at No. 4, Charlestown, New Hampshire
(603) 826-5700. http://www.fortat4.org/calendar.php
May 3-4 - Annual Market Fair and May Pole - Celebration of The Rites of Spring and Pequawket Alliance. Traditional May Pole dance will be held on Saturday at noon.
June 7-8 - The Siege of 1747 - During this Opening Weekend event, French and Native “war parties” descend on The Fort to battle the New England militia during King George's War, when the forces of France tried to push English colonists out of the Connecticut River Valley. Fort battles scheduled for noon and 2:00 each day. Fort de Chartres State Historic Site, Prairie du Rocher, Illinois
(618) 284-7230. http://www.ftdechartres.com
June 7-8 - 38th Annual Rendezvous - One of the largest in the country. 18th century crafts, food, music, hundreds of historically dressed participants, flintlock rifle and musket competition, cannon and mortar competition, traders and much more. Free admission. Small parking fee. Historic Natchitoches, Natchitoches. Louisiana
(800) 259-1714. http://events.natchitoches.net
June 14-15 - Melrose Arts & Crafts Festival - The annual arts and crafts festival is held the second weekend of June on the grounds of Melrose Plantation and showcases the work of more than 150 artists and craftsmen. Historic St. Mary's City, St. Mary's City, Maryland
(240) 895-4991. http://www.stmaryscity.org/events.html
June 14 - Maritime Heritage Festival - Activities and entertainment for landlubbers, sailors and kids of all ages, hosted at this museum of Living History and archaeology in tidewater Maryland. While discovering the re-created historic village and its replica sailing ship, also learn about underwater archaeology and boating safety, explore water small craft visiting from throughout the region, and enjoy music by The Ship's Company and Charlie Zahm. Jamestown Settlement; Yorktown Victory Center, Williamsburg vicinity, Virginia
(888) 593-4682. http://www.historyisfun.org/calendar.htm
May 10 - Jamestown Landing Day - Quite a day! Maritime demonstrations, military drills, children's entertainment, 17th-century music and archaeology. Also programs on English and Powhatan Indian contact, exploration and discovery mark the 1607 founding of Jamestown, America's first permanent English colony. This special event features Jamestown Settlement's re-created ships Godspeed and Discovery sailing in the James River and an educational program with a NASA astronaut comparing 17th- and 21st-century methods of exploration, and at Historic Jamestowne, a commemorative ceremony and ongoing archaeological excavations of the 1607 James Fort.
June 1-30 - Seed to Stalk - American agriculture of the 17th- and 18th-centuries is examined through comparison of Powhatan Indian and European methods of planting and cultivating crops grown for sustenance and crops grown for profit. Visitors can tend and water gardens and learn about the many practical uses of herbs and plants.
June 7 - African American Heritage Day - African storytelling, music, dancing, genealogy workshops, children's activities and historical museum exhibits explore the origins of the first documented Africans to arrive in Virginia, in 1619, and the important role of Africans and African Americans in the development of Virginia. Presented in partnership with the Virginia African American Forum.
June 14 - Family Day: Planting a Settlement - Through guided tours and a special children's brochure, learn about the English, Powhatan and west central African roles in planting and harvesting crops. Participants can make plant prints using types of plants grown by each of the three cultures that converged at Jamestown. El Rancho de Las Golondrinas, Santa Fe, New Mexico
(505) 471-2261. http://www.golondrinas.org/calendar.htm
May 3 - Candlelight Tours - View several "vignettes," depicting everyday life of soldiers and civilians in 1862.
May 3-4 - Battlefield New Mexico: the Civil War and More - Military drills, skirmishes and cannon fire will highlight two action-filled days, including re-enactments of the battles of Glorieta Pass and Apache Canyon fought near Santa Fe during the War Between the States. Visit Confederate and Union camps.
June 7-8 - Spring Festival and Children's Celebration - Learn about New Mexico's history the fun way! Costumed villagers will tell you - and show you - about life on a Spanish colonial ranch. Sheep sheering, blacksmithing and candle making are just some of the activities your family will enjoy.
June 28-29 - Theme Weekend: "Burros y Mulas" - Along with horses, donkeys and mules embody the spirit of the West. On this weekend, learn about these beloved beasts of burden. Burro races, demonstrations on saddle packing. Music and dancing. Arts and crafts for sale by artisans. Lots of hands-on activities for kids. You may also participate in an outdoor Mass and procession for San Isidro, patron saint of farmers. Old Fort Niagara, Youngstown, New York
(716) 745-7611. https://oldfortniagara.org/events/
May 3-4 - Civil War Artillery School - Artillerists and infantrymen perfect their skills.
May 24-25 - Niagara's Soldiers through the Ages - Living History demonstrators and Military Vehicle Collectors re-create military personnel from the 18th Century through World War II. Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth, Massachusetts
(508) 746-1622. http://www.plimoth.org/calendar/month.php?mo=11&yr=2007
May and June, Sunday mornings - Movie “Desperate Crossing: The Untold Story of the Mayflower” - At 9:30 am, enjoy the History Channel's feature film in Plimoth's new, state-of-the-art theater. It sheds new light on the popularly misunderstood history of the Native Wampanoag and English colonists of 1620 Plymouth Colony.
May 5, 12, 19, 27 - Up With The Birds - An introduction to birding followed by continental breakfast. Tour various Plimoth Plantation bird habitats including thickets, river edge and upland areas, with an emphasis on finding and identifying warblers. Birds will be identified by call and sight. Participants must bring their own binoculars.
June, Friday and Saturday mornings - Breakfast with the Animals - Wake up with Plimoth Plantation's Rare Breed animals including Devon cows, San Clemente and Arapawa goats and kids, Wiltshire sheep and Red Dorking chickens. This is a hands-on, behind-the-scenes look at the agriculture and care and training of animals in the 1627 English Village. Help with the morning chores alongside the museum's farm staff and then enjoy a simple breakfast.
