tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post1532124520159132797..comments2024-03-19T18:17:56.821-04:00Comments on Colonial Quills: The Value of Reenactments for Research & Fun!Carrie Fancett Pagelshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09096954464239963966noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-53387015589809354562013-06-04T21:10:01.954-04:002013-06-04T21:10:01.954-04:00I couldn't agree more. I have been enjoying th... I couldn't agree more. I have been enjoying the vast number of events celebrating the War of 1812 recently but am pretty much a sucker for any reenactment from the 1700s and 1800s. There is nothing like being in a Fort while it is attacked, and being surrounded by hundreds of reenactors. Thanks for sharing, Jen!<br /><br />Debra E. Marvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17853387871623424853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-14201940929843582972013-06-04T20:43:06.183-04:002013-06-04T20:43:06.183-04:00Great post, Jen! There are a lot of reenactments i...Great post, Jen! There are a lot of reenactments in Rhode Island also. Every year my hometown celebrates Gaspee Days with a reenactment of the colonists burning the British schooner HMS Gaspee. General Nathaniel Greene's homestead is also close by. It was known as Spell Hall, and they recently reenacted a raid on the hall. What a fun way to research!Lisa Noratohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02112226396055268327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-65452952790335340132013-06-04T20:08:33.716-04:002013-06-04T20:08:33.716-04:00I would just love to see a real re-enactment! I...I would just love to see a real re-enactment! I've only seen them on tv, never in person. I love your excitement writing about it in this post. Makes me smile! Thanks for giving us a first hand account - it makes me more excited to see it myself some day. :)<br />Susan PSusan Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00885508869904521374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-36377027362644103562013-06-04T18:26:51.124-04:002013-06-04T18:26:51.124-04:00@Jenny Blake - I so want to go to Gettysburg's...@Jenny Blake - I so want to go to Gettysburg's 150th anniversary reenactment this year, but I don't know that funds are going happen for it.<br /><br />@Jennifer Hudson Taylor - I would love to go to a Revolutionary War reenactment. Unfortunately, all of them seem to be pretty far away from southeast Ohio. Still, loved this post, and won't give up on getting to one. I can live Whitneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14319496269535047263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-47263653387482689242013-06-04T15:00:29.960-04:002013-06-04T15:00:29.960-04:00North Carolina is one of the eastern states I know...North Carolina is one of the eastern states I know best (and I've set a couple of books there too, 1780s and 1790s). I grew up in Maryland, but we vacationed in the Outer Banks many a summer. I've dug for arrowheads in a garden in the Piedmont and explored the mountains of the Blue Ridge. I visited the House in the Horseshoe and used it for a model of a plantation home in one story. NC isLori Bentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04714197239425827339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-7979477452033278992013-06-04T14:55:32.088-04:002013-06-04T14:55:32.088-04:00That's still a long way to have go, Judith. We...That's still a long way to have go, Judith. We are geographically challenged, but we shall overcome!Lori Bentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04714197239425827339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-42257855188067176932013-06-04T13:40:34.618-04:002013-06-04T13:40:34.618-04:00I would love to see a reenactment some day. Troubl...I would love to see a reenactment some day. Trouble is I am the one history lover of this time period in the house. I need to find some likeminded friends.Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03470069911115912344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-54538907420670967982013-06-04T08:00:25.633-04:002013-06-04T08:00:25.633-04:00Jessica,
Since I have traced 6 of my ggg-grandfat...Jessica,<br /><br />Since I have traced 6 of my ggg-grandfathers who were actually at that battle, one of them shot in the face and survived, I would love to visit one of those reenactments! I flew in to PA for a writing retreat, but didn't have time to visit anywhere else, but I'm not so far away that I couldn't take a road trip!Jennifer Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06360330085131177132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-35607911408228367322013-06-04T07:58:02.865-04:002013-06-04T07:58:02.865-04:00Judith, You can plan a vacation sometime! Of cours...Judith, You can plan a vacation sometime! Of course, I'm still dreaming of a trip to England and Scotland, so I do understand. Jennifer Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06360330085131177132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-89765376543878147892013-06-04T07:56:12.907-04:002013-06-04T07:56:12.907-04:00Jenny, I have several ggg-grandfathers who fought ...Jenny, I have several ggg-grandfathers who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg. One of them was Thomas Gregory, a descendant of the Scottish MacGregors. Part of his face was blown off at Gettysburg and he survived! He wore a long beard to cover it after the war. I'm including a link to a photo of him and his wife. Please excuse the mess of my genealogy site, was in the process of converting