Re: Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28)

[Silvana Siddali]

Hello! I've been a bit absent from the boards due to work pressures, but planning for our Independence Village events has been going forward at a feverish pace.

I wanted to remind everyone that registration for our spring event, May 25 - 28, will soon be open to newcomers. "Regulars" (i.e., people who have attended previous Independence events) have until March 1 to register, if they want first crack at accommodations. After March 1, reg is open until all the homes have been filled.

For those of you who haven't seen previous discussions of our events: Independence Village is a pretty little frontier village, composed of historic structures clustered into a small hamlet. We get to "live" in this privately owned village and go about our daily lives. Our events are strict immersion: no modern objects of any kind are permitted inside the village, and no modern conversation throughout the event. There are no spectators, so this is a real "time travel" experience. For those who are able to take off an extra day, the event runs from Friday through Monday. (We make accommodations for folks who need to arrive late or leave early,)

Independence is nestled in a rural valley in north-central Illinois, about an hour south of Champaign. The log houses date from the 1820s through the early 1860s, but they're primitive -- no running water, no electricity. There is potable water nearby, and firewood is provided. For more information, reg forms, and guidelines, please see the links below.

One last word: if you've never done an immersion event before, or if you are worried about your civilian "kit," please don't let that stop you from inquiring. There are plenty of experienced folks on our list who are delighted to help with advice and loaners. This is a unique opportunity to experience a high-quality authentic event, especially now during the sesquicentennial celebrations.

Here's the no-frills event site: http://sites.google.com/site/staroft...upcomingevents

Independence Pioneer Village web site: http://www.independencepioneervillage.com/

Here's a link to the google group, which you should join if you're interested in participating: http://groups.google.com/group/indep...evillage?pli=1

By the way, we also have a facebook page. I am not personally on FB, but the link should be fairly easy to find if you're friends with anyone on our list. Or just email the google list for more info.

[Silvana Siddali]

Re: Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28)

Hello everyone,

Today we open registration to newcomers who have received an invitation to register. If you aren't sure whether you are in that category, please contact me right away (send me a pm.)

The main problem is that we are now fairly close to full, so we have to think about where to put everyone. Single gentlemen are always easy to accommodate, so we can take a few more of those. We can probably take one or two more single ladies.

Families and married couples may have to wait for a future event, or perhaps we can put you on a waiting list.

So -- for those who have received an invitation to register:

1. single gentlemen -- go ahead and register

2. Ladies, gentlemen, and families who are only coming for the day -- go ahead and register. Your fee is $10 per adult person. Children 14 and under are free.

3. Single ladies: please talk with me first. I will put you in touch with your prospective "landlords."

4. Everyone else -- families, couples, etc., please contact me and we'll figure something out, or put you on a waiting list.

Regards,

[Rmhisteach]

Re: Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28)

SInce we will be following the 150th Cycle . We will be "doing" Spring of 1862. There is room for Young men who are not willing to Join up due to familly obligations etc, and for Furloughed soliders that are sick or wounded or just visiting and have come home. Lots of needed impressions yet.

[J. Donaldson]

Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28) AAR

I'm writing this a couple of weeks after the event, but I wanted to thank the residents of Independence Village for welcoming me to the event. I had a great time, and can't believe all the work that was put into the event. I portrayed a member of the 55th Illinois home on furlough, so I was able to watch most of the village at work. Chris Irelan, Jeremy Powell, and Nicolette Sebastian operated a temperance saloon/dining establishment, and the residents of the village drifted in and out of the tavern through out the event. One corner of the tavern acted as the dry goods store and post office. Thanks to a currency exchange made possible by Sheriff Mike Comer, all transactions at the tavern and the store were done with period scrip, which added nicely to the environment of the event. The store offered several items for sale and consignment, and it was great to see some quality obscure print culture reproduced and available, including copies of "The Illinois Farmer," from June, 1862.

I don't think I can do justice to everything I saw and took part in at the event. The tavern staff slaved all weekend to feed the village, and overcame some serious setbacks, including a pair of dogs that ate all 23 pounds of pork roast meant for the Saturday evening meal. Ron Mueller and Hank Trent worked as carpenters for the Village, making actual repairs to the facility's buildings that needed minor repairs that could be done in a period manner. By far, the funniest moment of the weekend was when a Ms. Lager ran shrieking to the porch of the tavern that she needed assistance in killing a spider that we were assured was the size of a saucer. As Jeremy ran to her assistance, the other denizens of the porch (it was 95, so at that point in the afternoon, activity was at a premium) quickly formed ranks, grabbed up some available gardening tools, and charged across the green to aid Jeremy in his battles with yon dangerous arachnid. We arrived too late, as the spider had sought shelter, but we were assured later that evening that the spider was now the size of a small kitten.

There are details that I can't give for the event, because every house saw it's own interactions and life, but I think I can safely say that all had an outstanding time that weekend. If you've ever thought of trying immersion civilian living history, please contact the members of the group through the forum. There will be another event in September, and I'm looking forward to returning to Independence Village in the fall as a civilian. It's a great site, with a wonderful community of people.

Bob Welch
Member, Independence Village Arachnid Brigade Memorial Association
"Sic Semper Arachnid"

[Michael Comer]

Re: Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28)

I have to say that the times I spend at these immersion events are the best times I have had in reenacting. The first person is excellent and having it go for the entire weekend is certainly what many of us look for at events but usually fall far short from achieving. The family that owns the cabins and buildings are more than helpful and accomodating - I don't think we could ask for more.

The addition of the store/tavern this time around was a great addition and the table and benches Ron Mueller made for the establishment were very nice indeed. The town picnic on Saturday evening and the period group game played after supper was a highlight for me. Another highlight was the children. Having children running around all weekend doing chores, playing games with each other and just being kids made the place feel real and helped to immerse me in the feeling of 1862.

