A Gathering Before the Storm, October 1-3, 2010

[snowcraig]

A Gathering Before the Storm� October 1-3, 2010

Date:           October 1-3, 2010
Name:         A Gathering Before the Storm
Location:      Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Elverson, PA
Sponsor/Host:      Terri Lehmer and Jessica Craig
Capacity:      40 civilians

POC:   Jessica Craig snowcraig@ymail.com or Terri Lehmer terrilehmer@yahoo.com;
Website:   Website under construction
Listserve:   Yahoo Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/agatheringbeforethestorm/
   

Join us in recreating a few days in the life of an early industrial village at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site.

Hopewell Furnace is located in Southeastern Pennsylvania and is a remarkably intact example of a 19th century iron furnace village.  The furnace, which still exists today, was in operation from 1771 to 1883 and produced a wide range of finished goods and raw materials.  The village includes the ironmaster’s house, the furnace complex, several dwelling houses, a boarding house, a blacksmith shop, a spring house, barns, and outbuildings.  The setting is rural with little modern distractions and naturally beautiful.

This civilian-only event will portray everyday life in Hopewell Village in 1860.  There will be both sustained first person and third person areas with room for impressions ranging from the poorest indentured servant to wealthy visitors from Philadelphia. For many years Hopewell Furnace National Park Historic Site has mainly interpreted the making of iron. This will be an opportunity to interpret the lives of people who not only made the iron possible, but of the villagers who made Hopewell village self-sufficient.

Attendance is by invitation only.

[Elizabeth]

Jess, thanks for posting this one!

Just to clarify for those who may be new to immersion and semi-immersion, invitation-only events: how does one go about requesting an invitation?

[snowcraig]

We are working on getting our website up with details, standards, and expectations.  For now, if you are interested in coming, please contact me.

Thanks for suggesting clarification on that.  "Invitation only" is not meant to scare people from coming, it's just a way to control authenticity standards and numbers.

Hope lots of you can come!  It's such a great event!

Jess Craig

[snowcraig]

The website for the event is now up.  Be sure to bookmark the site - it is under construction and there will be lots more to come! 

http://mainecav.org/hopewell 

Check out the photos from previous events!

Jessica Craig

[snowcraig]

Registration for A Gathering Before the Storm is now open!!

October 1-3, 2010, Elverson, PA

The website has been updated and includes more information on impressions, logistics, standards, and registration. This event is limited to 40 participants, so if you are interested, please register early! The registration deadline is September 1st, but I'm sure we will be full before then.

The event website is: http://hopewell.mainecav.org/

Come join us for one of the best civilian events of 2010!

Jessica Craig
snowcraig@ymail.com

[snowcraig]

Only two months until the registration deadline! We have approx. 25 people already registered for A Gathering Before the Storm, so if you are planning to come, please send in your registration form as soon as possible. This will help us with logistical planning such as lodging and specific scenarios. We have the opportunity to include all types of impressions at this event - furnace workers and their families, professional impressions (teachers, bankers, salemen, politicians), iron master family members (upper middle class), musicians, farmers, and much more. Our goal is to bring Hopewell Village alive for the weekend!

http://hopewell.mainecav.org/

We are working with the Park to firm up the political rally part of this event. This will be a unique opportunity to mark the 150th anniversary of the 1860 election and is something that is not often seen at living histories. Plans are in the works for an election pole raising and other festivities. We are also working with the Park to identify projects/chores that need to be done to keep all the village workers busy.

If you have already registered please be thinking about developing your first person character. The event is just three months away!!!

If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to contact me, Jessica Craig, at snowcraig@ymail.com

This is going to be one of the best civilian events in the Northeast, so don't miss out!

Jessica Craig

[snowcraig]

Registration is still open for A Gathering Before the Storm at Hopewell Furnace in October, but spots are filling up fast! We have over 30 people registered at this point.

Onsite housing is available but limited.  We have lots of room for daytrippers and those who want to/can stay off site. 

If you have a specialty impressions (i.e. photographer, musician, politician), we'd love to have you help bring Hopewell Village to life.  Saturday afternoon will include a political rally and pole raising in support of Breckenridge & Lane.  We'll have speeches and songs and a big community meal.

Everyone will be kept busy with work around the village and the furnace.  There is something for almost any civilian impression at this event. 

If you are interested in an invitation to the event, please contact me at snowcraig@ymail.com and for event information go to http://hopewell.mainecav.org/

Hope to see you at Hopewell!

Jess Craig
AGSAS

[snowcraig]

This is just a reminder that the registration deadline is fast approaching...September 1st is a week from Wednesday!

If you are planning to attend the event but are delaying getting your registration in for some reason (unsure of plans, registration fees, etc.), please let me know off-list (snowcraig@ymail.com).  We need to start planning for sleeping space, food, and wood/straw.  Even if you are just planning to day trip, please register or at least let me know - especially if you are planning on partaking of any meals with the group. 

As of last count we had about 30 adults and 6 children registered!  I want to try to accomodate as many as possible, so please contact me and/or mail in your registration forms.

Hope to see you at Hopewell!

Jess Craig

[Jenna Baumgartle]

That is so close to me!  Is this an annual event?  If so, I'd love to try to attend next year! 

[BetsyConnolly]

I really wish I could go to this! Maybe some other year...have fun anyway!

[snowcraig]

The event at Hopewell Furnance is nearly upon us!  We've got about 40 men, women and children coming to bring the village alive this weekend.  We've got some fun stuff lined up including:

- good physical labor for the men
- apple harvesting
- 2 working hearths on which we will be cooking our meals
- opportunities for the men to try their hand at casting in the furnace
- a political rally for Breckinridge and Lane in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the 1860 election, including a pole raising, music, speeches, and more!
- a community dinner on Saturday night followed by an informal community dance
- first person interaction from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon

If you live in the area and would like to come by as a spectator...please do!  If you would like to join us for the day as a participant, please email me (snowcraig@ymail.com) and we can make it work.  Here is the website for the National Park:  http://www.nps.gov/hofu/ if you would like more information about where we will be.

The weather looks like it is going to be sunny and cool.  We will enjoy a lovely autumn weekend in a beautiful setting!

Stay tuned for AAR and photos!

Jess Craig

Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society

http://hopewell.mainecav.org/