Beer Recipe: Common Sense Cherry Pils
Although little used today, pamphlets were an important medium for the spread of ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries. Before the era of radio communication and television, when you wished to convey a message to a large audience, you published it. Originally published anonymously, “Common Sense” not only advocates independence but explains how the …
Upcoming Event
July 24, 2021“Hands on” 18th Brewing Class10:00am – 4:00 pm Perhaps you are an accomplished homebrewer and you want to appreciate the challenges faced by brewers in the 18th Century who brewed good beer without all the instrumentation and modern equipment we rely on, perhaps you are a history buff and want to know just …
Upcoming Event
July 24, 2021“Hands on” 18th Brewing Class10:00am – 4:00 pm Perhaps you are an accomplished homebrewer and you want to appreciate the challenges faced by brewers in the 18th Century who brewed good beer without all the instrumentation and modern equipment we rely on, perhaps you are a history buff and want to know just …
The Invention of the Thermometer
Every time I give a brewer’s presentation, I must remind the various homebrewers who come to these events that a thermometer would have been an EXPENSIVE and rare instrument in the 18th Century. Today they are ubiquitous, even my car has a built-in thermometer, but in 1750 these would have been delicate and hard to …
Basic Colonial Brewing #13 — Keeping Track of Time
I have a pretty good internal clock but like all brewers, keeping track of time, especially when talking to the public can be a challenge. Boil and mash times are relatively long and it is easy to get distracted. It is, therefore, important to objectively measure not just experience and guess about time. Unfortunately, like …
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Upcoming Event
July 24, 2021 — 10:00am – 4:00 pm“Hands on” 18th Brewing Class Perhaps you are an accomplished homebrewer and you want to appreciate the challenges faced by brewers in the 18th Century who brewed good beer without all the instrumentation and modern equipment we rely on, perhaps you are a history buff and want to …
We’re Creating a Brewery and You can help
Want to Buy Beer from the Colonial Brewmeister? Help us build a Tavern and Brewery. Perhaps it the pandemic or years of working a job that while I am good at it, I really don’t love but next year, we are taking the plunge and building a new business. In 2026 America will celebrate its …
Continue reading “We’re Creating a Brewery and You can help”
Gentleman Scientist Visits Carpenter’s Hall
July 17, 202110:00 am — 4:00 pm While we all know the ramification of Enlightenment thinking on politics in the 18th Century, it also had a profound and seminal effect on science. Prior to the Enlightenment, scientific thought, when it could be separated from theology, was dominated by theories of absolute truth but over the …
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Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 15, 1715 – The Riot Act took effect in Britain. Assemblies of more than a dozen people could be forcibly dispersed in order to maintain the peace. The …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 15, 1779 Stony Point taken by General Wayne In a well planned and executed nighttime attack, a highly trained select group of Continental Army troops under the command …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 14, 1789 – BASTILE DAY: The crowd gathered outside the Bastille, a medieval armory, fortress, and political prison near the center of Paris, calling for the surrender of …
Sharpening your Knife with a Whetstone
First off, put some lubricant on your stone. You need to use a lubricant when sharpening your tools because doing it dry will generate enough heat that it will actually warp the blade. Typically, you should use mineral oil as a lubricating agent because it can effectively reduce the heat produced by friction, but if …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 13, 1787 NORTHWEST ORDINANCE The Northwest Ordinance provided for the settlement and sale of lands acquired from Quebec in the Treaty of Paris. The ordinance required the land …
Upcoming Event
July 17, 2021 — 10:00 am – 4:00 pmGentleman Scientist visits CARPENTERS’ HALL While we all know the ramification of Enlightenment thinking on politics in the 18th Century, it also had a profound and seminal effect on science. Prior to the Enlightenment, scientific thought, when it could be separated from theology, was dominated by theories …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 11, 1789 – The US Congress chartered the US Marine Corps as an independent force from the Navy. These marines would be deployed by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 11, 1780 French Fleet arrives at Newport Approximately 5,000 – 6,000 French soldiers commanded by Rochambeau arrived at Newport, Rhode Island. The code name given by the French government …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 11, 1780 Washington meets with Rochambeau in Hartford France supported the American war effort with money and material and formally joined as an ally in 1778. The French …
Beer Recipe: Act of Parliament — Small Beer
