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Living History
Spring's best bets for celebrating your heritage and reliving your history.
Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
Point Pleasant, West Virginia
Frankenmuth, Michigan
West Liberty, Ohio
Sturgis, South Dakota
Alexandria, Virginia
By Crystal Conde
Folklore Fun
The legacy of Elizabethtown's Scots-Irish founders is still alive after nearly 300 years. Elizabethtown Heritage: Scots-Irish Festival Weekend will highlight the town's unique past through authentic entertainment and educational programs May 3-5. The weekend kicks off with a one-day lecture series and a Scots-Irish dinner in the evening. Return to the Winters Heritage House Museum grounds on Saturday, and soak up the Celtic musicians, craft demonstrations, Celtic merchandise and dancing. For the genealogical at heart, stop by History Row. Here you'll learn about the town's local personalities through short lectures covering a variety of topics. If you're looking for more interactive activities, try your hand at candle dipping, soap making, quilting or weaving. The children can take part in novelty Highland games and a treasure hunt. Call (717) 367-4672 or e-mail whhm@onemain.com.
Under Siege
Visit a reconstruction of the fort that protected Virginians from Shawnee warriors back in 1778. The 2nd Annual Siege of Fort Randolph takes place May 17-19 at Krodel Park. Come see the action Saturday at 1 p.m. as the fort undergoes attack. Afterward, re-enactors will demonstrate daily fort life. You can participate in tomahawk competitions or purchase period clothing from vendors on hand. Come back on Sunday and walk the hills for a view of the site of Lord Dunmore's War—the battle that led to negotiations with the Shawnee, opening up present-day West Virginia and Kentucky to settlement. Call (304) 675-6389 or e-mail chesson@charter.net.
Bavarian Hospitality
Bratwurst, fresh pastries, pretzels and German beer are just a few of the goodies you'll enjoy at the Annual Bavarian Festival. If you need more incentive to attend than just great food, come for the cultural activities. Visit Heritage Park June 6-9, and celebrate Bavarian-style. Polka bands and other traditional Bavarian musicians will provide the music for you to bust a move. Saturday is Kinderfest, or Children's Day, so bring the kids for the youth parade. And on Sunday don't miss the culminating event of the festival—the German-Polish Picnic and Grand Parade. Marching bands and entertainers perform, and the Bavarian princess is crowned. Call (800) FUNTOWN or visit www.frankenmuth.org.
Give Me Liberty!
Brush up on your history lessons while you learn about the diverse residents who lived in the Mac-O-Chee Valley from 1760 to 1814. A Call to Liberty re-creates Colonial and Native American life in the valley in a fun and
entertaining setting. The re-enactment makes its debut June 7-9 at West Liberty Lions Park. Bring the family and take in a weekend of music, craft demonstrations, fashion, tomahawk throwing, rifle and cannon demonstrations, bonfire dances, storytelling and singing. Call (937) 465-9540 or visit
westliberty.com.
Send in the Cavalry
Visit the site where Gen. George Armstrong Custer once led the 7th Cavalry. The 5th Annual Sturgis-Fort Meade Cavalry Days Celebration highlights the time period during the 19th century when the fort was a frontier cavalry post. From June 7-9 you can participate in historical tours, a parade, the cowboy stew cook-off or the children's fishing derby at nearby Barry Stadium. Mountain men, fur traders and Native American historians will be on hand to inform visitors. Re-enactments include the Great Sturgis Bank Robbery, an encampment of the Frontier Army of the Dakotas and a military ball. Call (605) 347-2556 or visit www.sturgis-sd.org.
Life Inside the Fort
Catch Abraham Lincoln conducting a press conference or Clara Barton making an appearance at the annual Civil War Camp Day. Arrive at Fort Ward Historic Site on June 22 to partake in Civil War-era, day-to-day leisure activities. Interpreters will demonstrate what life was like in the Army for the North and South. Observe old-fashioned drilling, cooking and weapons maintenance. Bring your children, and they can meet the school marm. Suggested admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children. Call (800) 388-9119 or visit www.funside.com.
For more living history destinations see the June 2002 issue of Family Tree Magazine.
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