Soldier school 1860s style
posted 08/03/04
Children will have the opportunity to
experience the lives of soldiers in the 1860s during San Juan Island
National Historical Park’s second annual School of the Soldier scheduled
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Sunday, August 8 at American Camp.
Although recruits of all ages are encouraged to attend, most of the
activities are designed for children 8 years old and older. The day will be
filled with folk music, games, marching, musket drilling and other
activities.
"The program is designed to give youngsters the opportunity to spend
an entire day doing soldier things rather than sitting and watching living
history," said Ron Garner, park ranger and organizer of the event along
with park volunteer Kyle Davies. "This gives them a chance to partake."
School of the Soldier troops will be compensated for their labors
with an imitation gold coin and junior ranger badges. Recruits are advised
to bring a snack, lunch and wear comfortable marching shoes.
Other summer park programs include: Coast Salish Women, Weaving and
Wooly Dogs 2 p.m., August 21 at English Camp; Encampment 2004 all day,
August 28-29 at English Camp and Star Watch at the Redoubt 8:30-10 p.m.,
September 4 at American Camp.
2004 Summer Programs at American and English Camps
posted 06/11/04
The National Park Service presents a variety of programs at American Camp and English Camp on San Juan Island. All programs are free and open to the public, except where noted. Programs are subject to change. For updates and accessibility information, call San Juan Island National Historical Park at (360)378-2902 or (360)378-2240.
Weekly Programs
- Pig War Story Guided Walk - Park rangers and volunteers describe events leading up to and including the Pig War and the peaceful joint occupation of San Juan Island by British and American troops. Walks are scheduled at American and English camps, 11:30 a.m., Friday-Saturday, June 5 to September 4.
- Living History: Life at American and English Camps -Park rangers and volunteers create military and civilian life on San Juan Island during the joint occupation. English Camp: 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Saturdays, July 17 to August 29. American Camp: 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Saturdays, June 5 to July 10.
- Wildlife in the San Juan Islands - Puzzled by an animal or bird? Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Education Coordinator Shona Aitken answers questions and uses a variety of media to talk about wildlife in the San Juan Islands. 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Fridays, July 2 to September 3, English Camp (next to barracks).
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Historical Songs at English Camp - Folk singer and musicologist Michael Cohen strolls the grounds inviting visitors to listen or sing along to a selection of traditional songs. Cohen's roots go back to the Washington Square folk movement in 1950's New York City. He has played with everyone from Pete Seeger to the New Lost City Ramblers. 11:00 a.m., Sundays, June 6 to September 5, on the English Camp parade ground.
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Blacksmithing on the Frontier - Volunteers and park staff demonstrate at English Camp how pioneers made their own tools and other household items on San Juan Island and throughout Washington Territory and British Columbia. Noon to 3 p.m., Sundays, June 6 to 27.
Special Programs
- Ancient Visitors - Tracing the pre-history of San Juan Island through archaeology - University of Washington archaeologist, Dr. Julie Stein, traces ancient habitation of San Juan Island in this guided walk on the American Camp prairie. 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 5. Meets in the South Beach main parking area at American Camp.
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The Birds of American Camp - Come join San Juan Island bird expert and former national park ranger Barbara Jensen for a colorful 90-minute walk through American Camp's prairies. The program is suitable for beginning as well as veteran birders and provides startling insights into the park's rich flora and fauna. 7:30 a.m., Saturday, June 12, American Camp visitor center.
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Lantern Tour - Re-enactors from both sides of the border recreate the island's military past in an evening living history program at American Camp. Actor Dan Mayes, as the itinerant 19th century actor Edwin Booth, performs selections from Shakespeare. 7:00 p.m. Saturday, June 19. Meets in the American Camp parking area.
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Watercolors in the Park -- San Juan Island painter Kristy Gjesme will demonstrate how to use watercolors to paint Garrison Bay and discuss the historical use of watercolors in the park. She also will show how quick sketching is done previous to creating your piece. Aspiring painters are invited to bring their sketch pads and questions. 1:00 p.m., Sunday, June 20, on the English Camp parade ground, by the blockhouse.
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The People of the Cedar - Richard Vanderway, education coordinator for Bellingham's Whatcom Museum, makes his seventh annual presentation in the park with an array of objects to provide a glimpse of Northwest Coast Indian culture. 2:00 p.m., Saturday, July 12, English Camp barracks.
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Weaving and Wattle ---In the first of the summer's weaving programs, Anita Barreca and Roger Ellison demonstrate the techniques that permitted Pacific Northwest pioneers to make use of their environments. 1:00 p.m., Sunday, July 11, English Camp barracks.
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A Weaving Legacy -- Join Cowlitz Nation weaver Judy Bridges and Fort Nisqually interpreter and storyteller Karen Haas for a fun afternoon of weaving with all-natural fibers, including wild reeds. Bridges is a direct descendent of Hudson's Bay Company pioneers. Noon, Saturday, July 17, English Camp parade ground.
