F&I Heritage Day 2005 at Fort Edwards

The Fort Edwards Foundation of Capon Bridge, West Virginia

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French & Indian War Heritage Day 2005
and
The Fort Edwards Foundation's 10th Anniversary

On September 10, 2005 The Fort Edwards Foundation celebrated not only its annual French and Indian War Heritage Day in conjunction with Hampshire County Heritage Days, but we also celebrated our Tenth Anniversary. We began in 1995, so we took the time to celebrate all that has been accomplished in those ten years. We thank all our members and supporters who made all this possible, and we give thanks to the God who blessed our work and continues to watch over America.

We had two cakes to cut to celebrate our Tenth Anniversary and plenty of friends to share with.
Line for Cake

The most exciting news - or exhibit - was the outline of our stockade wall that was displayed out in the field behind the Visitor Center. Our project to reconstruct a full size stockade has had numerous problems and delays, so for the mean time we have erected a flagpole at the point of our in-wall bastion and have placed short locust logs representing the stockade wall that the archaeologists have discovered. The representation or "ghost wall" is placed away from the archaeological site that we are protecting, but it is situated on the plateau above the floodplain in the same relation as the original so you can see how much flat land the fort enclosed. We still have work to do, and we could use some help with this project as with other projects. Our greatest need at this point - ten years from our founding - is for people to join in our effort and fill some badly needed positions. If people do not respond, we may have to close some programs and curtail others including our Visitor Center hours.

Arnold's Farm Market

Jed and Jason Arnold from Augusta came to support Heritage Day with this wonderful farm market. Unfortunately, they got away beforeour webmaster got his mellon and before we were able to buy some corn and gourds for display.
Basket weaver

Our Artisans turned out to support us with genuine colonial crafts such as basket making and weaving, spinning and hooking.
Crafters sharing pointers

There is always the time for crafters to share some pointers between their demonstrations. It is a good time for everyone to learn something. After all, education is part of our mission.

Some articles for sale by our crafters.

In colonial times many men were employed in the clothmaking business. Women
did the sewing at home, but men were prominent in the weaving industry.

Although our crafters can do much work in the exact technique and style of the colonial crafters, they can also make use of some modern technology, such as this ribbon cutter on display on the right.

The loyal Maryland Forces were with us again to interpret military life on the colonial frontier. Someday our webmaster may get a camera quick enough to catch the smoke and fire of the musket demonstration.
firing demonstration

Is the Drummer sounding "To Arms" or "Retreat?"
The Future is up to You!
We need your support if this Foundation is going to continue to provide high quality interpretation and educational programs for Hampshire County and for all America! Please consider not only becoming a member, but know that we are very much in need of people to run our programs - not just to expand them. Unless you join in the effort The Foundation may have to curtail its work!

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