What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

[Steven Dacus]

What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

Moderators, please move if this post is placed incorrectly.

In trying to challenge myself to achieve better living history events each year, I tried searching on this and other Forums to see if the specifics of this topic had been addressed. To my surprise I did not come across anything.

Living history events are arguably a totally different (but still related) aspect of our hobby. But many of us go to them for a variety of reasons. I am interested in your thoughts on what SPECIFICALLY draws you to a living history event.

In helping first timers plan living history events we always ask them to develop clear objectives, standards, and ask what would draw out of city/state reenactors to their event. Yet, I have searched but cannot find such information (although I do have serious concerns about my computer/searching skills).

Admittedly, battles and campaigns that are planned and executed for us/by us take up most of our posts and thoughts, but I have had a few times where I felt extremely rewarded at the completion of a living history event. I have tried to quantify what made those events better than others that just “Flopped” and which I would never return, but can’t seem to express any specifics. All I can seem to say is, “It was fun, and the other was boring”. Not much help…

Enough of my rambling…I will turn it over to you…What draws you to Living History?

[Mark Choate]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

I have moved this to the Cavalry COI area due to it's education and opinion related nature.

regards,
Mark

[Philip cav]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

The personal preparation of the event. I like the research, finding gear/ clothing for the event, and learning what the scenario is. Also, showing the public that the war was Not just about battles and generals.

[Prodical Reb]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

Some of these reasons people will agree with others may not like them.You may say "you should not be a hardcore campaigner and should frequent some of the local farb fest." What ever the you think I'm not trying to impress anybody here! My 2 cents!

1. Usually the smaller groups promote more interaction w/the public, which means you can take your time and show equipment, uniform etc and engage in more historical conversation.
2. you don't burn nearly as much powder, sometimes none at all.
3. you can do it in a NMP or original ground as opposed to somebodies back forty.
4. You can be more specific in your impression, if not pinpointing a unit, time and place more often than not at a reenactment, NUG is preferred.
5. You set your own schedule. eg don't need to leave 3 hours before the battle, march 3 miles to the otherside of the field to be in place waiting for the scenario to start.
6. No registration fees!
7. You don't have to stay in first person the whole weeken or worry about ruining others special moment.
8. At the end of the day when the public leaves you can too! eg, go see battlefield, VC, sample some of the local cuisine etc
9. no midnight to 1 AM guard duty!
10. No Provost Marshal or any other special, self promoting higher-up-muckity-muck's ego to deal with.

[Nighthawk]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

I agree with all of your points. Plus Some original items can be used due to the lack of wear and tear. In addition you can help the National Military Park by aiding the public in understanding what actually happened on a specific part of the field as well as increase their appreciation of the sacrifices those brave souls made, sacrificing and often dying for their convictions. Waaay better than a shoot 'em up!

[Steven Dacus]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

I would have to agree with Philip. What draws me to a good living history event is the chance/excuse to do research on the specifics of that event in history. Over the years, its neat how that becomes a foundation of knowledge that allows me to be more effective for the next one, even if it has no relation to the previous living history event that I did.

If that is the case, then apparently I choose when a LH event is good or not....interesting.

[Paul L Muller]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

What attracts me to living history events is the LOVE of history and the chance to make my stuff , then use it . I also feel the need to lend some accuracyto what is generaly farby and then some. Even [as we all know ] , at civil war events ,80% of what folks see is wrong, not thread count wrong, but wholely wrong and the myths that continue to be spread ...need to be gently corrected with fact. It still amazes me how some folks are cought up in the high tec, and some of us find comfort and escape in the past. That's me...escaping to the past. plm

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

On what brings me to a Living History event... probably nothing unique here...
1) For NPS Events...
- The chance to see a battlefield I've not seen
- The chance to have an NPS ranger lead a tour, especially if it is of an area that is generally not seen or appreciated.
- Being on "the" ground, whether a battlefield, historic home, etc.

2) for "any" LH event...
- A sizeable effort: I'm much more likely to drive 12 hours to be in a quality living history (not talking farbatallions here) if the event is drawing together a larger number of like-minded folks, than if it is going to be 10 guys camping out.
- Low key... As has already been mentioned, these events don't require round-the-clock pickets** or 24-hour immersion. So, they can be a chance to catch up with friends, have non-first-person discussions about history, etc.
- Specific portrayals, rather than general of PEC.
- A chance to focus on drill... The SG event at Gaines Mill (about 8 years ago) featured some really well-done drills, including line-by-line reviews of loading sequences and manual of arms. Landrum's Carter House/Franklin LH a few years ago also had some good drill sessions.

