A blog about reenacting and living history.
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PA Trolley Museum 2010
Another post that is a ‘little’ late. It has been a very busy Fall. On the weekend of September 11-12, the PA Trolley Museum near Washington, PA hosted the annual Antique Truck Show. As is customary,28th Division, 110th RCT, K Company,set up a WWII living history display as part of the show. As I have…
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Topkick’s Military Museum – Worth the Drive
For the last two years, I have talked about making the trip to Petersburg, WV to see Topkick’s Military Museum, but have not made it. on September 24, 2010, I finally made it. While it is a bit of a hike from my home to Petersburg, the trip was definitely worth it. The owner, Gereald…
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Ike Farm – 2010
I attended the Ike Farm WWII Weekend on September 18. This was the first time in several years that I had gone and pleasantly, it seemed that it had grown since the last time I was there, although, it may just be that I can’t remember that much about the last time. There were two…
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Henrietta Fitzhugh Barr House
The following article was originally submitted by Linda Donegan to the Charleston, WV Civil War Roundtable: Henrietta Fitzhugh Barr In 1835, Henry Fitzhugh and his wife Henrietta settled in Ravenswood. They had acquired land and built a home on the corner of Walnut and Race Streets. They had come to Ravenswood from Fauquier County Virginia…
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Veteran’s Day
A warm thank you to all veterans for your service to our country and its people. The debt is deep and profound. We should also take a moment to remember the men and women of the armed services still serving. God bless and come home safe!
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Happy Birthday Marines!
November 10, 2010 marks the 235th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Thank you Marines for your bravery and sacrifice down through the years…and Happy Birthday!
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November Events
November 2010 WWI – November 4-7. Newville, Pa. GWA Fall National Living History and Tactical Event. For more Information: http://www.great-war-assoc.org WWII – November 6, 2010,Arrival : Friday between 4PM and 10PM Saturday Between 7AM and 9 AM, Buck Springs Plantation, Warren County, North Carolina. 1943 Generic Eastern Front Event, Reenactors: $15.00 (pre-registration $10.00 due on…
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Smith House – Another Setback
More in from Karen Ramsburg. Apparently the Fire Department is not interested in working with anyone to save the house. Here is a report from the Chambersburg Public Opinion by Roscoe Barnes III (no relation). “MERCERSBURG — A proposal by a local doctor to purchase and relocate the Smith House failed to meet specifications for…
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Update on the Smith House
This in from Karen Ramsburg: Dr. Paul Orange, a Franklin County physician, has offered to relocate the Justice William Smith House in order to avoid having the local fire department from having it demolished. In a story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Len Barcousky wrote: ” “I have a love of history,” Dr. Paul Orange said…
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Williamsport WWII Event 2010
The following report was submitted by correspondent Bill Donegan: Williamsport 2010 Event This year’s living history at Williamsport began with Kim sending me an e-mail message telling me that they had a “PACKARD†for me, for the parade. I misread it thinking it said package. I had a big laugh when Linda pointed out my…
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Russian Mosaic Festival 2010
This was submitted by Reenactorpost Correspondent, Mike Momot: The Russian Mosaic Festival 19 September 2010 Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia, PA The Russian Mosaic Festival is a celebration of Russian life and culture and includes the many republics of the former Soviet Union. People come from far and wide to celebrate in the festivities at this fine…
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Decision for Justice William Smith House Coming Soon
Here’s the latest from Karen Ramsburg on the Smith house, soon to go to Ireland….? “Decision in Fate of Justice William Smith House Approaching MERCERSBURG, PA- One thing is for sure now, the Justice William Smith House has two options: it will be shipped to Ireland or bulldozed to the ground. Mercersberg, Montgomery, Peters and…
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Jollytown Civil War Memorial – A Job Well Done
On September 4, 2010, the Reenactorpost and the Sons of Union Veterans drove to Jollytown, PA and cleaned up the Jesse Taylor Civil War memorial and repainted the guns. The SUV commander, Matt Gillespie, had gotten Lowe’s in Buckhannon to knock 50% off the cost of two gallons of Rustoleum. One can was olive drab…
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A Working Visit to the Tank Farm
This one is a little late, but it has been a busy summer and fall (so far). On July 12-13, Bill Donegan and I drove to the Virginia Military Vehicles Museum to work as volunteers. The ‘Tank Farm,’ as it is also known, is located near Manassas, Virginia and contains an amazing collection of 20th…
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Criticizing a Reenactor for His/Her Impression
Over the past week, there has been a lot of press over the membership of Republican congressional candidate, Rich Iott’s membership in a midwestern German reenacting group, SS Wiking. Articles in the online version of the Atlantic and numerous other websites usually refer to Iott taking part in ‘Nazi’ reenactments. Apparently the Allies weren’t there…
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Smith House – Fire Department accepting Demolition Bids
The latest and grimmest news out of Mercersburg concerning the Justice William Smith House, as reported by Roscoe Barnes on http://www.publicopiniononline.com/ci_16273782?source=email “If retired historian Richard MacMaster comes in with the lowest bid, then the house, one of the oldest in Mercersburg, could go to the Ulster-American Folk Park in Ireland — a place designated for…
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Is the Smith House Moving to Northern Ireland?
