April brings showers and on April 6-8 of this year, it also brought the School of the Longhunter which takes place at Prickett’s Fort near Fairmont, WV on an annual basis. This encampment/symposium is an interesting and informative event with a lot to offer for the Colonial era reenactor/living historian. This year’s presentations included talks on winter gear and snowwalker bushcraft; Fort Pitt: Trade Goods on the Frontier: tracking; Mess Companies of the Frontier: preparing for action and pack inspection; Unwanted Markings; Necessary Paperwork: papers carried on the frontier; a natural dye workshop; and a round robin trade and barter session. On Saturday evening, there was a dinner, and a benefit auction of period goods to benefit the park took place.
The reconstructed fort is a great setting for the event (although many of the presentations were held in the modern comfort of the Visitor Center) and since the park doesn’t open until after the event, the participants have the area pretty much to themselves. While the fort is located in Prickett’s Fort State Park, the fort and visitor’s center are operated by the Prickett’s Fort Foundation. There is also a Civil War era home built by the Prickett family which sits directly behind the Visitor Center. For more information, see https://www.prickettsfort.org/visit.html
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