Colonial Encampment in Fairhaven

FairhavenGuy · Post by **FairhavenGuy** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 8:28 pm

Once again, the Fairhaven Village Militia will be holding a small scale historical encampment at Fort Phoenix on Saturday and Sunday, September 10 & 11. Men, women and children in period dress will be living camp life 18th Century style. We'll be setting up camp by 10:00 a.m. Saturday. Then we'll demonstrate campfire cooking, fire starting with flint and steel, tomahawk throwing, musket ball casting, flintlock musket firing, children's games and other activities.

At sunset (approx. 7:30 p.m.) on Saturday, we'll fire the fort's five large cannon over the harbor--quite a spectacular sight.

Several of us will be spending the night at the camp and then staying until about 3:00 p.m. Sunday.

Last year, Harry linked to a Standard-Times article about our weekend.

Those of you who don't live too far away might want to stop by for a bit of living history.

We do let the public try tomahawk throwing, although I'm not sure that we should let Lizzie forum members do that. . .

From Rte. 6 in Fairhaven take Green Street (at the high school stadium) south to the end.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 8:56 pm

Still had the URL, Chris. Drive away those redcoats!!

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/09 ... 4lo637.htm

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 2:22 am

Thanks Christopher!
How often do you do this?

FairhavenGuy · Post by **FairhavenGuy** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 7:41 am

The overnight encampment is held just once a year on the weekend after Labor Day. That's roughly the anniversary of the British attack on our harbor (Sept. 5-6, 1778).

Our group, however, is set up on a smaller scale at Fort Phoenix every Thursday and Sunday afternoon from the beginning of June through the end of September. We also do presentations for quite a few school field trips, particularly in May and early June. This summer we've had 30 to 40 people a week come on a bus trip from a small cruise ship that docks every Saturday night in New Bedford.

We fire the five cannon at Fort Phoenix twice a year--on the morning of the 4th of July following our American History Costume Parade and on the September encampment weekend.

nbcatlover · Post by **nbcatlover** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 10:25 pm

Sounds like good fun, Chris.

I went to the Civil War one at Fort Taber two weeks ago. Thanks for the reminder for this weekend. I just love climbing all the rocks around there, too!

nbcatlover · Post by **nbcatlover** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 10:24 pm

Fairhaven Guy and family and friends did a terrific job at the Colonial Encampment. Fairhaven Guy is quite the fire-starter with a piece of flint.

I took some pictures which Chris will need to review before I can offer to share them.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:01 am

Cool! Thanks you guys!

snokkums · Post by **snokkums** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 4:58 pm

think I'd like to go there next year. thanks for the information.