In the days before proper sanitation, drinking water could be very dangerous. There are many waterborne parasites (like the amoebas that cause dysentery) and pathogens (like cholera) and as people formed settlements and cities, these diseases were easily spread. Fear of drinking the water was so strong that in 1620 when Puritan settlers arrived in …
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Upcoming Event
July 24, 2021 — 10:00am – 4:00 pm“Hands on” 18th Brewing Class Perhaps you are an accomplished homebrewer and you want to appreciate the challenges faced by brewers in the 18th Century who brewed good beer without all the instrumentation and modern equipment we rely on, perhaps you are a history buff and want to …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 9, 1790 – RESIDENCE ACT was passed by Congress creating a new national capital on the Potomac River in a site selected by President George Washington and carved …
“Seven Rations” for the 18th Century Soldier
For regiments of the British Army, each mess (five or six men) was issued one bowl, one platter, one ladle, one cooking kettle, six trenchers (a plate on one side and a bowl on the other), and spoons. Using this equipment, the men were to prepare, cook, and eat their “seven rations” of food. Each …
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Swear and Profanity in 18th Century England
Well, sometimes you just have to let someone know what you think and polite words don’t work. We’ve all been at events when we wanted to let loose on one or more of the “brilliant” attendees who “know everything.” Well, its just a matter of speaking the right language (Ik mompel gewoon in het Nederlands …
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Ask your Tavernkeeper
Perhaps its just that sort of week for me but its definitely 5:00 HERE so here are some terms to take with you to your local watering hole to show you understand the drinking habits of we merry 18th Century barmen… Bene Bowse — good beer, or other strong liquor Bingo — brandy or other …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 8, 1780 American and French forces join at Dobbs Ferry Expédition Particulière was the code name given by the French government for the plan to sail French land …
The Colonial Surveyor Will Visit Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia
July 10, 2021 10:00 am — 4:00 pm The first surveyors in America arrived with the Jamestown Company in 1621. Given the goal of quickly settling Virginia and the vagaries of Royal Charters for Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolina colonies, surveyors were critical to establishing order in the colonies. The role of the surveyor was …
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Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 8, 1776 — The citizens of Philadelphia were summoned to the State House Yard by the bells of the city. At noon, Colonel John Nixon publicly read the …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 6, 1779 Fairfield and Norwalk burnt In July 1779 during the American Revolutionary War, British Major General William Tryon and 2600 men raided the Connecticut ports of New …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 6, 1768– The Vice Admiralty Court Act — gave Royal naval courts, rather than colonial courts, jurisdiction over all matters concerning customs violations and smuggling. The Vice-Admiralty Court …
Upcoming Event
July 10, 2021 — 10:00 am – 4:00 pmColonial Surveyor visits CARPENTERS’ HALL The first surveyors in America arrived with the Jamestown Company in 1621. Given the goal of quickly settling Virginia and the vagaries of Royal Charters for Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolina colonies, surveyors were critical to establishing order in the colonies. The …
Independence Day
On Independence Day, EVERYONE should read, aloud, the Declaration of Independence. Remember…. Declaration of Independence IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 4, 1789 – TARRIFF ACT was the first major piece of legislation passed in the United States after the ratification of the United States Constitution. This act had …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 4, 1776 – a document formally enumerating the justification for separating America from the rule of the Crown and Parliament was formally adopted by the Continental Congress. This …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 4, 1776DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE accepted by Congress Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence from Great Britain was originally been presented to Congress on June 7. Hoping for a …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 4, 1798 Aliens and Sedition Acts The Alien and Sedition Acts were a series of four laws passed by the U.S. Congress in 1798 amid widespread fear that …
Upcoming Event:
July 4th: 1:00 pm Fort MifflinA Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence On July 8th in the Courtyard of the Pennsylvania State House (aka Independence Hall) Coronel John Nixon read allowed the newly published Declaration of Independence to an assembled unit of the Philadelphia Associators which was the city’s main militia unit. Following this …
Are you serious enough about the Revolution to commit HIGH TREASON?
