Reenactors at The Revolutionary Rendezvous demonstrate how colonial soldiers would fight with muskets — Photo by Matthew Crane.
One of the first events celebrating America’s 250th was held over the weekend in Ferdinand State Forest.
Featuring reenactors and history buffs, The Revolutionary Rendezvous offered a hands-on, immersive experience for hundreds of middle schoolers on Friday.
Students rotated through a variety of demonstrations, including a skirmish, blacksmithing, log-hewing, ropemaking, stone carving, games and more.
Here are a few photos of the event.
Cedar Crest student Eric Hughes reacts as Jim Corn, of the Dubois County Stone Carvers, demonstrates the different types of chisels used to carve stone.Volunteers shared some history and insight into the German settlers’ connection to stonecarving — Photo by Matthew Crane.
Melanie Kern placed her granddaughter, Eleanor Berg, into a hollow log at the log hewing demonstration area. The demonstrators had joked with the students throughout the day that the log was a toilet — Photo by Amy Crane.
Nick Dilger demonstrated his still (with water) for Cedar Crest students. Mr. Dilger has been making moonshine for over 35 years— Photo by Amy Crane.
Cousins Malachi Ballance(orange shirt) and Amelia Morehead attempted to build something with wooden shingles at the log hewing demonstration — Photo by Amy Crane.
Kathleen Crews spoke about how women dressed during the late 1700s, using Jasper Middle School student Julia Pfaff as a volunteer model — Photo by Amy Crane.
Jasper Middle Schooler Helen Frank (purple) reached down to pet one of the (tired) pigs on display at the event — Photo by Amy Crane.
Jasper Middle Schoolers Ben Erny, Grier Werne, and Jake Hasenour raced with the stick ponies. The ponies were among the games and toys available in the late 1700s for children to play with — Photo by Amy Crane.
Jasper Middle Schooler Hadley Scherer grimaced as she attempted to operate the hewn stilts — Photo by Amy Crane.
Cedar Crest student Paisley Foruster took a turn at sawing a log. Students were surprised at how difficult it was — Photo by Amy Crane.
Taylor Blalock played the mountain dulcimer for students — Photo by Amy Crane.
Travis Black demonstrated blacksmithing for students — Photo by Amy Crane.
Michael and Kathleen Crews entertained with stories of traders, trappers and merchants. Sam Ernst, a 6th grader at Cedar Crest, was chosen to model clothing, tools and weapons for his group — Photo by Matthew Crane.
Frank Doughman explained how members of the militia qualified (they had to have two teeth available to rip open the cartridges to fire their guns) to the middle schoolers at The Revolutionary Rendezvous Doughman — Photo by Matthew Crane.
Reenactors taught how the militia would camp and remain in the field during the war. Students took turns attempting to break the hardtack (a hard biscuit that usually had to be soaked in a liquid before it could be eaten — Photo by Matthew Crane.
Waylon Stout, a 6th grader at Cedar Crest, figured out how to play the hoop toss at the event — Photo by Matthew Crane.
