Fort Massac Encampment

This year, our group has decided to attend a new event: the Fort Massac Encampment.

The Fort Massac State Park is located in Metropolis, IL, and 2018 will mark the 45th year of their annual Encampment.

Brief history below from this link:  http://thesouthern.com/news/local/early-american-history-lives-at-fort-massac/article_712d3ea4-174e-57b5-a112-73090053a9b3.html
With its history dating all the way back to 1540, the site of Fort Massac is an integral early American part of Southern Illinois’ history.
The fort itself was built by the French in 1757 as Fort De L’Ascension during the French and Indian War. It was rebuilt in 1759-60 and was renamed Massiac in honor of the then French Minister of Colonial Affairs.
In 1763, after the war, the French left the fort, and it was reported that a tribe of Chickasaws burned it to the ground.
Shortly after, the British took control of the burned down fort and anglicized the name to its current form of Massac. The fort was not rebuilt until President George Washington ordered the reconstruction in 1794.
The fort also played a minor role in the War of 1812, only to be abandoned again in 1814. The site served as a training camp early in the Civil War, which is the last time U.S. troops were stationed there. It was abandoned after a measles outbreak in 1861.
In 1903, with the help of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the site was purchased by the state of Illinois. On Nov. 5, 1908, it was officially dedicated as Illinois’ first state park.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Massac

I stumbled across this painting of a French woman and her child by Noël Hallé  from 1757.  Thought I'd share.

This picture was posted on the Colonial Williamsburg Facebook Page.  The weird looking buttons in the left corner are actually button molds, made of bone or wood, and were used to make a variety of designs by wrapping threads in a certain pattern around the mold.  These were used in both men's and ladies clothing, but usually very fine garments, and can be purchased from Williamsburg, or you can get the supplies from William Booth to make them yourself. 

The French in Minnesota

Finally getting around to posting this link that Bill Schjolberg shared about the French in Minnesota - lots of interesting information!

Platteville 2016

300th Anniversary Event - Sault Ste. Marie

For our consideration, in 2018 on the site of historic Fort Repentigny in Sault Ste. Marie, they will host a one-time 300th anniversary event of the founding of the oldest city in Michigan.  July 25-26.  For informational purposes I prepared a Powerpoint presentation you can access here.

You will need either Powerpoint or access to Google Slides to view, or e-mail Michael Mathews and I'll send you the file.

Let's get there in numbers in 2018.

Excellent Illustrations

I have harvested a series of prints by Eugene Leliepvre and others, mostly of "marines."  Some have appeared in publications familiar to us like Parks Canada.  Click on the images to enlarge them.

A veteran sergeant imparting wisdom to his young ensign.

Detail of the sergeant.

A generic soldier, representing
what most of us have patterned.

In harbor, to remind us of the mixed duties.

"Have you seen any little green men?"

So perhaps we can find inspiration in these images for the coming year(s).  Now if I can only figure out how to look so young and thin again....






 

Lessons from a Handcraft Tailor