July 4th: 1:00 pm Fort MifflinA Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence On Sunday, July 4th at 1:00pm, I plan to read aloud the Declaration of Independence with special emphasis on the abuses and usurpations imposed on the American Colonies by George III and Parliament. Following this reading, in remembrance of Col. Nixon’s reading …
Continue reading “Are you serious enough about the Revolution to commit HIGH TREASON?”
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 3, 1778 Massacre at Wyoming On July 1st, John Butler’s force of about 1,000 regular British troops, Loyalist irregulars, and Indians, marched into the Wyoming Valley and seized …
Target Practice?
When you visit Copp’s Hill Burial Ground in Boston, you will see gravestones with pockmarks from musket balls, made when Redcoats used the graveyard as a target range. Yes, soldiers didn’t just point their muskets, they took aim and most of the King’s soldiers were surprisingly accurate shots given the limitations of smoothbore muskets. A …
Upcoming Event:
July 4th: 1:00 pm Fort MifflinA Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence On July 8th in the Courtyard of the Pennsylvania State House (aka Independence Hall) Coronel John Nixon read allowed the newly published Declaration of Independence to an assembled unit of the Philadelphia Associators which was the city’s main militia unit. Following this …
Are you serious enough about the Revolution to commit HIGH TREASON?
July 4th: 1:00 pm Fort MifflinA Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence On Sunday, July 4th at 1:00pm, I plan to read aloud the Declaration of Independence with special emphasis on the abuses and usurpations imposed on the American Colonies by George III and Parliament. Following this reading, in remembrance of Col. Nixon’s reading …
Continue reading “Are you serious enough about the Revolution to commit HIGH TREASON?”
Basic Colonial Brewing #12 — Assessing Quantities
Last week I introduced the “art” of brewing in the 18th Century and discussed how this differs from the modern engineering approach we take today. Like many other tasks, technology has changed the nature of the work freeing us from the complexity of managing certain things but also removing a certain experiential nature to the …
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Are you serious enough about the Revolution to commit HIGH TREASON?
July 4th: 1:00 pm Fort MifflinA Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence On Sunday, July 4th at 1:00pm, I plan to read aloud the Declaration of Independence with special emphasis on the abuses and usurpations imposed on the American Colonies by George III and Parliament. Following this reading, in remembrance of Col. Nixon’s reading …
Continue reading “Are you serious enough about the Revolution to commit HIGH TREASON?”
Upcoming Event:
July 4th: 1:00 pm Fort MifflinA Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence On July 8th in the Courtyard of the Pennsylvania State House (aka Independence Hall) Coronel John Nixon read allowed the newly published Declaration of Independence to an assembled unit of the Philadelphia Associators which was the city’s main militia unit. Following this …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 2, 1776 – “The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. —I am apt to believe that it will …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. July 2, 1776 Congress votes for INDEPENDENCE The Second Continental Congress, assembled in Philadelphia, formally adopts Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence from Great Britain. The resolution had originally …
Upcoming Event
July 4, 2021 — 5:00 pm – 8:00 pmJEFFERSONIAN PICNIC: Was the Continental Congress amiss in offering the Olive Branch Petition? We live in a new era of political apologists. Politicians are eager to express their loyalty to party and causes and sometimes this loyalty defies reason or even their own best interests but this …
REPOSTED from Carpenters’ Hall
Join us for interactive fun! Join us for July Family Fun Days at Carpenters’ Hall These events are free and ongoing throughout the day The Colonial Surveyor July 10 outside the Hall from 10 am – 4 pm The first surveyors in America arrived with the Jamestown Company in 1621. Given …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. Forty Fort was a stronghold built by settlers from Westmoreland County, Connecticut, on the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. During the American Revolutionary War, both Connecticut and Pennsylvania …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 29, 1767 The Commissioners of Customs Act — created a new Customs Board for the North American colonies, to be headquartered in Boston with five customs commissioners. The …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 29, 1767 The Indemnity Act –reduced taxes on the British East India Company when they imported tea into