June 14 - Native Plants/Natural Landscaping Workshop - Two-hour workshop on native plants and a walk to see native trees, shrubs and perennials planted along the new woodland path to the Wampanaog Homesite. Light refreshments and an opportunity to discuss how to add native plantings to your own landscape.
June 21 - 11th Annual Patuxet Strawberry Thanksgiving - Native people celebrate many thanksgivings throughout the year to show appreciation to the Earth and the Creator. Strawberries are the first fruit of the new growing season, and were honored in the 17th century with ceremony, singing, dancing, feasting and games. Visitors will participate with Native peoples as they re-enact this daylong celebration of thanks. 17th-century football games, mishoon (canoe) races, feasting and Eastern social songs and dances.
June 29-July 1 - Bicultural Pottery Firing - Learn about Native and English traditions for finishing clay pots in outdoor firings. Sunday-Tuesday, 17th-Century English Wood-firing - Meet the potters who make Plimoth Plantation's reproductions of 17th-century earthenware cooking pots, slip-decorated dishes, candlesticks and more. The three-day firing process produces beautiful pottery appropriate for use in the 1627 English Village and onboard Mayflower II. Monday, Wampanoag Pottery Firing & Coil Pot Making - See the ancient Wampanoag techniques of coil pot making and brush-firing pottery for us in cooking. These methods date back thousands of years and are still widely used among Native peoples. Finished clay kettles are in use in the Wampanoag Homesite at Plimoth. Village of Sainte Genevieve, Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
(573) 883-3686. http://www.ste-genevieve.com/events.htm
May 17-18 - Annual Spring Garden Walk - Includes many wonderful gardens as well as several talks.
June 7 - Promenade des Lumiéres - Candlelight tour of the Pierre Menard Home, an historic site.
June 14 - French Heritage Festival - French historic interpretation with Living History, music, dance, French cuisine, wine tasting, re-enactments, period dress, Gumbo cook off and a Street Dance. Be sure to stop by the historic Guibourd Vallé House. Also enjoy the evening open house at Felix Vallé House State Historic site, with its French folk dancing demonstration, French folktales and free Candlelight House Tour. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Religious & Secular Groups Amana Colonies, Amana, Iowa
(800) 579-2294. http://amanacolonies.com/calendar.htm
May-June, Saturdays - Craft Demonstrations & Hands-on Activities - At various Amana Heritage Sites. Continues through September.
May 3-4 - Iowa Renaissance Festival - Gathering of costumed characters, live-action stuntmen and entertainers in Middle Amana Park. Activities for all ages. Concessions.
May 3-4 - Maifest - Taste of Amana Colonies food fair at the Festhalle Barn in the village of Amana. Maipole dancing, German folk music, parade and entertainment.
May 24-25 - Amana Country Fair - Crafts, antiques, fresh produce, baked treats, all-natural body care items, artwork and more! Artisans and woodworkers. Animals and entertainment. Food, hands-on activities and games. At Amana Colonies RV Park & Event Center.
May 29; June 26 - Amana Wine Tour - Walking tour of the village of Amana. Learn about the Colonies wine-making history. Sample the modern-day Colonies wine. Start at Amana Heritage Museum.
May 30-June 1 - Beckster Fest - 6th annual polka fest. Located in two large, air-conditioned halls, featuring wooden dance floors and non-stop entertainment, food and fun. At Amana Colonies RV Park & Event Center.
May and June, Saturdays - Passport to History, A GPS Adventure - Explore the history of the Amana Colonies using Global Positioning System. Starts at Amana Heritage Museum. Continues through September.
June 14-15 - Homestead Implement Reunion/Allis Chalmers Days - Parade of antique tractors, kiddy tractor pull, shows at two sites in Homestead featuring two of the best-loved brands in American agriculture, Allis-Chalmers and Minneapolis-Moline. Concessions. In village of Homestead. Canterbury Shaker Village, Canterbury vicinity, New Hampshire
(603) 783-9511. http://www.shakers.org
May - Home School Classes - Topics include Herb Power, Archaeology, Weaving Nature. See website for details.
May 20 - Full moon stroll - An hour-long walk through the Village takes you back in time.
May 24 - Workshop: No. 3 Shaker Oval Box - A classic workshop. Learn to carve, bend and assemble a beautiful cherry box of Shaker design. No woodworking experience necessary.
June 14 - Birds & Breakfast Walk - Join expert birder from the Audubon Society of NH when migrant birds in full mating plumage come back to their northern habitats. Returning songbirds including orioles and warblers in the Village's beautiful pond, field and woods habitats. Shaker breakfast at the Shaker Table Restaurant follows.
June 18 - Full moon stroll - An hour-long walk through the Village takes you back in time.
June 21 - Workshop: The Herbal Kitchen - Get inspired to turn your garden herbs into treats you can use year-round and give away as gifts. Among the possibilities: herbal vinegars, oils, honeys, butter, cheese, cordials, pastes, spice blends, sugars and salts. Three will be demonstrated; one you can bring home.
June 26 - Workshop: The Art of Tea: Simples & Blends - Learn the flavor and health properties of tea herbs and blend your own tea to bring home. Workshop includes basic brewing techniques and the principles of blending both medicinal and beverage teas.
June 21-22 - Workshop: No. 1 & No. 2 Shaker Oval Boxes - Great for beginners. Create two small, beautiful Shaker oval boxes out of cherry. No woodworking experience necessary. Enfield Shaker Museum, Enfield, New Hampshire
(603) 632-4346. http://www.shakermuseum.org/calendarofevents.htm
May 17 - Shaker Dinner - Traditional Shaker dinner in the Great Stone Dwelling, the Shakers' greatest architectural achievement. Museum Executive Chef Betsy Oppenneer is an award-winning member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and has clients throughout the U.S.
June 7 - Country Life Festival - Celebrate living in harmony with the land! Sample the Upper Valley's cheeses, honey, herbs, cider, maple syrup and more! Watch demonstrations of crafts; take a horse-drawn wagon ride! See locally bred animals and participate in special events scheduled throughout the day. Many booths and activities will be held in the Museum's historic buildings, so this event will be held rain or shine. Take a break in the Great Stone Dwelling for lunch and musical performances.