The crises surrounding the Justice William Smith House has entered a new phase with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette taking up the cause of preserving the site. Two recent articles on their on-line service discuss the issue. The first article notes that a museum in Northern Ireland is interested in moving the historic Justice William Smith House…
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Break-in and Theft at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site.
The following is a reposting of a notice of a theft. Hopefully this will assist in capturing the thieves or at least recovering some of the items: Two historical sites in southern Colorado have been robbed in the past week by thieves who stole buffalo hides, historic weapons and cash, according to the National Park…
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October Events
Below are events scheduled for October (To the best of our knowledge): October 2010 Militaria Show – October 1-2, MAX Show (Military Antiques Extravaganza) Monroeville Convention Center, just outside Pittsburgh, PA. See: http://www.themaxshow.com WWI – October 1-3, Newville, PA. Western Front Total Immersion Event. Great War Association. Invitation only. http://www.great-war-assoc.org WWII – 2-3 October 2010…
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HAMPSHIRE HERITAGE FEST, ROMNEY WV SEPTEMBER 10 – 12, 2010
In my haste to get this out, I neglected to note that this was submitted by Nick Korolev (Very sorry Nick!) ed. The Hampshire County Heritage Fest takes place every 2nd weekend in September. The Civil War living history and reenactment part of this fun festival has only been going on for a few years,…
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USS Olympia – Are We Going to Lose This National Treasure?
On Sunday, September 19, I toured the cruiser USS Olympia with my friend, Don Taylor. We were in Philadelphia for the Russian Mosaica Festival and took the opportunity to check out this historic vessel. I had, of course, seen many pictures of ships of the “Great White Fleet”, but had never experienced actually boarding one.…
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The Smith House – A Letter to the Editor
This just in from Karen Ramsburg on Cambersburg Public Opinion: LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Heritage is our heart and soul Public Opinion Online How much do we really value our history? In Mercersburg, the Justice William Smith House is the birthplace of the right to bear arms in America because Smith’s Rebellion was a test…
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The Longest Weekend, D-Day pt. III
Here is Bill’s Continued Report on Longest Week-end- Conneaut Ohio: Following on the heels of that epic bridge battle the three West Virginians retired to the comfort of the 2nd Gebirgs camp for a rest and refit. While cleaning rifles and reloading bandoleers, we were approached by the local news media for snap-shots and interviews.…
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The Longest Weekend, D-Day Ohio Pt. II
Here is the second installment of Bill’s D-Day Journal: Following a hearty breakfast at the hotel, Linda and I arrived at the German/French camps around 0900. I was living history with Gilbert, John, Ray, Jim, Ron and Roger at the German camp while my wife and Debbie Wenig were living history at the French camp.…
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D-DAY OHIO, THE LONGEST WEEK-END 2010 Pt. I
This in from Bill Donegan: This is a report on what Debbie Wenig has dubbed “The Longest Week-end” Three West Virginia Gebirgsjagers and two wives traveled from Charleston, Fairmont and Morgantown WV to attend this years re-enactment of the Normandy invasion. Jim Barnes, Morgantown, was the first one to arrive early on Friday and was…
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News from the Front – Tank Farm Event – 2010
The following is a report from our intrepid correspondent, Mike Momot: The Tank Farm†Nokesville, Virginia, 21-22 August 2010. This event is located on the grounds of the Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles. This event was attended by members of the 193rd and many other reenactment units. WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, the Cold War, and…
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September Events
Below is a list of living history events for September taken from our Events page. If anyone knows of other events coming up, email us and we will post them: WWII – Western Front. Odessa, New York. September 10, 11,12, 2010. For information, contact: odessaevent@gmail.com Civil War – September 10, McGrew House Living History, Kingwood,…
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My Vacation II – Cold War Era Tragedy
One of the more unusual side trips I made while visiting my son in Maine, was a trip to Moosehead Lake in the west central part of the state. Now the lake itself is a popular tourist attraction and justly so. It is a very large and quite scenic natural lake which offer a variety…
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Old Bedford Village Living History 2010
Old Bedford Village has been described as the ‘Jewel of Reenacting’ in the Mid-Atlantic region, and I certainly agree. One of the premier events that I look forward to each summer is the annual OBV 1940’s weekend. It is always laid-back, interesting and fun. This year was no exception. Between John Niemiec, Craig Hall and…
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Interesting Blog Article – 100 Best Books on War
I recently received an email from Mark Davies in regard to a post on his blog. The blog title is a bit odd for our usual content as it is ‘Online Masters Degrees’, but I checked out and it seems to be okay. Anyway, with this particular link, he provides his list of the ‘100…
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After action report Old Bedford Village 9 August 2010 (Axis Perspective)