England. This allowed them to re-export the tea to the colonies more …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 28, 1776 Attack on Sullivan’s Island In early 1776, the British organized an expedition for operations in the southern colonies. Delayed by logistical concerns and bad weather, the …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 28, 1778 – BATTLE OF MONMOUTH: fought near Monmouth Court House the Continental Army engaged the British Army retreating from Philadelphia. The battle was tactically inconclusive and strategically …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 28, 1778 Battle of Monmouth The new British commander, Lieutenant General Henry Clinton, received orders to follow a defensive strategy and consolidate forces in New York City. He …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 28, 1778 Molly Pitcher “Molly Pitcher” was not a single historical figure, but a composite folk hero inspired by the actions of different people, most of them women …
Upcoming Event
July 4, 2021 — 5:00 pm – 8:00 pmJEFFERSONIAN PICNIC: Was the Continental Congress amiss in offering the Olive Branch Petition? We live in a new era of political apologists. Politicians are eager to express their loyalty to party and causes and sometimes this loyalty defies reason or even their own best interests but this …
Upcoming Event:
July 4th: 1:00 pm Fort MifflinA Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence On July 8th in the Courtyard of the Pennsylvania State House (aka Independence Hall) Coronel John Nixon read allowed the newly published Declaration of Independence to an assembled unit of the Philadelphia Associators which was the city’s main militia unit. Following this …
Beer Recipe: Redcoat IPA
In our modern lives, we rely on the police and the powers of government to protect our property and our most important institutions. When crimes occur, we expect our elected officials to take action and secure the peace. Consider how you would feel if your town were taken over by criminals, thugs, and miscreants? Now …
If we tried to have a revolution today, would we succeed?
If we tried to have a revolution today, would we succeed? Do we have what it takes? I hear boasts at reenactments all the time and everyone thinks they have what it takes to rebel but are we willing to “dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another,”[1] or are we more likely …
Continue reading “If we tried to have a revolution today, would we succeed?”
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 26, 1767 The Revenue Act — placed taxes on glass, lead, painters’ colors, and paper. It gave customs officials broad authority to enforce the taxes and punish smugglers …
Upcoming Event
June 26, 2021 — 11:00 am – 5:00 pmColonial TavernBehind the Scenes — Debate for Independence We’re changing the timing due to the number of people who signed up in advance. That’s the problem with these complex events, we need advanced sales to project how long to stay. I will play John Dickenson and debate …
Upcoming Event:
July 4th: 1:00 pm Fort MifflinA Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence On July 8th in the Courtyard of the Pennsylvania State House (aka Independence Hall) Coronel John Nixon read allowed the newly published Declaration of Independence to an assembled unit of the Philadelphia Associators which was the city’s main militia unit. Following this …
Upcoming Event
June 26, 2021 — 11:00 am – 5:00 pmColonial TavernBehind the Scenes — Debate for Independence We’re changing the timing due to the number of people who signed up in advance. That’s the problem with these complex events, we need advanced sales to project how long to stay. I will play John Dickenson and debate …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 2, 1774 – QUARTERING ACT made provisions for British troops to be given food and shelter at the expense of the American colonies, especially Massachusetts where a large …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 22, 1774 – THE QUEBEC ACT established the Royal Province of Quebec and expanded its territory into much of what is now southern Ontario, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, …
Upcoming Event
June 26, 2021 — 11:00 am – 5:00 pmColonial TavernBehind the Scenes — Debate for Independence We’re changing the timing due to the number of people who signed up in advance. That’s the problem with these complex events, we need advanced sales to project how long to stay. I will play John Dickenson and debate …
Upcoming Event
July 24, 2021 — 10:00am – 4:00 pm“Hands on” 18th Brewing Class Nearly Sold Out! If you want to participate in this class, you need to contact Fort Mifflin ASAP. Perhaps you are an accomplished homebrewer and you want to appreciate the challenges faced by brewers in the 18th Century who brewed good beer without …
Upcoming Event