I would encourage anyone that wants to really have a civilian immersion event to consider Independence Village. You will not be sorry.

[Rmhisteach]

Re: Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28)

Good
- Great First Person interactions
-The site ( top Shelf )
- The new Tavern
- The community meal
- Lots of Children
- safe from evildoers thanks to Sheriif Comer
- great attendence at the church service ( singing werent half bad neither )
- Sorghum
- Arachnid milita !
Bad
- Heat
Stupid Roast thieving dog !
- Church Bell
-Picked stomach afte the event .
- Seceshionist Spiders
Ugly
- jasper;s face after the dog stole his food
- the horrid tales told by Pvt. Morin and Donaldson about the war
- me falling on the front porch .

[Silvana Siddali]

Re: Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28)

The village is such a great site. Hank and Ron always do a terrific job of helping to preserve these historic structures, and the fact that they do it all in first person and with period tools involves the whole village. I enjoyed the barter economy that developed around all the repairs and chores. Bob Welch (Mr. Donaldson) did a fine job scouring my sadirons in exchange for having his socks darned.

It's hard to pick my favorite moments at these events -- I just like living the 19th century life. There's no real drama, other than the little things (such as the fact that the entire male population of the town turned out to cope--unsuccessfully, as it happened--with one hapless spider.) I loved the fact that I could run down to the general store for stationery and jam. I also enjoyed the quiet banter, games, and gossip after the community supper on the lawn in front of the general store.

I would say, watching the children make friends and slip so easily into the 19th century was possibly the best part of the whole event.

I'm also very grateful to the Lee family, who welcome us back two or three times a year and always do anything they can to make us comfortable.

[Abrams]

Re: Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28)

The village is a great site, and such a wonderful spot to immerse in. The folks all go about their day in a manner that makes period moments possible for longer than just seconds at a time. Thanks for the kind words for the work Hank and I try to do on and for the village. Its decompressing for me, and while I normally help out more, the unseasonable heat made me lazy and direct as much work as I could to Mr Trent. As to the tables and benches, I plan to add a couple more benches anyway this fall. I find building things like that relaxing and cheaper than a psychiatrist, heh.

The Tavern was an awesome addition that I cannot praise enough. The period foods, meals, drinks, pickled items and jellies were wonderful. The switchel, or however you spell it, was a shocker at first, but grew on me with the heat, and was invigorating. Many thanks to all that made that possible, and I look forward to patronizing it again in the fall.

The village gathering Saturday evening was great, even without the pork the dogs absconded with, and the games after the meal were filled with laughter and will not be forgotten. My advances were met with frying pans and horse whips, and as forward as I was being, that was period correct also, lol. And sorghum took on a whole new meaning and matter of import. ;)

The ribbing I got from the tavern keep and sheriff for the sharing of my coffee in the mornings with a couple of the ladies will not be forgotten either. But you gentleman, and I use the term loosely, go ahead keep up your ribbing. I enjoy the ladies conversation and breakfast table more than yours, and all is perfectly honorable and taking place on the porch. And sheriff, I do not 'prance' along with my coffee pot and basket. I waddle a little perhaps, but I do not prance. ;)

Once again, I had a great time, and look forward to seeing you-all again in the fall. :)

[Hank Trent]

Re: Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28)

Had a great time as usual. Can't really think of anything to say that hasn't already been said. I'm definitely looking forward to September. For anyone wanting to experience "daily life" in 1862, I'd highly recommend these events.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Lauger]

Re: Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28)

This was my first time at Independence Village and I felt like I truly belonged there. I think everyone will agree with me when I say that there was a true sense of community throughout Independence. I know that I can honestly day that when I left the village to come back to 2012 I felt sad to leave all of my new found friends. Despite the heat and the wolf spider that did try to eat me while I was so innocently writing in my journal, I had such a wonderful time. I hope to come back in September and offer my services as a laundress .

Overall it was very nice to be able to sit down and have a conversation with a fellow villager in first person and not be looked at like I was from Mars. After reading through my journal, there is no way I can begin to describe all the happenings at the event. I will post a few photographs that I took after the event but you truly had to be there.

As for the spider; it’s all true! The spider was about as big as a saucer and several of us did see it. I did verify with a naturalist who works at the Hancock Park District that wolf spiders can grow to be so big that they are able to eat small rodents and birds! I feel that I was completely justified in my hurried walk to the tavern to fetch the tallest man in the village to “jump on the spider and hold it down so Mr. Good could bash it with a log.” No doubt the Village Arachnid Brigade helped to convince the fiend not to return. I think that my quick actions also saved several lives that day.

This is a wonderful event and you cannot find better people to spend your time with. I drove from Findlay, Ohio which is about a 5 hour drive and it was worth every cent of gas that it took to get there.

Casey Lauger
Ohio
caseylauger@gmail.com

[c.irelan]

Re: Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28)

Events at the Village have always been a highlight to the season. I am pleased that I have been able to get two of my good pards to attend and see the importance of having such a great venue at our disposal. I have said since the beginning said that each event will only get better....and that is 100% correct for in this instance I feel that we actually became a community. Which will only make us better and stronger at everything we do not only at Independence village.

[LindaTrent]

Re: Independence Village, Memorial Day Weekend (May 25 - 28)

Another great civilian event put on by Silvana, with the assistance of Sheriff Mike Comer! I'm burned out for now and have one more event this fall till I retire or at least take a sabbatical. But if this was one of the last two events I ever attend, well... I sure picked a good one! If anyone out there wants to attend a great immersion event I HIGHLY recommend the Independence Village event later this year. BTW, my next/last event is scheduled to be Westville.

Sorghum!

Linda (Mrs. Hank "Mollie" Trent)