June 21, 24, 27, 28 - Music Performances - The Center for Advanced Musical Studies will hold four free public performances in the Museum's Mary Keane Chapel. June 21: Music from the 17th - 20th centuries. June 24: Solo Stockhausen. June 27: Sounds like NOW! June 28: Trumpet Favorites. Ephrata Cloister, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
(717) 733-6600. http://www.ephratacloister.org/events.htm
May 3-4 - Building History - Discover the history of old houses and learn how to care for your historic home. Craftsmen will be demonstrating a wide variety of building techniques including 18th-centiury wall construction, log hewing and shingle making. Special lectures on preservation and researching old houses. Admission fee. Historic Nauvoo, Nauvoo, Illinois
(888) 453-6434. http://www.historicnauvoo.net
May 1-17 - Monday through Saturday Events - Wagon tour of Old Nauvoo, carriage ride to Inspiration Point, “Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo” evening musical comedy
May 19-June 30 - Monday through Saturday Events - Handcart Trek (full day, kid-friendly, reservations required), Wagon Tour of Old Nauvoo, Carriage Ride to Inspiration Point, Oxen & Wagon Ride, pioneer games and activities, stage performances and entertainment.
June 3-14 - International Folk Dance Ensemble - Free one-hour evening performance by the International Folk Dance Ensemble, featuring 46 dancers, musicians and technicians. Repertoire includes choreography from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North and South America. La Purísima Mission State Historic Park, Lompoc vicinity, California
(805) 733-3713. http://www.lapurisimamission.org
May 3 - Purísima People Day - Recalling the year 1822, costumed staff and docents portray people who may have lived at the mission.
May 31 - Mission Life Day - Opportunity to not only see the mission come alive but also experience first hand some of the crafts/industries that enabled the missions to be successful communities.
June 21 - Village People Day - Enjoy some of the traditional skills and crafts brought to the mission by the Chumash Indians. Visitors may experience grinding acorns, making a basket, building a tule house, making stone and shell beads, shaping a tule doll, arrow making or playing Chumash games. Mission San Juan Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, California
(949) 234-1300. http://secure.missionsjc.com/calendar.html
May 3 - Fourth Annual Mariachi Festival - Live musical entertainment as the Mariachis compete for cash prizes. Cultural merchandise. Authentic Mexican food.
May and June, Tuesdays - Curiosity Carts - To introduce visitors to history-related replica artifacts used at the Mission during its early days. Each educational cart offers close-up learning for students and visitors interested in seeing items up close. Items include branding irons, spurs, horseshoes, hides, candles, pottery shards and objects used by the Juaneno Indians.
May and June, First and Third Wednesdays - Native American Basketweaving Demonstrations - Members of Juane'o Band of Mission Indians gather in the Native American village area near the entrance to the Mission and demonstrate weaving in the style of their ancestors.
May and June, Wednesdays - Tours of Mission Gardens - These half hour tours are conducted by Mission San Juan Capistrano's Gardening Angels.
May and June, second Saturday - Living History Day - Living History Society members dress in period attire to portray important figures in the mission's history. In May, as a special presentation, the Living History Society will present historic sheep shearing and spinning & weaving demonstrations at this gathering.
June 7-8 - 13th Annual Flower & Garden Show - On the lush ten-acre grounds of this historic mission. Features over 60 vendors/exhibitors of flowers, plants and gardening items. Music, live demonstrations and food. Old Salem Museums & Gardens, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
(336) 721-7350. http://www.oldsalem.org/
May 24 - From Fleece to Felt - Hands-on activities and demonstrations focused on sheep and wool.
June 7 - Mechanics and Their Advantage - Intriguing look at mechanics used in historic trades, including a cider press made by the museum staff. Hands-on activities and a scavenger hunt.
June 22 - Magnolia Baroque Promenade - Variety of music in the historic buildings mid-day. Pennsbury Manor, Morrisville, Pennsylvania
(215) 946-0400. http://www.pennsburymanor.org/JanDec07.htm
May 4 - Sheepshearing & Historic Trades - Watch as the museum's sheep are sheared with hand shears; then help wash, card and spin the wool. Colonial craftsmen will also be demonstrating their skills.
May 11 - Living History Theater: Women Preachers - Listen to two traveling Quaker ministers preach and speak of their travels in the colonies on Truth's account.
May 18 - Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration - Watch as the Pennsbury Manor cooks make 17th-century pudding. Penn Pals - Explore daily life at William Penn's home.
May 25 - Garden Highlights - Spend some peaceful time in Penn's kitchen garden as you learn about his gardeners and their work.
June 1 - Historic Trades - Hear the clang of the hammer and the sound of wood being cut as our joyner and blacksmith demonstrate their skills. Penn Pals - Explore daily life at William Penn's home and watch the Joyner and blacksmith demonstrate their craft.
June 8 - Living History Theater: Shopping in the Seventeenth Century - Talk to the Penn family as they discuss what needs to be purchased so that they have all of the necessities for their summer stay at Pennsbury.
June 15 - Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration: The Table of William Penn - A full course meal will be displayed as receipts are prepared as if servants were to serve William Penn and his many guests for dinner.
June 22 - Garden Highlights - Delight in the sights and smells of the summer garden as the gardeners describe their work.
June 29 - Animals at Pennsbury: Then and Now - Meet the horse, oxen and sheep at Penn's plantation, and learn about the lives and contributions of their 17th-century predecessors. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg vicinity, Kentucky
(800) 734-5611 ext 1547. http://www.shakervillageky.org/events_calendar/index.cfm
May 3-4 - Stock Dog Trials at Shaker Village - Watch over 100 dogs compete and perform sheep farming tasks, such as gathering sheep out of a field and putting them in a pen using voice and whistle commands.
May 10 - Mid-America Hound Show - Over 20 hunt clubs throughout the East and Southeast will bring their finest hounds to Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. Known as “The Hound Show for Hound People,” this event will feature close to 200 dogs, mostly Foxhounds. Bassets, Beagles and Terriers will also be shown.