June 26, 2021 — 11:00 am – 5:00 pmColonial TavernBehind the Scenes — Debate for Independence We’re changing the timing due to the number of people who signed up in advance. That’s the problem with these complex events, we need advanced sales to project how long to stay. I will play John Dickenson and debate …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 20, 1782 – The US Congress officially adopts the Great Seal of the United States of America to be affixed to treaties and presidential proclamations. Both sides of …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 20, 1790 – During a dinner meeting with Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison drafted a bill to move the Federal Capital to a …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 19, 1775 Washington chosen as Commander in Chief. When George Washington arrived at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on May 9, 1775, he was placed on …
Basic Colonial Brewing #11 — Managing Heat
A friend of mine recently comment that my 18th Century brewing demonstrations are so much more relaxed than what they see when modern methods are used. WOW! It must be like the duck on a pond – calm above and paddling like mad below. Even when you ignore the added complexity of simultaneously speaking to …
Continue reading “Basic Colonial Brewing #11 — Managing Heat”
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 18, 1778 British evacuate Philadelphia After almost nine months of occupation, 15,000 British troops under General Sir Henry Clinton evacuate Philadelphia. The British position in Philadelphia became untenable …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 17, 1775 – BATTLE OF BREED’S HILL (AKA Bunker Hill): 200 colonial troops under the command of William Prescott occupied Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill constructing a strong …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 17, 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill. Well actually, Breed’s Hill… On June 13, 1775, the leaders of the colonial forces besieging Boston learned that the British were planning to send …
Better Late than Never
This week Congress passed and the President signed into law a bill makes June 19th (aka Juneteenth) a federal holiday. Forget that its 156 years too late. This is a move to recognize not just the injustice of slavery in America but also the significant contribution that African Americans have made to the democratic and …
Save your Shillings!
Okay folks, this is a one time great deal. I just got this from Fort Mifflin regarding next week’s Tavern Night. The Cannonball Tavern lives! Now an indoor/outdoor event with Les and Jobie Ford’s authentic 18th century punch, beer from the Regimental Brewmeister and craft brewery 2SP! Hearty snacks available for purchase or BYO picnic …
Upcoming Event
June 18, 2021 — 5:00pm – 8:00 pmJEFFERSONIAN PICNIC:Did Jefferson ever believe “All men are created equal …?” We all know Jefferson owned slaves. We also know that in 1803, he purchased Louisiana from Bonaparte setting the stage for future displacements, genocides, and other crimes against America’s First Nations. Were “all men” only white Protestant …
Basic Colonial Brewing — The Koelschip
Modern breweries make good use of literally centuries of scientific study in heat transfer and exchange. In our modern breweries, we have highly efficient means of heating and cooling our wort but in in the 18th Century, all of this was much more primitive. Those of you who have cooked over an open hearth or …
The Cordwainer
The English term cordwainer first appears in 1100. Since this date the term cordouan, or cordovan leather, has been applied to several varieties of leather. Today cordovan leather is a vegetable tanned horse “shell,” and like the Medieval cordwain is used only for the highest quality shoes. Since the Middle Ages the title of cordwainer …
We’re Creating a Brewery and You can help
Want to Buy Beer from the Colonial Brewmeister? Help us build a Tavern and Brewery. Perhaps it the pandemic or years of working a job that while I am good at it, I really don’t love but next year, we are taking the plunge and building a new business. In 2026 America will celebrate its …
Continue reading “We’re Creating a Brewery and You can help”
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 14, 1775 – The Second Continental Congress creates the Continental Army. Six companies of riflemen are then dispatched to Boston. When the American Revolutionary War broke out in …
Burn Baby Burn
On flag day, we should address the elephant in the room. Some of these elephants get really upset when our national symbol is publicly burned. They are fools! When our flag is retired, it should be cremated. Yes – burned; never thrown out like garbage. Sure, its just a piece of cloth but this simple …
Flag Day
Nothing is quite so awe inspiring as to be on a military installation when Call to Colors is played. EVERTYHING STOPS! EVERYONE turns to the colors and most people salute. This event happens twice each day to remind us of WHY we are there. We are there not for some political agenda in Washington, not …
