Independence May 23 - 26, 2013

[Silvana Siddali]

Hello everyone! I hope you're all enjoying your holidays.

This is a quick reminder to anyone interested in attending the Independence May 2013 event. The deadline for reduced registration is December 31! Registrations postmarked after January 1 will go up to $30.00 per adult.

Independence is a small frontier village in north-central Illinois, about an hour south of Champaign-Urbana, about 45 minutes east of the Indiana border, and about 3 hours from St. Louis. This is a collection of historic log buildings, including shops, dog trots, a school house, and outbuildings.

Our events occur twice a year (spring and fall) and are full-on immersion. If you're new to immersion, you're in for a treat! This is a wonderful way to leave the present behind and experience the mid-nineteenth century. We have lots of people who are eager to help mentor new folks every step of the way.

The village has few modern intrusions -- no electricity, running water, or (thank goodness) portapotties. Most of the buildings are fairly primitive. If you're interested, please contact me for details (pm me) or join the google list: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=...evillage/apply

Here's some basic no-frills event information: https://sites.google.com/site/starof...upcomingevents

Let me know if you have any questions!

[Silvana Siddali]

Re: Independence May 23 - 26, 2013

To answer some questions I've received lately --

1. yes, we can definitely work with people who need to arrive late or leave early. We just need to get you into and out of the village without disrupting things. We deal with this all the time.

2. yes, there is sanitation. There is actually a modern sink and flushing toilet right outside the village. We use chamber pots inside the village.

3. there is clean running water right outside the village. We fetch it in buckets and pitchers.

4. no, there's no down time from immersion, and modern stuff isn't permitted inside the village, but we do have ways of coping with specific health concerns. Let's talk in person about that.

5. most people cook their own food in their own homes or on outdoor hearths. There's an Inn, and several of the women do cook for their gentlemen boarders, but all that is worked out individually & runs pretty much the way a real 19th century Inn would have functioned. That is, single men and travelers eat in the Inn, and villagers might stop by in the evenings, but most people take care of their own meals.

[georgerutherford1861]

Re: Independence May 23 - 26, 2013

I am certainly looking forward to this one, I haven't been to an event for various reasons for a few years now, but I can say for getting a better feel for civilian life during the time period of the war, it is tough to find an "ongoing" gathering of folks in the Midwest that can match the people who gather at Independence Village.

Doug Frank

[Michael Comer]

Re: Independence May 23 - 26, 2013

So far we have had a good turn-out for early registration. Even at $30 you'll get a bargain for a long weekend immersion experience. Give it a go if you've thought about it - we have several that will be attending for the first time. You'll be glad you did.

[Silvana Siddali]

Re: Independence May 23 - 26, 2013

I don't have a lot of photos, mostly because my hard drive croaked, and partly because I never remember to take pictures before or after events. (We don't use cameras during events.)

Here's a fairly representative image of one of the houses. This is where the Ragsdale family lives.

If anyone has some good ones, please post them!

[Hank Trent]

Re: Independence May 23 - 26, 2013

Here are some more pictures that just show the buildings.

The Goode family home:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dug08kD0FqI/UFf8zXnWYvI/AAAAAAAABtY/uSto0fMilzs/s800/Trials%2520%2526%2520Tribulations%2520057.JPG

Inside the Goode's. This gives a pretty honest look at the quality of reconstruction and furnishings in the village, so if you can overlook this, you'll be good to go:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ek_ubwNLs8Q/UFf_r9EzTMI/AAAAAAAAB6M/IeyfoU3Refs/s800/Trials%2520%2526%2520Tribulations%2520062.JPG

The cellar behind the Goode's (on the left) and their summer kitchen (on the right)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gUBJ98McnKU/UFf_8WBCxrI/AAAAAAAAB7c/7UfUIdlBY00/s800/Trials%2520%2526%2520Tribulations%2520063.JPG

The church/school:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a9GG7DKyJXk/UFf-Q9ZIsXI/AAAAAAAAB0A/6V5t_F7ropc/s800/Trials%2520%2526%2520Tribulations%2520077.JPG

Mrs. Siddal's home:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SEyKBj8OuY4/UFf9V3KmdYI/AAAAAAAABwA/oEebdEhuaDA/s800/Trials%2520%2526%2520Tribulations%2520078.JPG

Hope those links work okay.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Rmhisteach]

Re: Independence May 23 - 26, 2013

ANyone have any pictures from the Church services??

[Silvana Siddali]

Re: Independence May 23 - 26, 2013

Thanks, Hank! Those images are great.

Rod, we don't have photos of the church services because cameras aren't allowed inside the village while the event is in process. Remind me in May, and maybe we can get some folks together in the meeting house & take photos after the event ends.

[Rmhisteach]

Re: Independence May 23 - 26, 2013

I am exicted about Indpendence !