May 17-18 - Workshop: Dry Stone Fence Building - Learn how to build or repair dry stone fences. Workshop designed for lay people (including fence owners) who would like to gain a basic understanding of dry stone construction. Learn the skills needed to repair historic fences and build simple garden walls.
May 29-31, June 1, 6-8 - Performance of “As It Is In Heaven - This play tells the story of nine Shaker sisters and how they responded to changes in their religion in 1838. Portrayed by University of Kentucky students.
June 6-7 - Family Fun Overnight - Walk, sleep, eat and play where the Shakers did. All-inclusive overnight adventure designed to engage families with children in fun-filled activities in a beautiful and educational setting.
June 6-8 - Workshop: Make Your Own Shaker Rocking Chair - With the use of rotary planes made by Ashem Crafts of Worchester, England, beginners to intermediate-level participants will be able to construct the frame of a Shaker rocking chair during this three-day workshop. American cherry wood will be used for the frame. There will be a demonstration of weaving the chair bottom with tape. This is the Place Heritage Park, Salt Lake City, Utah
(801) 582-1847. http://www.thisistheplace.org/events/parkevents.html
May 2-3 - Season Begins - Baby animals, Mountain Men, crafts, puppet show, food and fun. Expected to be the biggest opening weekend in the history of the Park.
May 10 - Astronomy Week Star Party - Science was important to the early pioneers. Join former U.S. Senator and astronaut Jake Garn and the Salt Lake Astronomical Society for a star party in the Bowery. Live music. 8” ORION Reflector Telescope and other prizes.
June 14 - Flag Day Celebration - Along with Fort Douglas, This Is The Place will be celebrating the US Military. Morning breakfast. Music, Utah War Exhibit, the Buffalo Soldiers and more. Zoar Village, Zoar, Ohio
(800) 262-6195. http://www.zca.org/calendar.html
May 1-2 - Building-doctor Seminar - The Ohio Historical Society will provide information on how to investigate and solve problems in building structures. Pre-registration required.
June 25 - Beyond the Fences of Zoar - Exclusive showing of private gardens and historic backyards. Luncheon and mini seminars. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Road to Independence Daniel Boone Homestead, Birdsboro, Pennsylvania
(610) 582-4900. http://www.danielboonehomestead.org/calendar.htm
May 4 - Children's Day - Opportunity to find out first-hand what life was all about for 18th-century kids, through fun hands-on activities and demonstrations. Includes touring the Boone House, dyeing wool, learning about local Native Americans, playing with colonial toys and games, watching a blacksmithing demonstration, gardening, playing “house” in the Bertolet Log Cabin, watching the Homestead sheep get sheared. Entertainer Pickle Herring will present his fanciful “Merlin's Magical, Mystical Museum of Artifacts, Aberrations and Antiquities!”
May 17-18 - Revolutionary War Encampment - After almost ten years the Daniel Boone Homestead will once again be host to one of the largest Revolutionary War Encampments in the country. Fort Boonesborough State Park, Richmond vicinity, Kentucky
(859) 527-3131. http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/recparks/fb/events
May 24-25 - 18th Century Trade Fair - Visit a social, political and business gathering of merchants, traders, artisans, Native Americans, militia members, beggars, longhunters, scouts and other frontier characters. Listen to period music, visit camps and shop for 18th century goods as you compare your life today to life 225 years ago.
June 21-22 - Women on the Frontier - The life experiences of frontier women will be presented during this two-day interpretive program. Included will be on-going demonstrations of daily life skills and the many tasks done by women on the frontier. There will be discussions and presentations of documented events of the frontier in which women were the main participants, and characterizations of individuals who experienced some of these dramatic events. Fort Loudoun State Historic Area, Vonore, Tennessee
(423) 884-6217. http://www.fortloudoun.com
May 3-4 - Garrison Weekend - Interact with Living History interpreters who “bring back” the 1700s. See a variety of tasks common to a frontier fortification, including musket demonstrations and an artillery drill. Fort Stanwix National Monument, Rome, New York
(315) 338-7730. http://www.nps.gov/fost
May 10 - Women of the Mohawk Valley - Learn more about what life was like for women in the Mohawk Valley and at Fort Stanwix 200 years ago. Activities for mothers and daughters to share.
May 24-25 - 250th French and Indian War Commemoration Encampment - Celebration of the building of Fort Stanwix 250 years ago. Living historians gather to remember the people who served here during the French and Indian War. 18th-century demonstrations.
May 24 - An Evening Of Dance - As part of the Commemoration, a dance will be held on the Parade Ground in the evening. Period music will be preformed by Rural Felicity and a dance caller will invite everyone to dance.
June 14 - Men of the Mohawk Valley - Learn about what life was like for men in the Mohawk Valley and at Fort Stanwix 200 years ago. Activities for fathers and sons to share. Fort Ticonderoga, Ticonderoga, New York
(518) 585-2821. http://www.fort-ticonderoga.org/visit/calendar_of_events.htm
May 3 - Public Program "Iroquois Legends" - Darren Bonaparte, a Mohawk living historian, tells stories that form the cultural history of the People of the Long House. Families welcome.
May 24 - Twelfth Annual Fort Ticonderoga Open Épée Competition - Co-sponsored by the Middlebury Fencing Club.
June 27-29 - Grand Encampment of the Seven Years War - Commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Carillon. Re-enactors depicting French, Canadian, British, Provincial, and Native American forces come together to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Carillon in 1758. Gunston Hall Plantation, Lorton, Virginia
(703) 550-9220. http://www.gunstonhall.org/events/index.html
May 11 - Mother's Day Tea and 18th-Century Fashion Show - Bring your mother and grandmother to an elegant tea and 18th-century fashion show. See for yourself what you might wear as a stylish gentry woman, or servant, at Gunston Hall. For a broader background on women's lives in Virginia in the 1700s, take a World of Women tour of the plantation. Reservations required.