Beer Recipe: Valley Forge Spruce Ale
The encampment of Continental Army at Valley Forge (12/19/1777 — 6/19/1778) is known as the time of the greatest suffering. By the end of the encampment, almost a forth of the original army had died of disease, exposure, and privation. The food was said to have been both bad and infrequent. Even though food was …
Upcoming Event
June 18, 2021 — 5:00pm – 8:00 pmJEFFERSONIAN PICNIC:Did Jefferson ever believe “All men are created equal …?” We all know Jefferson owned slaves. We also know that in 1803, he purchased Louisiana from Bonaparte setting the stage for future displacements, genocides, and other crimes against America’s First Nations. Were “all men” only white Protestant …
American Historical Mythology
If you hang around Fort Mifflin very long you will, no doubt, be regaled with stories of the supernatural and the pseudoscience that supports its existence. These are all good fun but let’s be clear, SOME people actually believe these things and even though the scientifically minded dismiss THESE beliefs, they are quick to then …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 10, 1752 – Benjamin Franklin demonstrates that lightning is a form of electricity. This kite experiment will make Mr. Franklin one of the most famous men in the …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 9, 1772 – The HMS Gaspee, a British customs ship that ran aground in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. The Gaspee, commanded by Lieutenant Dudingston, was engaged in a …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 8, 1775 Lord Dunmore retires to British shipping. Dunmore and his family fled the Governor’s Palace in the middle of the night and took up residence aboard the Fowey. Want …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 5, 1767 The New York Restraining Act — forbade the New York Assembly and the governor of New York from passing any new bills until they agreed to …
Basic Colonial Brewing #10 –Making the Brew
Once you have wort, its time to actually “brew” (from the Dutch brouwen: to bubble or effervesce) the beer. I hope by now you realize that a lot more work goes into preparing to brew than actually brewing the beer. When I do demonstrations, someone always remarks that brewing takes a long time but in …
Continue reading “Basic Colonial Brewing #10 –Making the Brew”
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. June 4, 1738 – King George III is born. He will rule England from 1760 to 1820. George III (Georg Wilhelm Friedrich) was born on 4 June 1738 in …
The Colonial Chandler
Candles were made by either dipping a wick in molten wax or pouring that wax into a mold around the wick. By the late 1700s, many of the candles used in the American colonies were produced by commercial chandlers. Soap is a natural by-product of candle making, so many chandleries also sold soap. To make …
Memorial Day 2021
“I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, …
Colonial Surveyor – Determining your Position using Celestial Navigation
A sextant is an intimidating complex instrument. It consists of an A-shaped frame with an apex of 60° on a sextant or 45° on an octant. Along the rounded lower edge of the frame is an arc, the limb, that is marked with numbers for the degree of the angles that the sextant can measure. An index …
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Surveyor’s Class was a Success
Yesterday, six intrepid explorers ventured out of the western sallyport of Fort Mifflin on a survey mission to map a path to the High Batteries. It was a rough day weather-wise but our surveyors persevered to not only find these ruins but to do so with a high degree of accuracy. Between 1866 and 1876, …
Beer Recipe: Victory at Yorktown
October 17, 1778, General Charles Cornwallis raised a flag of truce over the fortifications at Yorktown after having suffered not only the combined French and American attack but also disease, lack of supplies, inclement weather, and a failed evacuation. With the French navy in the York River and siege lines advancing on his position, defeat …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. May 30, 1783 – The Pennsylvania Evening Post became America’s first daily newspaper. Benjamin Towne published the first issue of the Post on January 24, 1775. The paper was supportive of …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. May 29, 1790 — Rhode Island became the last of the 13 States to ratify the US Constitution. Rhode Island became the 13th state to enter the Union after …
Historical Tidbits
When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few. May 29, 1787 – At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, the Virginia Plan calling for a bicameral legislature, an executive, and a judiciary branch of government was proposed by …
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