This past
weekend two independent study students and the Project’s intern joined Support
the Fort at the Kalamazoo Living History Show. This living history show gives
the opportunity for more than 270 vendors of pre-1890's goods and crafts to
showcase and sell their products. Among them more than 10,000 members of the
general public, historical re-enactors, enthusiasts, and collectors all
attended this event. The goods being sold attract a group of people who are
interested in pre-1890's history. This, of course, includes Fort St. Josep.
With that being said, this weekend was a great opportunity to promote Support
the Fort, Inc. and the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project (FSJAP).
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| John Cardinal and Austin George at the Support the Fort Table |
Support the
Fort had multiple informational booklets and books about Fort St. Joseph, the
French, and the history of the fur trade for sale. The FSJAP brought along
fliers about this summer's Open House (August 6-7), pamphlets about our various
summer camps, and a showcase filled with exciting finds from the 2015 field
season. These artifacts were especially interesting to young kids, many of whom
are involved with historical re-enactment. I overheard a mother comparing our
artifacts to the products why use when re-enacting.
It was
encouraging to see the number of individuals who were already familiar with the
FSJAP, and who were happy to see us and Support the Fort throughout the
weekend. For those individuals who were not familiar with Fort St. Joseph, it
was a wonderful opportunity to see newly peaked interest. Many individuals
express an interest in the Open House, our summer camps, and our multiple
social media outlets. We look forward to more opportunities to reach out and
engage with the public to teach and discuss Fort St.
Joseph and the work of
both Support the Fort and the FSJAP.
