This post is dedicated to those who feel historic reenacting is on its way out -
to you I say, "read on!"
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| Vermillion Creek~ |
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| The early morning fog was a wonderful unplanned affect! |
I recently participated in a reenactment in Saginaw, Michigan...a timeline event (River of Time) held at a cider mill and pumpkin farm, where fall is celebrated in all of its wonders and woodenness.
A week later - - yep----I participated in another wonderful reenactment held at a cider mill: this time at Peacock Farm in Laingsburg, Michigan, where we are definitely in a very rural setting.
Those of us who participate in the event are pleased and honored that the Peacock Farm is allowing us to share our great and varied American history to many folks who probably did not expect to find themselves back in time to the 18th century:
"The Queen’s Rangers and Peacock Road Family Farm are pleased to announce the fourth annual VERMILION CREEK COLONIAL MUSTER, taking place September 30 and October 1, 2023. This is a Colonial Period (1750s-1780s) Living History Encampment that will include: historical demonstrations of period music, cooking, crafts, mock battle scenarios, artillery firing demonstrations, and much more! Please join us for a glimpse of life at the time of our nation's founding. See Living Historians portraying Native American, French, British, and American soldiers and civilians of the colonial period as they go about the activities of daily living during the eighteenth century. Fun and educational for the whole family!"
I love events that take place in the Autumn, for it's my favorite time of year. And though today's posting isn't necessarily about this wonderful season, you will still get a Fall-flavor while looking at the photos herein of this excellent reenactment.
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| A beautiful weather weekend was in store, with temperatures nearing 80 degrees (not typical early fall weather in southeastern lower Michigan), though a morning fog was covering the land... |
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| The morning colors were formed in preparation for the upcoming battle scenario. |
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| The 1st Pennsylvania |
Battles are almost a must at any historical reenactment, and Vermillion Creek was not a let down. Seeing the flint-locks flash -n- fire and hearing the BOOM!! of the cannon is always a real treat, even for those of us who get to see and hear such things quite often.
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This cannon shook the ground!
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| More artillery to our left, plus musket fire all around! What I like to tell modern visitors is that they are actually hearing the past. |
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| For this event they were not reenacting any one particular battle... |
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Gotta love capturing the flash in the pan!
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| ...the military was giving the public somewhat of an overview simulation. They were also giving a history lesson on the different types of uniforms worn during the American Revolution as well as the French & Indian War from over a decade earlier. |
With the battle over, the different military groups marched off to their camps.
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| Scott Mann and his Rangers. |
If you'd like to read more on the Queen's Rangers, please click HERE
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| Washington's Life Guards. |
Let us move to the civilian side of 18th century life, where we'll find numerous activities of the 1700s taking place:
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| Jackie & Charlotte~ Two of my cabin compadres. |
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| Larry had a wonderful set up and was able to continuously brew numerous types of 18th century beer and other drinks popular of the period. |
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| Although I've known Larry from other reenactments, we met up with him for the first time as a brewer at the previous weekend up at the River of Time timeline event. |
From the Colonial Williamsburg site:
The introduction of hops resulted in a change in the definition of beer and ale. By the 1500s beer had become a malt beverage with hops, while ale was a malt beverage made without hops. This distinction was maintained for about 200 years. During this period fines were imposed for putting hops into ale. Soon, the preserving qualities of hops won out over the prejudice against its flavor. During the 18th-century the distinctions between beer and ale became more vague. The term "ale" is sometimes used to indicate a stronger drink, but this usage is not consistent. So during the 18th century, beer for ale and ale for beer were often intertwined.
