White Hose

[Dall_Piobaire]

I remember how hard NPS woked at the Yorktown Bicentennial. They managed to keep it as real as possible and as safe as possible, in fact I heard very little of any serious injuries during the whole time.

It was also a matter of being respectful of those who lost their lives in these actions, there was a lot of grumbling through the units about not being able to recreate actions, though it seems if I remember correctly we did opposing lines.

The recreation of the surrender was very nearly a tear jerker.

It hs to be said that it is very costly to be even close to completely accurate, and I would hazard a guess that there are few, had they the funds, would go all out.

I am glad there are people who at least try, they take the time and effort to reach out. Who knows what budding historian might be influenced. Kids, it seems, these days have little or no sense of our histories, and the sacrifices made, and living historians and reenactors value the ability to put what they can out there.

Renn-faires, lol, well, though enjoyable are nothing but a marketing scheme. I literally had a craftsman quote me more than six hundred bucks for a sgain dubh, not even as nice as some I have seen here.

I was always under the mpression that the SCA'ers though it in for their own enjoyment, are fanatical about accuracy.

I had the best time as a reenactor, made filmstrips, TV, even a beer commercial, believe it or not, but I could never afford to do that these days. So, apart from nitpicking, I give a lot of credit to those who put in the personal time, effort, and expense to keep things going.


Scott

[macwilkin]

I remember how hard NPS woked at the Yorktown Bicentennial. They managed to keep it as real as possible and as safe as possible, in fact I heard very little of any serious injuries during the whole time.

It was also a matter of being respectful of those who lost their lives in these actions, there was a lot of grumbling through the units about not being able to recreate actions, though it seems if I remember correctly we did opposing lines.

The recreation of the surrender was very nearly a tear jerker.

It hs to be said that it is very costly to be even close to completely accurate, and I would hazard a guess that there are few, had they the funds, would go all out.

I am glad there are people who at least try, they take the time and effort to reach out. Who knows what budding historian might be influenced. Kids, it seems, these days have little or no sense of our histories, and the sacrifices made, and living historians and reenactors value the ability to put what they can out there.

Renn-faires, lol, well, though enjoyable are nothing but a marketing scheme. I literally had a craftsman quote me more than six hundred bucks for a sgain dubh, not even as nice as some I have seen here.

I was always under the mpression that the SCA'ers though it in for their own enjoyment, are fanatical about accuracy.

I had the best time as a reenactor, made filmstrips, TV, even a beer commercial, believe it or not, but I could never afford to do that these days. So, apart from nitpicking, I give a lot of credit to those who put in the personal time, effort, and expense to keep things going.


Scott

Scott,

Thank you for your message. We frequently would be asked why NPS did not allow mock combat scenarios on national battlefields, and respect to the fallen was the number one reason, as well as safety issues and damage to the archeological record.

I have an excellent article by an academic historian named Edward T. Linenthal entitled "Committing History in Public" that deals with the challenges faced by NPS and others who manage historic sites in balancing the memorial aspect of said places, while at the same time striving for historic authenticity and academic objectivity.

T.

[Dall_Piobaire]

Todd

I have had the good fortune to know some really great NPS guys, some you may know. It is a tough job, that gets to little recognition and seems always to be under the budgetarty microsope of govt.

I know the sacrifice, in so many ways you guys make to be able to do a job that you truly love, but is so frustrating in many ways.

I really appreciate what you do Todd, you and many others truly made/make a difference.

[SlackerDrummer]

Scott,

Thank you for your message. We frequently would be asked why NPS did not allow mock combat scenarios on national battlefields, and respect to the fallen was the number one reason, as well as safety issues and damage to the archeological record.

I have an excellent article by an academic historian named Edward T. Linenthal entitled "Committing History in Public" that deals with the challenges faced by NPS and others who manage historic sites in balancing the memorial aspect of said places, while at the same time striving for historic authenticity and academic objectivity.

T.

Unless I'm mistaken, the 150th Ft. Sumter event will be the first ever re-enactment on Federal park land.

[macwilkin]

Unless I'm mistaken, the 150th Ft. Sumter event will be the first ever re-enactment on Federal park land.

Nope; the 1961 reenactment at Yorktown was the first (and thus far) only mock combat scenario held on a national battlefield.

While reenactments (mock combat scenarios) are not held at NPS sites, living history events are, and given that the siege of Ft. Sumter took place in Charleston Harbor, I'm not sure how a "reenactment" at the park will happen, given that it was shore batteries occupied by South Carolina troops that opened fire on Major Anderson and the garrison.

http://claudesinclair.com/Palmetto-B...home-page.html

The web site even states that it is not a "reenactment".

T.

[Dall_Piobaire]

Well, I know we used to do combat reenactments at Guilford Courthouse, back in the early eighties. I don't remember the rest, I think that is about when things started to change. We started doing tactical demos instead.

[Downunder Kilt]

There goes this thread!

And there were those that doubted your wisdom Zardoz. I don't think the topic has been mentioned since your post.

[Dall_Piobaire]

And there were those that doubted your wisdom Zardoz. I don't think the topic has been mentioned since your post.

Yeah, he was right, I really held out hope, only to end up in it.

[macwilkin]

Well, I know we used to do combat reenactments at Guilford Courthouse, back in the early eighties. I don't remember the rest, I think that is about when things started to change. We started doing tactical demos instead.

I have a friend who used to work at GUCO; I'll have ask her about that. I have always been told (and by the Chief of NPS Black Powder Program, nonetheless), that Yorktown was the only combat scenario on NPS land. If anyone would know about other reeanacments occuring at an NPS site, it would be him.

T.

[macwilkin]

And there were those that doubted your wisdom Zardoz. I don't think the topic has been mentioned since your post.

I'm not going to apologise for a good discussion, OT or not. Many a conversation in real life has done the same.

T.