You can see many local folk in period dress busy at their 1850’s marketing, court business and socializing. The ad hoc living history revolves around a “street drama” area where a day-long string of short dramas bring characters to life--from the Mayor to the town gossip, the patent medicine peddler to the farm wife, the trouble-maker to the preacher. Their dramas draw on folklore preserved by own John L. Heatwole and other historical accounts. In addition, three commissioned stage plays are performed that draw on local events.

How much has life changed since the 1850’s? Arrested for speeding, no. Arrested for drunk and galloping your horse through town, yes.

Reenactor Workshops

Short workshops begin at 6:30pm at Massanutten Regional Library. Free and open to the public.

Tuesday, March 11 – “1850’s Street Etiquette”, Stacey Nadeau, Living History Interpreter, Bushong Farm, New Market Battlefield State Historical Park

Tuesday, March 25 – “1850’s Clothing”, Janet Moyers, Civil War re-enactor, period seamstress and clothing historian

Tuesday, April 8 – “Local 1850’s History”, Dr. Dorothy Boyd-Bragg, History Department professor associated with The Madison Center, James Madison University

Tuesday, April 22 – “Local 1850’s Folklore”, Carol Maureen DeHart, oral historian and author of “Boys of St. Mike’s, 1939-1943,” and “John L. Heatwole, The Word Gatherer.”

April 29, reenactors can carpool to Gettysburg for period dress
needs. For more information contact Amanda Liskey, 269-2663.

For information call 540-432-8922.

Other meetings and rehearsals for re-enactors will be held on the dates below, location to be announced.

             Apr 1, 8, 22
             May 6, 13, 20, 27

Sutler Guide.htm
Compilation of links for period clothes and accessories