Our Second Annual History Reenactment day was a great success! Even bigger and better than last year! We decided to travel the Oregon Trail this year and invited the local home school group to join us. I was amazed by the wonderful response! We had 42 people signed up to go, and some that we even had to turn away.
We turned the Granary into the General Store in Independence, MO, the year was 1857. It became our "jumping off" point where everyone first met.
Our paths were all marked out for us so we wouldn't get lost.
Everyone traveling the trail was given a made up identity of a family group traveling to Oregon. There were mail order brides, convicts and missionaries,as well as cowboys and gold miners and many more. Some with large families, some with no families. Everyone had a certain amount of money and we all had to decide just what we would take with to Oregon by filling out the supply list.
Bobbing for apples was a fun way to spend the time as we waited for everyone to finish up their supply lists.
We also took pictures of each family for them to remember the special day.
And we're off! Lady dog was a big hit with all of the kids and was our scout dog and loyal companion.
Being this was a wagon train every family got to take a turn at pulling the wagon filled with all of our worldly supplies that we were bringing to Oregon. Everyone brought along their supply lists and water bottles. At every stop everyone got to pick a consequence~ sometimes you got bit by a snake, sometimes you gave birth to twins to add to your already large family, and sometimes your horse ran away. Fun stuff! I enjoyed listening to the kids exchange what happened to them along the way. They were all so interactive with the whole event.
Our first stop on the trip was at Chimney Rock. At this stop we split the group up in two and they had their first trial to face. Someone in their group "broke" their leg and they had to figure out a way to create a make-shift carrier to get them to their next destination. A little minor mishap of dropping one victim and a pair of lost glasses only added to the drama:) All was well in the end, tho. They had to carry their poor victim all the way to their next destination.
The next stop we made was at the Native American village.
The kids all got to check out the Indian teepee.
And anyone who needed to trade for some jerky, dried apples, Indian purses or slingshots could talk to Rob.
The next stop was to shoot some deer, buffalo, or wild turkeys to replenish the food supplies. The kids took turns (with Rob's help) shooting the BB gun at cardboard targets we set out.
Fort Laramie (the cabin sight) was a welcome sight for everybody after the long, hot walk. The girls brought Lightning and Sassy out to the corral before everybody got here to add to the immersion of Fort Laramie. They got lots of attention and petting.
Everybody was more than ready for a good trail lunch.
We served an authentic meal with lots of good home cooking and canning. Roast beef, baked beans, corn bread, dinner rolls, pickled eggs, canned dill pickles, canned bread and butter pickles, canned applesauce, canned beets, canned plum jelly, apple and cherry cobbler, along with cold lemonade and iced tea. Yum! Yum! Recipe's to come soon for those who asked.
The last trial on the Oregon Trail was to cross the mountains (the mud hill at the pond) and then cross the Columbia River (the pond) on the other side. The little duck boat was available as a ferry for all the girls in their pretty dresses, and the less brave adults could opt to walk the long way around to Oregon.
It didn't take long for all those boys (and girls) to jump right in! After everybody had their fill of swimming (or their moms were ready to go home) we headed on to Oregon (the yard) for our celebration of cupcakes.
It was one of those amazing days of great fellowship and coming together with a group of people who all have the same goal for raising their children and everybody was totally blessed by it. Especially me:) We are already trying to decide what to do next year...... Thanks for sharing all the great pictures, ladies!
Our Second Annual History Reenactment day was a great success! Even bigger and better than last year! We decided to travel the Oregon Trail this year and invited the local home school group to join us. I was amazed by the wonderful response! We had 42 people signed up to go, and some that we even had to turn away.
We turned the Granary into the General Store in Independence, MO, the year was 1857. It became our "jumping off" point where everyone first met.
Our paths were all marked out for us so we wouldn't get lost.
Everyone traveling the trail was given a made up identity of a family group traveling to Oregon. There were mail order brides, convicts and missionaries,as well as cowboys and gold miners and many more. Some with large families, some with no families. Everyone had a certain amount of money and we all had to decide just what we would take with to Oregon by filling out the supply list.