A little research can go a long way:
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| First developed by Canada's indigenous peoples, spruce beer was commonly used to prevent scurvy, as French navigator Jacques Cartier did. |
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| Larry not only made beer, but also a form of ginger ale and root beer. I did not get the chance to try the root beer, which I would have loved, for I am sort of a root beer connoisseur, but I did try the ginger tea he made. |
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| I've always questioned the use of spigots on barrels in the 18th century. For some odd reason I didn't know if such an invention was around at that time, that perhaps it was a "modern-ism" made to look old. Well, I've come to learn that indeed they were - and even much earlier (from about 1700 BC!). You see, I question everything, especially if I see it often at reenactments or even at museums. Just because we may see something doesn't always mean it is correct. Better to check than just assume. So, yes, we absolutely would have seen barrels such as what we see here!! |
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| Welcome, Chris. Would you like to quaff some ale? People came from all around to watch, learn, and, if you were an "of-age" reenactor, to even taste. |
The trader's cabin:
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| The cabin~ No, this is not Waterloo Cabin (that's for us next weekend!), but, rather, the Peacock Cabin used for numerous things including Christmas. It works well for the reenactment to show trading/bartering. |
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| Tim Thompson portrayed a trader in a trading post. |
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| Jackie enjoying the Vermillion Creek running through the property. |
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| The cabin is away from the main reenacting area, which makes it a pleasant place to get away. Or it could mean isolation. Either way, it is an important piece of history. |
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| Three amigos just a settin' on the cabin porch. Behind us, the stream was a-babbling. |
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| Tim put together this gun, and here is the very first shot he took with it! |
And near the cabin we have...
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| Horik also portrayed a trader in his lean-to. |
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| Tony and his father, Norm. Both have been in this hobby since the Bicentennial year of 1976! |
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| Doc Bloodsworth was there and, as per usual, he had a wealth of medical tools and information to share with the wondering public. Doc/Tom always does a terrific job. |
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| Here are a few members of the Belletre Detroit, who I have known now for several years. Belletre is a French & Indian War reenacting society dedicated to the preservation and education of the mid-18th Century military and civilian life.  And, you know, the number of different 18th century recipes one can see being prepared is awesome. |
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| I've said it before and I'll say it again: I always love it when Natives come out and take part to teach their heritage and story. I wish we could get African Americans to come out as well, for there is so much wonderful history that needs to be told - a lot more than land grabs and slavery. |
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The men of the 1st Pennsylvania stood solemnly for a given blessing. |
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| Back to camp~ |
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| The history being taught - different uniforms...different flags. The sort of history rarely taught in schools! |
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| Here is a well-dressed couple who don't seem to come out nearly as much as they should, Mr. & Mrs. Lockwood. |
Any event is only as good as those who participate and what they are willing to put into it. By that alone Vermillion Creek is a fine event indeed. Walking about the camps throughout the acreage and speaking to the other reenactors is one of those things I enjoy most, for it's in this manner I can get to know others, whether patriot or loyalist.
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| As I explained to a non-reenacting friend: imagine spending time, whether a day or a full weekend, with friends...lots of friends...and many people you may not know but they are of the same mindset who enjoy the same things you do, so you are immediate friends. How cool would that be? She responded with, "Very cool." Then I said, "That's what I do nearly every weekend!" |
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| Amy and Susan chat away while Susan works on a sewing project. Amy heads up the hands-on historic and traditional activities at Kensington Metropark. |
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| Susan has been a long-time reenactor, starting out, like many of us, in Civil War. She began experimenting with the 18th century right around the same time that I did, back in 2014. Here she is visiting with Chris. |
Then there was Carol-Anne's new endeavor as a sutler:
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| "Prickly Thistle Apothecary" |
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| She certainly carried a lot of interesting items~ |
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| It was good to see plenty of participation. However, there could have / should have been more. I suppose some had to stay home and cut their grass (lol). Next year! |
There is a large pumpkin patch at the Peacock Farm, and each year I've been there I've had a pumpkin picture taken. This year was no different:
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| Yes, pumpkins are more than period correct! Read on - - - |
Scientists believe that pumpkins originated in North America about 9000 years ago. The oldest pumpkin seeds have been found in Mexico and date back to somewhere between 7000-5550 B.C. Pumpkins (along with other forms of squash) were a historically important food staple among Native Americans.
Now a quick Hallowe'en lesson:
The traditional illumination for pranksters on Hallowe'en night was provided by turnips or mangel wurzels (a root vegetable), hollowed out to act as lanterns, lit with coal or a candle, and often carved with grotesque faces. They were used to scare people, while in some cases they were set on windowsills to guard homes against evil.
