Living history participants take time out from the busy activities for a chat.
Living History Participants Relive The Past
This gal in the straw hat
and pantaloons looks as
though she just stepped
from the pages of a history
book.
Cutting wood for a cooking fire.
Lancaster FjK^mg
LINDA WILLIAMS
Bedford Co. Correspondent
BEDFORD (Bedford Co.)
“Living history is not just about
firing guns and having mock bat
tles,” said Roger Kirwin, director
of Old Bedford Village.
“Instead, it’s about men,
women, and children who want
to know what it actually felt like
to live during a specific period of
time.”
On a rainy June weekend at
Old Bedford Village, it was the
Civil War era.
“This was a romantic period of
history,” said Carolyn Kegg, a
faithful volunteer at the Village.
“The people who participate in
Living History are families. Ev
eryone gets involved including
the children.”
They make costumes so au-
thentic that even the fabric is ex
actly the same as that made in
the mid-1800’s. Living history
participants carry purses, guns,
powder flasks, just as they did
during the Civil War. On their
feet are high button shoes and
long stockings. Eyelet trimmed
pantaloons peek from beneath
long gingham skirts.
If it’s raining, they have to lift
their skirts to jump the puddles.
“They truly learn how it feels
to cook over an open fire in pots
and pans used during the Civil
War era. Women quickly leam
the dangers long sleeves and long
dresses pose while cooking over
an open flame. They leam what
it is like to sleep in a tent on a
wet, rainy night,” said Roger.
Both those who participate in
living history events and the Civil
War re-enactors meet at Old
Bedford Village the third week
end in June each year.
“This past year we had 420
who portrayed every part of Civil
War Era living, from cooking to
doctors and surgeons. They did
everything from re-enact a Civil
War battle to hold a grand ball in
the village bam during the eve
ning.
Some of the post popular living
history participants at the village
were Joseph and Christine
Mieczkowski who portray Simon
and Margaretta Cameron. A sen
ator from Pennsylvania in 1799,
Simon Cameron began his politi
cal career when he replaced fu
ture president James Buchanan
in the Senate. A former Demo
crat, turned Republican, Camer
on had widespread interests in
such things as newspapers, bank
ing, canal building, railroad con
struction, and manufacturing. He
served in Lincoln’s cabinet.
He was a visitor to the Gettys
burg battlefield shortly after hos
tilities ceased. Later, Cameron
was present for the address Lin
coln made at the dedication of
the National Cemetery in Gettys
burg.
Joseph Mieczkowski says he
looks so much like Simon Camer
on that many people think the
old portrait he has of the senator
is actually him. Christine, on the
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 30, 2003-823
Taking a stroll through the village.
Is this Huck Finn or a living history participant? It’s dif
ficult to tell the difference.
The general sits down to
read...battle plans perhaps.
other hand, says she does not
look that much like Margaretta
but enjoys the role anyway.
The costuming and all of the
other necessary paraphanallia
are purchased through publica
tions such as the Civil War
Times and at stores located at all
living history events.
Living history enthusiasts
haunt antique shops in hopes of
Ready for the battle.
“Senator Simon and Mar
garetta Cameron” as por
trayed by Joseph and
Christine Mieczkowski near
Harrisburg.
finding even more authentic
items.
Participants in the living histo
ry event attended the Village
from California, New England,
Ohio, and all parts of Pennsylva
nia.