- Photography in the Park - San Juan Island photographer Larry Hartford will join park rangers and volunteers and share his skills in capturing some of the park's views and landmarks on film and digital format. 1:00 p.m., Sunday, July 18, on the English Camp parade ground.
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The Life and Times of General George Pickett - Park Ranger Mike Vouri and folk musician Michael Cohen join with the San Juan Community Theatre in presenting an evening of drama and song as George Pickett comes back to life to talk about his days on the frontier and Civil War battlefields. Fridays, July 23 and August 27. All shows 8:00 p.m., San Juan Community Theatre and Art Centre. Tickets: $8.00 adults; $5.00 students. Tickets are available at the San Juan Community Theatre. Call (360)378-3210.
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Northwest Pioneer Folkways Demonstrations - Janet Oakley, education coordinator for the Skagit County Historical Museum in LaConner, demonstrates pioneer folkways from butter churning to Dutch oven baking and other tasks. Noon to 3:00 p.m., Saturday, July 24, English Camp.
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Soldier Games - Are your competitive juices bubbling? If so join park rangers and volunteers for the second annual "Soldier Games," an afternoon of competitions featuring the very events in which U.S. Soldiers and Royal Marines competed during the joint occupation. 1:00 p.m., Sunday, July 25, English Camp parade ground.
- The Lummi Nation in the San Juan Islands - Lummi Nation archaeologist Sharon Kinley offers an intimate portrait of the original settlers of San Juan Island and the meaning of the island and Garrison Bay to the Lummi people. 7:00 p.m., Saturday, July 31, English Camp.
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In Concert: Sugar on the Floor- Folk singer Michael Cohen and the group "Sugar on the Floor" present a variety of songs from the 19th century and other genres. Cohen has worked with the Smithsonian Institution in searching for and cataloging American folk tunes. 7 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, August 5, English Camp barracks.
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School of the Soldier - Aspiring re-enactors of all ages are invited to join park rangers and volunteers in this day-long program designed to introduce the wide range of skills involved in portraying an 1860's U.S. Army soldier stationed at Camp San Juan Island, known today as American Camp. Recruits should bring a sack lunch, water and be prepared to have fun. 9:00 a.m., Sunday, August 8, on the American Camp parade ground.
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Coast Salish Women, Weaving, & Wooly Dogs - Samish tribe members Rita Lewis and Leslie Eastwood will demonstrate Coast Salish weaving techniques, such as spinning wool by hand, and provide examples of various fibers used in weaving and native plants for dyeing. They also will give a brief overview of Samish history and inter-tribal marriage. 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 21, English Camp.
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Encampment 2004 - Join park rangers and volunteers as they host re-enactors from throughout the Pacific Northwest to recreate life on San Juan Island at mid-19th century. Encampment 2004 includes camp life, blacksmithing, woodworking, drilling and cookery. Highlight of the weekend is Saturday's Candlelight Ball, an evening of dancing and refreshments from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. All day, Saturday and Sunday, August 28-29, English Camp.
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Star watch at the Redoubt - Come join San Juan Island astronomy enthusiasts with their telescopes for a look at the heavens from one of the best locations in the islands. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight. 8:30 to 10 p.m., Saturday, September 4, American Camp Redoubt. Park at the visitor center or the Redoubt parking area.
Previous Stories
Return to the prairie
posted 10/31/03
PRESS RELEASE: San Juan Island National Historical Park will take the
first steps toward returning the American Camp prairie to its
pre-settlement appearance by conducting limited prescribed fires in the
redoubt area by mid-November, according to Superintendent Peter Dederich.
A precise date has not been set for the burn because weather and fuel
conditions are difficult to predict, Dederich said.
Olympic National Park fire management crews will work 10 test plots,
located south and west of the redoubt. Each plot has been divided into
three 22 x 31-yard subplots: a control subplot with no seedbed preparation;
a subplot with burning as a preparation treatment; and a subplot with
burning followed by application of herbacide as a preparation treatment.
Roemer's fescue grass will next be planted in all plots in early spring,
along with seed of some other native prairie plants. The park will then
compare seedling survival and rate of growth under the three preparation
treatments.
"Once we determine the best treatment, we'll use it over larger areas of
the prairie," Dederich said.
The prairie extends from the historic parade ground to Pickett's Lane, and
from the Redoubt Road to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It is a powerful
reminder of the timeless attraction of fertile lands, first to native
peoples, then to the Hudson's Bay Company, which established the first
European farm on the island about 100 yards southwest of the redoubt.
"When Euro-American peoples arrived here they brought a horde of exotic
plant and animal species, which changed the character of the prairie,"
Dederich said. "Our goal is to return this priceless resource to its state
on the eve of settlement. Hopefully visitors will see what attracted the
Hudson's Bay Company, the Americans and eventually George Pickett and his
soldiers."
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