There is evidence that turnips were used to carve what was called a "Hoberdy's Lantern" in Worcestershire, England, at the end of the 18th century. The folklorist Jabez Allies recalls: “In my juvenile days I remember to have seen peasant boys make what they called a ‘Hoberdy's Lantern’ by hollowing out a turnip, and cutting eyes, nose, and mouth therein, in the true moon-like style; and having lighted it up by inserting the stump of a candle, they used to place it upon a hedge to frighten unwary travellers in the night.”
Irish immigrants brought the jack-o’-lantern custom to North America. Here, turnips were slowly replaced by pumpkins to make the iconic Halloween decorations, and eventually became the plant of choice.
For a lot more on Hallowe'en, please click HERE
By the way, a pumpkin is technically a fruit because it’s a product of the seed-bearing structure of flowering plants. Vegetables, on the other hand, are the edible portion of plants such as leaves, stems, roots, bulbs, and flowers. Because pumpkins are less sweet and more savory from a culinary perspective, we categorize them as a vegetable.
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| The host of this Vermillion Creek event (and head of the Queen's Rangers), Scott Mann, had a professional photographer friend of his on hand, Jim LeMay, to capture images, and he captured mine in this shot as well. I love the deep colors. He also took the photos of Carol-Anne's "Prickly Thistle Apothecary"~ |
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| We pretty much take a selfie at every event now. It's a Larissa tradition and we're just carrying on. |
On the way home we have made it a tradition to stop at a restaurant for a bite to eat all dressed in our period clothing. The reactions from both workers and patrons always makes it worth our while.
But this time, on our way, I remembered seeing an old church and cemetery (Graham Cemetery) as we drove to the reenactment and noted that I wanted to stop for a few photographs on the way back, should we pass by it again.
We did.
And, we did!
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| With the early October sun low in the sky, it shone bright in my eyes. I think a dank, dark day would have made this perfect! |
Graham Cemetery is in Woodhull Township, Shiawassee County, Michigan.
Nope - no relation, as far as I can tell, to Abraham Woodhull, who was one of George Washington's spies during the Revolutionary War (Culper Spy Ring). These Woodhull's settled here in 1836. I mean, they could be descendants or distant relatives of Abraham...still, kind of cool to have the Woodhull name there - - -
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| I did not see any stones with the Woodhull name... |
From there we found our way to Johnny Vs BBQ in Perry, Michigan.
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| Last year on the way home we ate at a restaurant called Johnny V's and we agreed the food was amazing! Well, we came back again this year. And it was just as amazing! |
Meanwhile, at the reenactment, many of those who spent the weekend enjoyed a potluck:
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| Everyone contributed and it included venison stew, beef stew, turkey, bread, cake, cookies, pies, rice pudding, apple/berry crisp, cole slaw...
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Well, it seems the reenacting world is definitely alive and well and, dare I say, growing stronger and healthier. Between Revolutionary War, Civil War, and WWII, this hobby, though slowing down for a bit a few years back due to Covid and other reasons, is continuously growing stronger, and therefore, our living history/reenacting world and hobby continues onward and upward.
And that's a good...no...great thing. Research is becoming more prominent, and information is becoming more available. This adds to the historical accuracy we all strive for.
Vermillion Creek was a fine event indeed. And from what I understand, the dates for next year are already set in stone: October 5th & 6th.
God willing, I will be there.
Until next time, see you in time.
Here is a history of this event, which actually began at a different location.
Just click on a year:
2016 - The first year for the Queen's Rangers and Scott Mann hosting such an event. It was at a cider mill called Uncle John's Mill.
2019 - This was the 1st year that this event was held at Vermillion Creek/Peacock Farm, which is also a cider mill. Perfect for fall!
Many thank you's must go to the photographers who were there for allowing me to use a few of their pictures alongside my own:
Charlotte Bauer
Charlotte Bauer
Jim LeMay
Norman Gerring
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