Bill Donegan participated in some of the skirmishing at Old Bedford Village during the 1940’s Living History Weekend on August 7-8. Here is his report: The Germans were in control of the village. It was a beautiful summer day, the sky was clear and blue, no humidity and about 75 degrees fahrenheit. Villagers were out…
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Arthurdale New Deal Festival 2010
The 2010 edition of the Arthurdale New Deal Festival took place on July 10. As usual, Eleanor Roosevelt was there and was accompanied this year by her husband, the President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt. For those of you who don’t know, Arthurdale was a planned community which was proposed by Eleanor Roosevelt…
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Gettysburg Cyclorama 2010
The following is a report by guest commentator, Matt Gillespie, on the Gettysburg Cyclorama which has been moved to the new Visitor’s Center: My family and I decided to have a mini-vacation since we had done no other traveling in 2010. What better place to get some quality family bonding time than Gettysburg, PA. None of…
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More on the Justice Smith House
Here are the latest updates from Karen Ramsburg regarding the Justice Smith House: Hi everyone, With great excitement and plenty of research work ahead I want to introduce http://smithrebellion1765.com. It is a living document as we continue to sort through primary sources related to the events surrounding William and James Smith and the Black Boys…
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Let Me Tell You About My Vacation…
As some of you may know, I spent a week in Maine last May. Anyone who knows anything about the American Civil War knows that Maine made a major contribution to the Union war effort in many different sectors. Maine was one of the first states in the northeast to be aligned with the Republican…
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Houston Freedom Fest
The Houston Freedom Fest was held on July 3rd, 2010 in the park behind the American Legion in Houston, PA, and is sponsored by the Central Christian Church of Meadowlands. The 28th Infantry, Co. K was invited to attend and set up an encampment. We all got to the park Friday evening and set up…
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Philippi Races 2010
The following is a report on the annual Blue-Gray Reunion in Philippi, WV by our correspondent, Bill Donegan: On June 3rd through June 6th Linda and I attended, and participated in, the 149th Annual Blue & Gray Reunion in Philippi, West Virginia. Linda and I started this year’s preparation back in March when we began…
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Save the Justice William Smith House (continued…)
Here is a short update from Karen Ramsburg concerning the ongoing effort to save the Smith House in Mercersburg, PA.: To all: We are pleased to have received a letter of support from Professor of History, Kevin Kenny of Boston College, author of the recently published book on the Paxton Boys titled Peaceable Kingdom Lost.…
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Adding a Civilian Impression
In getting ready for Arthurdale Heritage’s New Deal Festival this coming weekend, I have been forced to do something that I have been wanting to do, but have been putting off for some time: developing a period civilian impression. Admittedly, this is a new area for me and I welcome any advice from the readership.…
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Rowlesburg WWII Weekend
On the weekend of June 19, 2010, Rowlesburg, WV and the Greatest Generation Society held their annual WWII Weekend. This is one of my favorite annual events for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the hospitality of the event sponsors and the community. We were provided with a spaghetti dinner on…
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Reading Airshow 2010
Another June, another Reading! For any readers who don’t know, Reading Airshow is the largest gathering of WWII reenactors and enthusiasts on the east coast, with the possible exception of the Gap. There is no other gathering of this many WWII aircraft in one place, of which I am aware. The 193rd Rifle Division has…
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GATHERING OF CIVIL WAR EAGLES JUNE 4-6
The following is a report from our correspondent, Nick Korolev: The 6th annual Gathering of Civil War Eagles held at the Old Courthouse Civil War Museum in the Old Town location of Winchester, VA took place the weekend of June 4-6. This premier educational event is history brought to life by living historians from across…
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Julia Pierpont Day in Fairmont
The Marion County Historical Society held it’s annual Julia Pierpont Day in downtown Fairmont at the Society’s headquarters on May 29, 2010. (See 2009’s coverage for more details.) Governor Pierpont and, of course, Julia (Art and Pam Dodds) were in attendence, as well as Senator John Carlisle and Mrs. Carlisle (Gary and Millie Goetze). The…
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BATTLE OF LEWISBURG LIVING HISTORY & REENACTMENT – MAY 21-23
Attached is an account of the recent reenactment of the Battle of Lewisburg from correspondent, Nick Korolev: The Battle of Lewisburg Heritage Committee and the Greenbrier Campus of NRCTCpresented their annual Civil War event commemorating the 1862 Battle of Lewisburg May 21-23. This event is one of the best of the small to medium events…
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Brownsville Steam and Gas show, May 15-16, 2010
Two weeks ago, I again attended this event with Co. K of the 28th Infantry. This is not strictly a reenactor event, but is a potpourri of many things centered around the resurrected vintage machines that collectors have restored; many to running condition. There is also a large flea market, antique car show and food…