Cook Forest State Park will host a series of living history events depicting life during the French & Indian War. Highlights of this full two-day encampment include woodland natives, cannon and musket firing, cooking, primitive skills, blacksmithing, tinsmithing, pottery, children’s games, sutler camp, renown living historians, French & Indian War Era artisans, and live tactical engagements. Every battle is different! Take a walk back in time along the Black Bear Trail by the Sawmill Center for the Arts during open camp hours to view British, Colonial, French, and Native American re-enactors as they portray lifestyles of the 18th century.
Saturday, June 8
10:00am-6:00pm : Event Open
10:00am-11:00am - Blacksmithing Demonstration - by ‘Friends of Dennis Murray, across from Sawmill Craft Market
10:00am-12:00pm - Turkey Wingbone Call Fabrication - by Paul Stillman, living historian from Historically Speaking, in the Old Sawmill Classroom, $15 for materials
10:00am-4:00pm - Cooking Demonstration - by Geoffrey Domowicz, Compagnie LeBoeuf chef, along Black Bear Trail at the main encampment site
10:30pm-5:00pm - French & Indian War Era Art & Demonstrators - meet with distinguished artists, authors, artisans, and demonstrators in the Old Sawmill Classroom
10:30pm-5:00pm - Sutler Row Demonstrators - Want to meet with skilled artisans to make a trade or purchase? Looking to get into the hobby and need clothing & accoutrements? Meet tinsmiths, cordwainers, leather workers, cooks, gunsmiths, clothiers, weapons outfitters, and gourd makers in the long field on your right as you come into the main Sawmill entrance.
11:30 am-12:15 pm - Confrontation at the Forks: The Ohio Company Fort and its Surrender - treaty and fort surrender engagement in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the Old Sawmill Classroom
1:00 pm-2:00 pm - Stoffel Stump: The Man Who Walked w/Conrad Weiser - by Richard Pawling nationally renowned living historian from History Alive! at the Sawmill Theater
2:00 pm-3:00 pm - 18th Century Children’s Games - by the Noel family-Compagnie LeBoeuf, along Black Bear Trail at the main encampment site
2:00pm-5:00pm - Powderhorn Fabrication Workshop - by Paul Stillman, living historian from Historically Speaking in the Old Sawmill Classroom, $25 for materials
2:30 pm-3:30 pm - The Opportunity to Meet the Character Within the Character - by Richard Pawling nationally renowned living historian from History Alive! At the new Sawmill Classroom
3:00pm-5:00pm Blacksmithing Demonstration - by ‘Friends of Dennis Murray’, across from Sawmill Craft Market
3:30pm-4:00pm Cannon & Musket Firing Demo - by the camp Corps of Artillery, located in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom
4:00pm-4:30pm - Peril in the Forest - tactical engagement in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom
8:00pm-9:00pm - An Evening to Be Remembered: Stoeffel & His Son Frederick Will Take You on a Journey to be Remembered - by Richard Pawling nationally renowned living historian from History Alive! at the Sawmill Theater
Sunday, June 9
9:00am-3:30pm Event Open
9:00am-9:30am - 18th Century Sunday Service - by Rick Sanguigni of ’Friends of Dennis Murray’, located in the main encampment site along Black Bear Trail
9:30am-11:00am - Blacksmithing Demonstration - by ‘Friends of Dennis Murray’, across from Sawmill Craft Market
9:30am-3:00pm - French & Indian War Era Art & Demonstrators - meet with distinguished artists, authors, artisans, and demonstrators in the old Sawmill Classroom
9:30pm-3:00pm - Sutler Row Demonstrators - Want to meet with skilled artisans to make a trade or purchase? Looking to get into the hobby and need clothing & accoutrements? Meet tinsmiths, cordwainers, leather workers, cooks, gunsmiths, clothiers, weapons outfitters, and gourd makers in the long field on your right as you come into the main Sawmill entrance.
10:15am-10:45am - 18th Century Children’s Games - by the Noel Family-Compagnie LeBoeuf, along Black Bear Trail at the main encampment site
11:00am-2:00pm - Turkey Wingbone Call Fabrication - by Paul Stillman, living historian from Historically Speaking, in the Old Sawmill Classroom, $15 for materials
11:30am-12:00pm - In Defense of the Homeland– morning surprise tactical assault at the main encampment site along Black Bear Trail
12:30pm-2:00pm Blacksmithing Demonstration - by ‘Friends of Dennis Murray’, across from Sawmill Craft Market
2:00pm-2:30pm - Cannon & Musket Firing Demonstration - by the camp Corps of Artillery, in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom
2:30pm-3:00pm - Peril in the Forest - tactical engagement in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom.