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We've seen a lot of mail come through the wires lately and much of it is from folks who want a bit of help getting started in re-enacting in their local areas. The three below are representative of most of the questions we get on the subject. I'll try and point them in the right direction but if any of you out there are in a re-enactment group, or would like to start one, please drop us a line here at Armory Hill. We'll publish a listing of groups and the periods they re-enact along with contact information that will help like-minded individuals get together. Believe me, I know how hard it can be finding other re-enactors. See A Call to Arms in this issue of our Webzine wherein your editor is trying to gather some erstwhile colonials together in Northern California. If I were only interested in Civil War re-enacting it would be so much simpler. Ah, well...---JBW
Don't forget, send your questions to us at staff@armoryhill.com.
I am interested in Colonial re-enacting of early American people. But I cannot find a group or unit near my house. Do you know of any in the Pittsburg, PA area?"---Cory (age 14) from the Internet
"I was wondering if you know of any re-enactment opportunities for teenagers. I love the idea of doing re-enactments, but I cannot find any place where I can do them. PLease help me if you know of any places. Thank you."---Casey from the Internet
"I was wondering if yhou know of any re-enactors or groups of the same that are located in Maine? Or, more likely, where I might find information or a national listing of these groups? Thank you for your Web site by the way. I found it very interesting and will check it periodically to see up-dates."---Andrew from the Internet
Boy. Three good questions. Let's see if I can come up with one good answer.
Since your questions all came in to us as email I'm assuming you all have computers, or at least access to computers connected to the Internet. That's good. I'd go to one of the many search engines like Google or Ask Jeeves or Alta Vista and type in "colonial re-enacting" or something like that. %nbsp;You should see lists of sites to visit. Pick one that tickles your fancy and see what they have to offer.
Google has a pretty nice page listing a lot of Revolutionary War sites. Check there for any that look good to you.
Ask Jeeves has pages and pages of information on re-enacting, some relevant, some not. Take a peek at this page to get started.
Alta Vista lists over half a million sites that offer information on some form of historical re-enacting. This listing has twenty pages of information just waiting to satisfy your curiosity.
Don't forget the other search engines either. Here are just a few.
One of the things I like to do while visiting a site is check out their links page. When I was making up the links page for the Armory Hill site I just "surfed" around from site to site following the links each offered. You'd be surprised the things you literally fall over when you follow a links trail. But don't forget to bookmark those sites you want to get back to. Case in point: I was doing some webcrawling one afternoon and came across a site for a nice couple who hand made period correct, real fur felt hats. I was completely smitten by their work. But I surfed on without bookmarking their site. The next day I wanted to go back to the "hat folks" and see about ordering one of their lovely cocked hats. But I couldn't remember the name of the site or how I "stumbled" upon it. I tried and tried for the next several weeks to recreate the path I followed. Then one day, there it was! I had miraculously found them. I bookmarked the site, called them immediately and ordered a fine tricorn. It is still my favorite hat. The folks are, of course, Clearwater Hats. True story.
Now if all this seems more like a basic tutorial in the use of Web search engines than a straightforward answer to those three questions, you're right. Answer a person's question and you can help them waste an entire day, teach a person to use the Web and you can have them waste an entire life. Just kidding, folks. But there is an amazing amount of information out there just waiting to be tapped. All it takes is knowing how to get at it. So, go for it!---JBW
"I am looking for costumes to purchase. I need a pioneer costume for a scxhool going pioneer in or around the 1840s era. I need this by next week for an elementary spring program. Do you know of a site I might locate one? This would be for a boy size 12 or a small adult. Thank you so much"---Maziy from the Internet
Unfortunatley most of the companies and individuals offering period clothing do so an a made-to-measure basis. Delivery times can range from three to eight weeks or even lomger depending on the garment ordered and who one is ordering from. I was trying to get a frock coat from one well-known supplier and was told that they are running at a nine months backlog! Go the the Jas. Townsend & Sons Website. They have garments in childrens sizes for the time period you're looking for. I've received clothing from them in the past and have been quite satisfied with both the quality and price.
In the short term you can try local costume rental agencies. Most big cities have them. Check the Yellow Pages for the ones in your area.---JBW
"Is there a good place on the Internet where I can find excellent quality period firearms and acoutrements?"---J.D.M. in San Jose, CA
Well, J.D. there are lots of places where those sorts of things are available. But there is probably none finer than Track of the Wolf in Minnesota. They not only handle some of the finest quality muskets, rifles, and fowlers from today's best makers but the also carry one-of-a-kind acoutrements, like powder horns by Scott and Cathy Sibley (see the review of my Eastern Longhunter horn for an close-up of their fine work.---Ed.), John and Susan Otis, and Mike Hawkins. They also feature an extensive collection of knives, cutlery, and books and well as a large inventory of parts for the gunmaker. Be sure to order their new catalog due to ship in August. It features full-size pictures of their locks, inlays and etc. It's $7.00 well spent. And they're some pretty nice folks, too.---JBW
And so it goes for another edition of "Ask the Staff." Keep the questions coming, we get to 'em as quick as we can. Maybe we'll choose yours for our next "Ask the Staff."---Ed.
Don't forget, send your questions to us at staff@armoryhill.com.