itJennifer Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06360330085131177132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-62907883307383782572013-06-04T07:51:36.370-04:002013-06-04T07:51:36.370-04:00Lori, I'm so sorry you live so far away. I'...Lori, I'm so sorry you live so far away. I'm a native of NC so I guess I have the best of both worlds. We are one of the original 13 colonies, the state of the famous Lost Colony from the 1500's, the first site of gold mining before the California Gold Rush, lots of plantations, Civil War sites, and the Underground Railroad, so we have several hundred years of rich history. Also, we Jennifer Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06360330085131177132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-47986575390389113532013-06-04T07:45:04.788-04:002013-06-04T07:45:04.788-04:00Thanks, Carla! I appreciate your promoting this po...Thanks, Carla! I appreciate your promoting this post on FB. Jennifer Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06360330085131177132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-15634287844628117542013-06-04T07:43:08.550-04:002013-06-04T07:43:08.550-04:00I agree. I live for moments when I can go to these...I agree. I live for moments when I can go to these events and meet people who live and breathe the history more than I do. It really brings things back to life, makes it more real, and reawakens a story in me if I start struggling with it. Jennifer Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06360330085131177132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-77476351587165621902013-06-04T07:41:19.979-04:002013-06-04T07:41:19.979-04:00Sorry for my delayed response to everyone. I moved...Sorry for my delayed response to everyone. I moved over the weekend and they had difficulty getting our Internet up and running...and staying connected. I'm now located a little further away from the Battle of Guilford Courthouse where I grew up, but now I'm in the midst of what General Cornwallis called a Hornet's Nest...Charlotte, NC! Before the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, Jennifer Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06360330085131177132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-84224977997010271362013-06-04T07:14:28.650-04:002013-06-04T07:14:28.650-04:00I am fortunate enough to live in Gettysburg and wi...I am fortunate enough to live in Gettysburg and will get to see two 150th re-enactments this year (with between 8,000 and 12,000 re-enactors in each). It's not just the battles that are interesting, as Jennifer notes, but walking through the camps, one gets a real feel for life back then -- sounds, smells, etc. I can remember at the 135th how bright the campfires were at night and how the Jessica Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10823085444816794846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-34021433091392414782013-06-04T06:24:29.558-04:002013-06-04T06:24:29.558-04:00Lori, I live closer - about 1500 miles - and wish ...Lori, I live closer - about 1500 miles - and wish I didn't have to travel so far to attend such re-enactments and visit the sites. Just commiserating with you and having a small personal geographic pity party. :-) <br /><br />What wonderful opportunities for dimensional research, not just dry words on paper.Judith Roblhttp://www.judithrobl.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-14716552433268087822013-06-04T01:48:27.648-04:002013-06-04T01:48:27.648-04:00wow that would be awesome after doing historical h...wow that would be awesome after doing historical highlights tour and learning more about your wars and seeing places like St Johns Church Virginia, Yorktown etc It makes me want to see a reenactment.<br />I am fascinated with the civil war and learnt so much on the tour like more reasons for the war.<br />Also some chilling things at Gettysburg. <br />This year is the 150th for Gettysburg and theAusjennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07644698706787568679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-20524713332998765872013-06-03T18:24:38.682-04:002013-06-03T18:24:38.682-04:00I feel like a broken record, saying how I wish I d...I feel like a broken record, saying how I wish I didn't have to travel 3000 miles to attend these wonderful 18C reenactments or historical sites and museums and restorations. But I wish I didn't have to travel 3000 miles.... <br /><br />If you live closer, and love history, I second Jennifer in urging you to attend these reenactments. What a wealth of information and tactile, hands on Lori Bentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04714197239425827339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-64198357462931124322013-06-03T18:06:26.047-04:002013-06-03T18:06:26.047-04:00Great post, Jen! So much can be learned from these...Great post, Jen! So much can be learned from these reenactments and its just so enjoyable to attend them. What you said about the networking opportunities is excellent, too.<br />Carla Gadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3139112422565969072.post-48989446133965267212013-06-03T16:17:17.998-04:002013-06-03T16:17:17.998-04:00Jennifer, LOVE this article and the list of reenac...Jennifer, LOVE this article and the list of reenactment events! Reenactments really are wonderful for research. Not only can you learn practical day-by-day details of the lives of those involved that you may not find in the typical research materials, but it's also so much fun to get your nose out of books and get away from the computer, get outside, and talk to real people. Who could ask forJ. M. Hochstetlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07291602346312967152noreply@blogger.com