Being this was a wagon train every family got to take a turn at pulling the wagon filled with all of our worldly supplies that we were bringing to Oregon. Everyone brought along their supply lists and water bottles. At every stop everyone got to pick a consequence~ sometimes you got bit by a snake, sometimes you gave birth to twins to add to your already large family, and sometimes your horse ran away. Fun stuff! I enjoyed listening to the kids exchange what happened to them along the way. They were all so interactive with the whole event.
Our first stop on the trip was at Chimney Rock. At this stop we split the group up in two and they had their first trial to face. Someone in their group "broke" their leg and they had to figure out a way to create a make-shift carrier to get them to their next destination. A little minor mishap of dropping one victim and a pair of lost glasses only added to the drama:) All was well in the end, tho. They had to carry their poor victim all the way to their next destination.
The next stop we made was at the Native American village.
The kids all got to check out the Indian teepee.
And anyone who needed to trade for some jerky, dried apples, Indian purses or slingshots could talk to Rob.
The next stop was to shoot some deer, buffalo, or wild turkeys to replenish the food supplies. The kids took turns (with Rob's help) shooting the BB gun at cardboard targets we set out.
Fort Laramie (the cabin sight) was a welcome sight for everybody after the long, hot walk. The girls brought Lightning and Sassy out to the corral before everybody got here to add to the immersion of Fort Laramie. They got lots of attention and petting.
Everybody was more than ready for a good trail lunch.
We served an authentic meal with lots of good home cooking and canning. Roast beef, baked beans, corn bread, dinner rolls, pickled eggs, canned dill pickles, canned bread and butter pickles, canned applesauce, canned beets, canned plum jelly, apple and cherry cobbler, along with cold lemonade and iced tea. Yum! Yum! Recipe's to come soon for those who asked.
The last trial on the Oregon Trail was to cross the mountains (the mud hill at the pond) and then cross the Columbia River (the pond) on the other side. The little duck boat was available as a ferry for all the girls in their pretty dresses, and the less brave adults could opt to walk the long way around to Oregon.
It didn't take long for all those boys (and girls) to jump right in! After everybody had their fill of swimming (or their moms were ready to go home) we headed on to Oregon (the yard) for our celebration of cupcakes.
It was one of those amazing days of great fellowship and coming together with a group of people who all have the same goal for raising their children and everybody was totally blessed by it. Especially me:) We are already trying to decide what to do next year...... Thanks for sharing all the great pictures, ladies!
FUN,FUN, FUN. What a great memory you made for those kids!! PSSS...just to let you know, I live by the Columbia River and it doesn't look like that LOL!! Thank you for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful. Tell the kids they can go to Independence Mo and still visit the Trading Post where many started. So many wagons went through that on many pieces of property there are still wagon ruts and trails in the soil. The Pony Express station was on the property right next door to ours.
ReplyDeleteOne question?
Can old grey haired grandma types with no kids come next year?
Blessings from The Holler : )
Thanks Teresa~ we won't tell the kids, they thought it was the best river they'd ever seen!
ReplyDeleteHAHA! Yes, Yes, Ms Canned Quilter, next May you are invited too. You can walk by the other gray haired Grandma Lee who came with this year, altho she opted out of crossing the big Columbia River. She did end up married to a gold miner, so maybe you'll get lucky too;))) Just to warn you, tho, the kids are asking to do the Titanic reenactment next spring.....hmmmm...... that might be tricky to figure out:)))))) Terri
Oh my goodness! I so enjoyed all your pictures and seeing all the fun. You are an amazing woman! I was all bragging on you like I personally know you. lol. Maybe some day. :) Thanks for your inspiration!
ReplyDeleteTerri, you are an incredible woman and you sure do know how to throw a real costume party now don't you???? Looks like a whole lot of fun! Great memories for your children and I am sure you are the coolest mom on the block too!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove love love the family portrait!!