June 8 - Songs of Freedom - Mid-day performance of spiritual music that tells the story of African Americans' flight to freedom. During mansion tours, learn about Mason family slaves who ran away. Historic Brattonsville, McConnells, South Carolina
(803) 684-2327. http://www.chmuseums.org/calendar/brattonsville.htm
May and June, Saturdays - Living History Days - Step back in time as costumed interpreters bring to life the 18th and 19th centuries. Witness life in the Carolina Backcountry through activities such as farming, shearing sheep, picking cotton and military drills. Activities and demonstrations vary weekly. Historic Daniel Boone Home and Boonesfield Village, Defiance, Missouri
(636) 798-2005. http://www.lindenwood.edu/boone/special_events.asp
May 3 - Fiber Arts & Spring Planting Festival - It's Spring and as the season is welcomed in, cabins get cleaned, gardens are planted and Boonesfield residents "turn out" after the cold winter hibernation. The event will focus on the various fiber arts and "Spring" activities experienced by folks in the early 1800s.
June 14 - Louisiana Purchase Day - Celebrated, debated, fought over, the transfer of Louisiana from France to the young United States ultimately led to a nation that reached "from sea to shining sea." Middleton Place House, Charleston vicinity, South Carolina
(800) 782-3608. http://www.middletonplace.org
May 6 - Interactive "Hands-On" Rice Planting - Join a costumed interpreter as he describes how Carolina Gold rice was planted on Low Country plantations, and learn about the African origins of rice and its cultivation in South Carolina in the 18th and 19th centuries. Participants, if they desire, may “get down and dirty” in the demonstration rice field and assist with the planting. Traditional methods will be employed.
May 17 and 21 - Interactive Rice Cultivation - Learn more about the cultivation of Carolina Gold rice in this interactive discussion led by a costumed interpreter at the demonstration rice field overlook. Visitors can view Carolina Gold rice growing in the flooded rice field and learn about the African origins of rice and its importance in colonial and antebellum South Carolina.
June 8 - Spoleto Finale - Bring a blanket and picnic supper to enjoy under the live oaks on the Middleton Place Greensward. The Spoleto Festival concludes with a concert by the Festival Orchestra performed under the stars at the Butterfly Lakes followed by a dazzling display of fireworks over the Ashley River. Valley Forge National Historical Park, Philadelphia vicinity, Pennsylvania
(610) 783-1077. http://www.nps.gov/vafo/planyourvisit/events.htm
May 3 - Behind the Scenes Vault Tour - Rare opportunity to see and hear about the artifacts and original documents that rarely go on exhibit. By reservations only.
May 3-4 - French Alliance Celebrations - 230th Anniversary Celebration of the French Alliance with Living History. Throughout the day visitors are invited to mingle in the encampment site along the Trace Road with camp followers, Continental soldiers and Native American warriors.
May, Saturdays and Sundays - Muhlenberg Brigade - Living History interpreters discuss soldier life and the Valley Forge Encampment. Ends June 7.
May and June, Saturdays - Valley Forge After Hours - Travel back in time to 1778. Spend an evening at the famous encampment at Valley Forge and see what nights were like for the Continental Army under the leadership of General George Washington. Begin your adventure at dinner with the troops before checking in at Washington's Headquarters. Kick back with your brigade around the group campfire as they tell you their soldiers tales.
May and June, Sundays - Spring Programs - Several fun and educational activities for adults and kids.
June 7 - Behind the Scenes Vault Tour - Rare opportunity to see and hear about the artifacts and original documents that rarely go on exhibit. By reservations only.
June 14-30, most days - Junior Ranger Programs - For kids age 6-12 only. They can become Junior Rangers, join a guided walk and uncover the hidden stories of Valley Forge through fun and educational activities. Washington Crossing Historic Park, Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania
(215) 493-4076. http://www.ushistory.org/washingtoncrossing/info/calendar.htm
May 3 - 2008 Spirit of the Jerseys State History Fair - 18th, 19th & 20th century children's games. Fire engine and equipment display and demonstration. Living History encampments: Frontier, Revolutionary and Civil Wars. 19th-century baseball game. Historic foodways. Artifakes archaeological "Dig." Period trade and craft demonstrations. Musical entertainment. And more.
June 8 - A Call to Arms - Re-enactors information and demonstration day. Your chance to learn more about Revolutionary War History and re-enacting. York County Heritage Trust, York, Pennsylvania
(717) 848-1587. http://www.yorkheritage.org
May 11 - French Alliance Day - At the Colonial Court House.
May 17 - Civil War/Victorian Living History Event - At the Bohnam House.
June 25-28 - Patriot Days - Wednesday Civil War Roundtable. Thursday Victorian Tea with the Victorian Dance Ensemble and the Susquehanna Travelers, followed by a performance of Scott Butcher's play, "The Confederate Occupation of York: A Drama." Friday walking tour.
Saturday the 28th - Living History Program - At the Colonial Complex and the Bonham House, with tours of the buildings, family activities, demonstrations, soldier encampments and musicians. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Our New Nation Allaire Village, Farmingdale, New Jersey
(732) 919-3500. http://www.allairevillage.org/Events/EventsCalendar.htm
May 10 - Annual Spring Crafter's' Market - Exhibits by over 125 area craftspeople and artisans include demonstrations and feature everything from museum-quality pieces to "country crafts" handicrafts and home-made bric-a-brac. Food and beverage services will be available.
May 18 - Village Life at the Howell Works - Join us and see how the residents of the Howell Works Company lived, worked and played as we paint an historically accurate portrait of daily 19th Century living during our Village Life Event. Visitors to the Historic Village at Allaire will see, and have the opportunity to assist in, daily chores, trades, crafts and leisure activities at this family oriented event. Take a step back in time to the year 1836 and experience a day in the life of a 19th Century Howell Works villager.
June 8 - The Wedding of Maria Allaire and Thomas Andrews - Re-creating the 1836 nuptials. Followed by cake and entertainment. Event designed to educate the public on the wedding customs and traditions of the time while recreating an actual historic event in the chronicles of the Howell Works Company. Visitors to the Historic Village, on this day, are welcome to call on the other homes, shops and buildings or stop by the various exhibits, where additional wedding customs and traditions of the time will be explained and crafts demonstrated.
