Flintlock and Tomahawk

Experience Indiana’s Early History at Flintlock and Tomahawk

Museum visitors can experience the lives of Indiana’s 18th and early 19th Century European pioneers and Native Americans during the 2nd Annual Flintlock and Tomahawk reenactment on August 2-3. On Saturday the program will last from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Flintlock and Tomahawk will occur in Cummins Park, located directly behind the museum.

Flintlock and Tomahawk will include costumed living historians and folk music concerts, with ongoing demonstrations of historic crafts throughout the weekend. Nearly 50 reenactors and 20 musicians are expected to participate in the event. The event is not only thrilling for adults, but also for children who have or will study pioneer and American Indian life in Indiana.

Living History Encampment

Over 40 reenactors will encamp behind the museum along the banks of the St. Joseph River and provide demonstrations of daily life during this time period. The event will include a craft demonstration area, American Indian village, and a military encampment, offering a broad glimpse into the lives of people who settled throughout Indiana.

Historical craft participants will include a blacksmith and coppersmith, who will provide live demonstrations during public hours of the event. Have you ever wondered how your clothing is colored? Natural dye demonstrations will be another addition to this year’s program. Their display will highlight the use of plants and insects to dye a variety of textiles in the entire color spectrum.

The American Indian village will highlight the experiences of indigenous people in the Western Great Lakes. Visitors will see items commonly associated with American Indian culture. For instance, a variety of clothing resulting from trade networks will be worn, like beadwork and trade silver. Reenactors will also do some myth busting of commonly held assumptions about American Indians. For instance, many people still connect teepees with most Native American groups, but wigwams were actually used locally by the Pottawatomie. The village will include wigwams and other examples of common furnishings that were found in a Pottawatomie camp.

Trade networks between Europeans and American Indians will also be shown at the encampment. French voyageurs will be displayed along the river, complete with bundles of goods and canoes to transport their wares.

This year’s military encampment is sure to have a “big bang” with visitors. In addition to living historians showing the uniforms and equipment of the French and Indian War (1755-1763) and the American Revolution, 17th Century and War of 1812 soldiers will expand the timeline. Both days a weapon demonstration will include a matchlock gun and War of 1812 cannon, in addition to flintlock muskets and rifles.

Finally, numerous people showing the lives of early pioneers and common folk will participate in the program. Visitors can stroll through their encampments, witness cooking demonstrations, examine reproduction tin lanterns or furniture, and get a broad sense of pioneer lifestyles during this period.

Folk Music

Folk musicians from the Northeast Indiana Folk Music and Instrument Gathering, Inc., Promissory Notes, and the Shipshewana Dulcimer Society, will have six concerts during the weekend. Each concert will be about one hour in length, and include a variety of music popular before the American Civil War. Instruments will range in dulcimers to harps. Throughout the reenactment, the folk musicians will provide wandering music and interpret their instruments to the public.

On Saturday children can make and take home folk instruments at 1:00p.m. This program is sponsored by the folk musicians, and will require only a small donation to participate. Each instrument will be made from a coconut shell and other craft materials, and can play simple folk tunes with a little practice.

Amenities

Food and drink will be available to reenactment visitors. New this year, Moldova Missions will provide vendor services throughout the weekend. Food costs will go towards mission projects through their organization.

Admission Fees

Entrance into the event is $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children under 12 years of age. All children under 6 years of age will receive free admission. The entrance fee covers the cost of the program and the remaining fees will donated for educational programs to the Elkhart County Parks and Elkhart County Historical Society.

The program will occur rain or shine. Reenactment participants are subject to change.

For additional information on the Elkhart County Historical Museum, contact (574) 848-5703 or visit the museum blog at http://elkhartcountyhistoricalmuseum.blogspot.com/.

Media Day

Because our reenactors have busy schedules outside their hobbies, we are hosting a photograph and film opportunity on one day for local media. This will occur on Monday, July 28 at 1:00pm at the Elkhart County Historical Museum at 304 W. Vistula Street, Bristol, IN, 46507.