** This being said, I think a living history that "didn't end" might be an interesting scenario, especially for the public. Showing them what happened when the shooting stopped and the sun went down over a tense scene (especially for multiple-day engagements), or on the eve of a battle, could be very interesting. I imagine a pre-Antietam "night of the 16th" scenario, or a cav LH taking place on the eve of the first day of the battle at Gettysburg.

[Pvt_Sullivan]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

It is surprising that with all the great offerings recently, there are still people who haven't been to great living history events...

"Rise of the First"

"Guarding Savannah"

My fav... "To Prevent the Effusion of Blood"

Every One of those, original ground... documented history... historic personas... and not a shot fired except to provide demos for the visitors.

The problem with our "hobby" is too many competing events and the short-sightedness of the average reenactor who can't wrap their small mind around just been brilliant at small things instead of being mediocre at great things.

But I'm a curmudgeon in the end.

All it takes is people with the stones and discipline to come and participate.

OK, in answer to the original question...

- Find an original site with a documented history

- Read everything you can so you know the history backwards and forwards

- Make contact with and ask how you can support the site and support it (in some cases for years) prior to your planned event so you can be a support to the site, not another drain on it.

- Make your plan and announce with plenty of notice (more than a year) so those who are serious historians can plan to be there.

- Follow Through! Communicate and keep active about your event and it's premise.

Why is this in the Cavalry Folder? Jus' Sayin'

[Mark Choate]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

Hi Peter,

The reason it is in the Cavalry forum is because the originator of the thread (Steven Dacus) is a member of the 11th Ohio Cav and posted it in the "Cavalry Discussions" orginally. I moved it to the "Cav COI" for reasons stated in the second post.

As we have always felt, some of the best discussions come out of the cavalry community...........:wink_smil

See you at Westville.

Mark

[Bushrod Carter]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

What attracts me to living history events?

Simple.

Friends

[Hoosier Yank]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

What attracts me to living history events?

Simple.

Friends

Well said Bro. Pat. That's what I miss the most since giving up four years ago.

[JimConley]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

The chance to participate in an event at a battlefield I have not visited, or seldom visit.

An interesting unit impression. Not necessarily unique uniforms or equipment, rather a unit that was heavily engaged, like the 26th North Carolina at Gettysburg or the 105th Ohio at Perryville. Or a unit with an interesting background such as the 183rd Ohio in 1864 who found themselves at Spring Hill and Franklin only weeks after being mustered into service.

This may not matter to some, but I have always enjoyed being on the original ground on the anniversary dates. For example, in 2008 we participated in a preservation march at Unison, VA and moved in “real time” that weekend in the footsteps of the 7th Indiana. One of the best events I’ve been to!

Of course, friends. Camaraderie goes a long way to add to the experience. If it were not for the friends that I’ve made in the hobby, I doubt I’d still be doing this.

Big Events vs Small Events: IMO it depends. With the 150ths here, we are all being drawn to large scale efforts and those are certainly something special. Seeing the 15th Iowa come at us from 100 yards away at Shiloh was a highlight of that event. But, I have always been partial to small scale events. The best LHs I have attended were mostly on a mess or company level. A small weekend like that makes the fellows engage more with visitors and you have a better opportunity to share the event with your pards. At Perryville in 2006, we had a very small group doing LH demonstrations and talks along Maney’s Assault line. I remember Pat Landrum talking to a group of intrigued visitors about a soldier’s life; uniforms and equipment, personal belongings, food, camp life, etc. They ate it up.

Lastly, an event that is consistent with common soldier experiences. The average soldier's time was largely made up of marching, drilling, fatigue, and camping. Before Shiloh, I hadn't rolled rounds in at least two or three years. I got my powder burning out of me 10 years ago. I recall some folks commenting on how most of us never saw our opposition the entire weekend at A Wood Gathering Detail in 2005. But, that was an authentic experience and I never popped a round. And, I still am a firm beleiver that if our hobby would use John Billings Hardtack and Coffee as a cornerstone reference for LH, we'd be taking big strides in the right direction.

[Old Reb]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

Having participated in many living history events at the Mansfield Battle Field Park, I must admit my fondness memories were drinking beer on the parking lot on Friday nights and explaining to 200 Youth Challenge(juvenile delinquents) attendees that the guns were indeed real.

[fallstoomuch]

Re: What Attracts You to a Living History Event?

My reasons are a lot like the others... friends/like minded individuals, being on a battlefield, and selfishly what i can get out of it...a tour by a knowlegdeable person-whether its a ranger, tour guide, or one of my pards who really know their stuff..or something unique such as a march that follows the exact route etc... I have been to Gettysburg many times but still learn something new every time and Ihave followed the path of the 4th Texas...something cool to experience and the best tour i had there was a 2 hour tour through that end of the field with a tour guide...it took us 2 hours to cross land that took the real soldiers 15 minutes to cross....pretty in depth!