June 15 - School Days in the 1830s - Children ages 6 to 12 years old and curious adults will get a taste of what it was like to attend school, even if only for s short time, in the year 1836 at the Historic Village Carriage House. Three separate forty-five minute sessions will be conducted.
June 29 - Independence Day at the Howell Works - Visitors will enjoy games of the period, listen to toasts and speeches from the local dignitaries of the Howell Works, and even hear a very stirring reading of the Declaration of Independence given by James P. Allaire, himself. There will be music and dancing, games for the children, Militia Drills and visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch. Ash-Lawn Highland, Charlottesville, Virginia
(434) 293-9539. http://www.ashlawnhighland.org/se--museumevents.htm
June 30 - Elizabeth Monroe's 239th Birthday - Learn about the lives and roles of women on the plantation as the museum staff at President James Monroe's home celebrates his wife's birthday. Compass Inn, Laughlintown, Pennsylvania
(724) 238-4983. http://www.compassinn.com
June 21-22 - Children's Living History Weekend - Special hands-on activities are available for children. Ages 3 & up can do a simple open hearth cooking project, dip candles, churn butter and play early American games. Conner Prairie, Fishers, Indiana
(800) 966-1836. http://www.connerprairie.org/planyourvisit/calendar.aspx
May 17-18 - Civil War Days - Annual event brings back to life the 1860s. Discuss battle tactics with Union and Confederate soldiers, pay a visit their camps and march right along with them. Witness a Civil War battle. Meet Abraham Lincoln and ask him about the war. Hear the thunderous roar of the artillery. Witness the life of the Indiana soldiers. See cavalry demonstrations and artillery drills. Shop for authentic Civil War period items and toys.
May 31 - Mystery on the Prairie - The Tent of Wonders has had a successful run and is now ready to go to its next venue. But the bearded lady is nowhere to be found. Join an evening of good food, fun and mystery. Dine at The Eatery with costumed hosts. Then wander the historic village as the tale unravels. Interview characters, look for clues and meet suspects. End with dessert and a revealing of the truth. Erie Maritime Museum, Erie, Pennsylvania
(814) 452-2744. http://www.brigniagara.org/SailingPrograms.htm
May 31, June 1, 7, 8 - Educational Day Sail on U.S. Brig Niagara - One-day introduction to the tall ship Niagara and the War of 1812. History-based educational sailing excursion. Fort McHenry National Monument, Baltimore, Maryland
(410) 962-4290. http://www.nps.gov/fomc
June, Saturdays and Sundays - Defenders Return to the Fort - Re-creating the daily life of the War of 1812 soldier, sailor and citizen through presentations by the Fort McHenry Guard. Dressed in replica clothing of the early 19th century, the Guard conducts drills, barracks activities, artillery and musket firing demonstrations, civilian activities and children's programs.
June 21 - Juneteenth, A Celebration of Freedom! - Commemorating the oldest celebration of freedom and the ending of slavery. June 19, 1865, Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and that all slaves were free. Although beginning in Texas, Juneteenth spread nationwide. Activities at Fort McHenry include: a salute to Black Living Legends, Civil War re-enactors, speeches, special presentations by local historians, and public reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, Delaware
(302) 658-2400. http://www.hagley.lib.de.us/events.html
May 18 - Hagley's Creek Kids: Mothers and Daughters at Hagley - Experience the social and family life of women in the nineteenth century. Activities include making ice cream and lemonade the 19th-century way, a ladies' tea, paper doll and paper fan making, and an assortment of indoor and outdoor 19th-century games.
June 15 - Hagley's Creek Kids: Fathers and Sons at Hagley - Experience the social and work life of men in the 19th century. Historic Roscoe Village, Coshocton, Ohio
(800) 877-1830. http://www.roscoevillage.com/festivals.htm
June 20-22 - Heritage Craft & Dulcimer Music Festival - The sights, sounds and traditional crafts of the 1830s, with musical performers, crafters, jam sessions and art exhibits. Historic Saint Charles, Saint Charles, Missouri
(800) 366-2427. http://www.historicstcharles.com/event/default.aspx
May 17-18 - Lewis & Clark Heritage Days - Authentic re-enactment of Lewis & Clark's encampment in 1804 prior to embarking on the exploration of the Louisiana Purchase, including a parade with Fife & Drum Corps on Saturday and church service on Sunday. Walk through encampments, watch weapon demonstrations, see boat replicas, and tour the museum at Frontier Park. Crafts and foods of 1804, children's games, period music and more. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Birdsboro vicinity, Pennsylvania
(610) 582-8773. http://www.nps.gov/hofu
May 11 - Sheep Shearing Day - Hopewell's main business was making iron products. It also operated a farm to sustain its workers. Demonstrations of sheep shearing, wool processing, cooking and other handwork highlight the iron plantation's self-sufficiency and reliance on its farm. James Madison's Montpelier, Orange. Virginia
(540) 672-2728 ext 100. http://www.montpelier.org/visit/calendar_events.php
May 12-June 12, Mondays-Thursdays - James Madison University Archaeology Field School - Watch archaeologists and students uncover slave quarters in the mansion yard.
May 25 - Freedman's Farm Tour and Confederate Winter Camp Site Walking Tour - Tour of the Gilmore Farm, home of George Gilmore, born a slave at Montpelier, followed by a walking tour of the 1863-64 Confederate winter encampment site. Lincoln's New Salem, Petersburg, Illinois
(217) 632-4000. http://www.lincolnsnewsalem.com
May 3 - Antique Farm Show - Plowing demonstrations will be held at New Salem using draft horses and antique farm equipment. Hours 9am - 4pm, weather permitting.
May 31, June 1 - Glory Days, an 1830s Militia Muster - An 1830s Militia Muster with signing-up for militia service, drilling and musket fire. Public invited to march carrying weapons (brooms) where future-President Abraham Lincoln and the men of Sangamon County marched off to war in 1832.
