Muster at Fort Watauga Brings 18th Century Frontier Life to Present Day
In a spectacular show of living history, the re-created Fort Watauga at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park in Elizabethton will host the Muster at Fort Watauga: An 18th Century Frontier Exhibition event. Taking place on Saturday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the park promises patrons an immersive trip back in time when America’s first frontier was the land beyond the Blue Ridge.
Reliving History
With nearly 200 living history interpreters, demonstrators and heritage craftspeople on-site, visitors will have the chance to engage with Colonial, British, and Native history in an unparalleled fashion. From the fort to militia camps and from the British encampment to the Native American camp, the event intends to immerse attendees in 18th-century life and highlight the heritage and significance of Sycamore Shoals in our nation’s history.
Exhibits and Demonstrations
The event will feature numerous seminars and presentations conducted by 18th-century history enthusiasts and scholars. Topics encompass British Army during the Revolutionary War, roles of children in frontier life, Cherokee-British-Colonial relations, child soldiers in the American Revolution, and a Museum of Colonial Curiosities. There will also be a unique, period-based presentation on 18th-century fishing.
Coupled with these presentations, the Muster at Fort Watauga will present various artisans and merchants who will display and sell 18th century-style handcrafted goods including leatherwork, clothing, jewelry, pottery, fiber-arts and woven goods, and unique coffee and tea blends.
Living Presentations
In a bid to bring the 18th century alive, a host of Revolutionary War living history units will attend the exhibition. These include the South Carolina Rangers, Musgrove’s Mill Militia, 71st Highland Regiment, the British Legion, and Washington County Regiment of North Carolina Militia. Various walks of life from the era will be portrayed, including Cherokee Natives, backcountry hunters, farmers, housewives, commoners, and the gentry.
Ongoing demonstrations will showcase varied aspects of 18th-century life, such as natural dyeing, quill pen writing, colonial games, basket weaving, chair caning, blacksmithing, medicinal plants, hide tanning, public house, firearms displays, and 18th-century cooking and foodways. To add a touch of action, a highlight for attendees, an auction of 18th century reproductions and colonial-inspired goods will take place on Saturday afternoon, with proceeds going directly to offset the cost of the event.
Keeping the Past Alive
The event, sponsored by The Washington County Regiment of North Carolina Militia and The Friends of Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park, aims to pay homage to our ancestors who played a pivotal role in our nation’s formative years. Admission to the event is free, encouraging all interested parties to witness the past come alive, and experience the echoes of history.
Find Your Way There
Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park is located at 1651 W. Elk Avenue in Elizabethton. Make sure to seize this opportunity to step back in time and witness a crucial period in American history.