June 28 - All in a Day's Work - Re-creating a "day in the life" of the average New Salem family in the 1830s, including cooking on the hearth, washing and mending clothes, spinning, weaving, knitting, butter churning, dipping candles and making baskets. Home health care and home schooling were also part of everyday life as was gardening, tending the animals, chopping wood, toting water and fetching the eggs. The Ann Rutledge Quilters and The New Salem Fiber Guild will also display quilts and textiles. Old Bedford Village, Bedford, Pennsylvania
(814) 623-1156. http://www.oldbedfordvillage.com/events.htm
June 21-22 - Civil War Re-enactment - Hundreds of re-enactors from the Blue and Grey set up their camps at the Village, bring their horses, cannon and give you an unrivaled opportunity to take a look at life in the 1860s during the civil war. Battles both days.
June 26 - Murder/Mystery Evening - The year is 1908. As Fort Bedford celebrates its 150th anniversary, a group of cyclists come to the Village. Mysteriously, one of them is found murdered. You are the detective. It's up to the public to interview the suspects in the Village and determine who the murderer is! Great evening of family fun. Allow at least 2 hours to try solve the mystery.
June 28-29 - Old West Weekend - The year is 1880 and things 'aint been too quiet in the town. Bank raids, jail breaks and gunfights in the street! Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Massachusetts
(508) 347-3362. http://www.osv.org
Lots of events in this Living History village. To name just a few of them:
May 3, June 14 - Crafts at Close Range - Spend a day, or half a day, learning an historical craft. These workshops vary from blacksmithing to woodworking to foodways. Advance registration required.
May 17 - Muster Day - Share in the excitement of a re-created early New England Muster Day, where the sounds of muskets and fifes and drums fill the air. See the 1812 Marine detachment from the U.S.S. Constitution (in Boston).
May 24- The Stagecoach Arrives - Explore the options of travel in New England in the 1830s with the grand rollout of the Old Sturbridge Village stagecoach.
June, Sundays - Sunday Mornings in the Garden - Spend time in a Village garden with a knowledgeable garden interpreter and learn about traditional garden practices and historic plants.
June 14-15 - Wool Days - See how wool is processed from shearing and scouring to carding and spinning, then turned into knitted or woven items. Try your hand in the Fenno textile exhibit.
June 21-22 - Summer Begins! - Official kickoff to the summer season with family games and fun. Slater Mill Historic Site, Pawtucket, Rhode Island
(401) 725-8638. http://www.slatermill.org/?pg=calendar
May 10 - Mommie & Me Tussie Mussie Workshop - Participants will make a nosegay reminiscent of those carried by 19th century ladies.
June 7 - Daddy & Me Tinsmithing Workshop - Specifics yet to be announced. Stratford Hall Plantation, Stratford, Virginia
(804) 493-9696. http://www.stratfordhall.org/cal.html?NEWS
May 10-11 - Lee's Lieutenants at Stratford Hall - Lee's Lieutenants, Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, will be encamped at Stratford Hall. Meet and talk with re-enactors of Robert E. Lee, as well as Generals Longstreet, Jackson, Pickett and members of General Lee's staff.
June 7 - The Lees and Independence - On this day in June 1776, Richard Henry Lee offered a resolution for independence in Congress that soon led to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Learn about the Lee family's vital role in making our country free and independent. Special activities, presentations and tours. Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens, New Bern, North Carolina
(800) 767-1560. http://www.tryonpalace.org/indexevents.php
May 3, 17, June 7, 21 - Tryon Palace Theater - See an 18th-century puppet show, a 19th-century play, or another engaging historical vignette. Tickets required.
May 6 - Parlor Talk: Silver; Not Solely A Rich Man's Pleasure" - Investigating the craft, design and uses of silver. Opportunity to examine some of the silver in the Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens collection.
May 10 - Garden Lectures - “Summer Blooming Plants for the South” - Insight on the plants that survive heat and drought of southern summers to provide us with many colorful and fragrant flowers. “North Carolina's Wildflowers and Ecology” - A survey of interesting stories about North Carolina's treasure of wildflowers.
May 15 - Lecture on "Cultural Impacts: Americans in America and Europeans among the Cherokee" - Learn about not only the European impact on Indians but also what we borrowed from the Indians. They affect virtually every aspect of our lives today including language, government, literature, recreation, medicine, hygiene and food.
May 17 - Literary Symposium “Journaling and Writing Memoirs” - Two author panel sessions: one on Journaling and Memoir Writing and another in which local authors uncover the truth about Mystery/Suspense Writing.
June 14 - Lecture on Gardening with Heirloom Seeds - Discover how to share and propagate the seeds of heirloom flowers, fruits and vegetables.
June 19 - Parlor Talk: “Firearms in Colonial America” - This talk that explores some of the history, technology, and many uses of 18th-century firearms, which were important in colonial America for subsistence, defense, justice, trade, politics and even recreation. Van Cortlandt Manor, Croton-on-Hudson, New York
(914) 631-8200 ext 618. http://www.hudsonvalley.org/content/view/15/45/
May 10 - Birding and Breakfast - Experts from a local chapter of the National Audubon Society lead an early morning bird walk through the historic orchard and gardens, followed by a hearty, 18th-century style breakfast and tour of the manor.
May 17, June 21 - Workshops: Open Hearth Cooking - May features the family "receipt" books, delve into the taste familiar to the Van Cortlandt family. June focuses on sugar, flowers, fruits and herbs to create the confections, cakes, and sweetmeats.
May 24-26 - Animals & Acrobats - Capturing the fun of an early American traveling circus, the event includes continuous performances: Flight of the Raptor demonstrations, larger-than-life puppets strolling the grounds, tumbling acrobats, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, fortune-tellers, mimes, storytellers, horse-drawn wagon rides, music and more! Picnic fare, treats and beverages will be available. Previous Chapter BOTTOM Opening the West Bent's Old Fort, La Junta vicinity, Colorado
(719) 383-5010. http://www.nps.gov/beol/planyourvisit/events.htm
May 10 - Santa Fe Trail Caravan - Living history staff of Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site will present a special program featuring the fort's large freight wagon, pulled by oxen along a 3-mile stretch of the trail southwest of La Junta, Colorado. Living history interpreters in historic clothing will accompany the wagon on foot and horseback. The public is invited to join the caravan as it makes its way along the original Santa Fe Trail.
June 7-8 - Living History Encampment - Visit the 1840s with teachers, students, Living History volunteers and staff perfecting their 19th-century skills. Forts Folle Avoine Historical Park, Danbury vicinity, Wisconsin
(715) 866-8890. http://www.theforts.org/Events.htm
May 24-25 - Opening Weekend - Features tours of the historic site, the Annual Garden Club plant sale, a Spring Encampment for fur trade campers, and a Wild Rice Pancake Breakfast on Sunday.
June 20-22 - Yellow River Echoes - What really happened at Forts Folle Avoine from 1802-1805? Why did two competing fur trade companies build posts on the same site? Participate in a “working fur post” atmosphere in and around the NW Co and XY posts, an active Ojibwe village, and a nearby re-enactors camp where additional skills of the period will be demonstrated. Event activities will include: Fur Post Interpretation, Ojibwe Village Interpretation, demonstrations and workshops, competitions and games. Fort Nisqually Historic Site, Tacoma, Washington
(253) 591-5339. www.fortnisqually.org
May 17 - Queen Victoria's Birthday - Immerse yourself in the mid-1800s, as the royal subjects of Fort Nisqually celebrate the birthday of her majesty. Living History activities, bagpipes, cannon firings and muskets volleys. Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Vancouver, Washington
(360) 816-6230. http://www.nps.gov/fova
June 21-22 - Brigade Encampment - Experience the annual return of the fur trappers and witness their unique way of life. From the 1820s to the 1840s, after months of toil in the wilderness, the trappers and traders of the Hudson's Bay Company returned to Fort Vancouver. This was a very important gathering of workers, friends and family - a time to exchange news, share stories and celebrate. Frontier Culture Museum, Staunton, Virginia
(540) 332-7850. http://www.frontier.virginia.gov/events.php
May 1-3 - Wool Days - See demonstrations of the various steps in wool processing, including shearing with hand shears on the English Farm. Wool washing, carding, spinning and knitting shown too. See the baby lambs.
May 18 - Shall We Gather - Old-Time gospel sing in the Bowman House parlor.
June 5-8 - Historic Garden Days 2008 - Museum gardens showcased. Plants and seeds for sale.
June 12-14 - "Making a Home on the Frontier" - An event showcasing the settlement farm demonstrating log hewing, fence building, splitting logs, foodways and agriculture. Historic Mansker's Station Frontier Life Center, Goodlettsville, Tennessee
(615) 859-3678. http://www.cityofgoodlettsville.org/historic/calendar
May 29 - Early Tennessee Lecture Series - Tennessee State historian talks about Kasper Mansker and early settlement of the Cumberland Region.
May 31 - 18th Century Period Wedding - Living History program.
June 26 - Early Tennessee Lecture Series - Topic not yet announced. North West Company Fur Post, Pine City, Minnesota
(320) 629-6356. http://events.mnhs.org/calendar/index.cfm?VenueID=7&bhcp=1
May 17 - North West Company and the War of 1812 - In 1812, President Madison declared war on Great Britain and the British North West Company leapt into action to protect their interests in the west. Visitors can join the corps of voyageurs to rally for the cause and experience what military camp life was like at the time. Opportunity to march along with the troops, talk with the soldiers about military life and make your own militia hat.
May 31 - Historic Fishing for Kids - Children are invited to relax and enjoy learning about historic fishing methods and try using a cane pole and cork bobber. Other methods used during the era will also be discussed and an exhibit of historic fishing methods will be on display.
June 21 - Historic Craft Series: Bone, Antler and Horn: The Art of the Horner - Until the invention of synthetics in the later 19th century, animal horn was used all over the world as a raw material in the manufacture of thousands of products. American Indians and European colonists used horns to make combs, spoons, powder and more. In this workshop, participants will learn several hornworking techniques and will take home items they have made including a cup, thread bobbin and spoon.
June 27-28 - Arrowheads and Stone Tools - Learn about the art of making spear points and arrowheads and see how modern flint knappers keep this ancient craft alive. This annual event attracts knappers from around the country who will demonstrate the skills used thousands of years ago to hunt wild game. Old Fort Harrod State Park, Harrodsburg, Kentucky
(859) 734-3314.http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/recparks/fh/events
June 6-8 - Craft and Beef Festival - Held at the Living History park and the Mercer County Fairgrounds. The festival hits its full stride on June 7 with a steak and eggs breakfast, a juried arts and crafts fair at Old Fort Harrod featuring more than 50 exhibitors, festival food, live entertainment, beauty pageants, children's activities, shows, craft demonstrations, twilight tour of the fort, 5K race, antique and classic super cruise and motor cycle cruise. Pricketts Fort State Park, Fairmont, West Virginia
(304) 363-3030. http://www.prickettsfort.org
May 17 - Sheep to Shawl Day - Watch how sheep are sheared and then see the various processes involved in preparing wool including carding, spinning and weaving.
May 26 - Memorial Day - Learn about those who served in various military units throughout the history of Pricketts Fort, including the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War and Civil War.
June 20 - West Virginia Day Quilt Show - On June 20, 1863, West Virginia became America's 35th state. Celebrate this day at Pricketts Fort with lemonade and birthday cake. Enjoy a quilt display and demonstration by the Mountain Heritage Quilt Guild. Previous Chapter © 2008 Suzanne and Craig Sheumaker - All rights reserved. www.AmericasLivingHistory.com Download MS Word or .PDF Please feel free to use all or part of this article in your newspaper or newsletter, post it on your blog or email it to friends, family, whomever. We ask only that you credit the authors and include a link to our website. Thank you! | |
