Right after the parade we headed straight for Greenfield Village for the Civil War Remembrance Weekend. It was super busy so we had to park way out back. We met our good friends, the William's and Ruesch's, for some neat reenactments and demonstrations. The whole village was decked in army camp gear. You could even enlist, like is was back then. Looks like the parade followed us to the village! This is Alyssa, Kyla, and Katie watching the march while the rest of us take a potty break.
We met the Williams and went to a neat dramatic play about what it was like for the slaves after the war was won. It was really interesting to see how scared they were of both the North and the South sides and although they were free didn't really have anywhere to go or the means to do so. We all hoped aboard the train for a fun ride and timed it right to see them do a "blow-down" in the woods. They blow out a bottom chamber with steam so they don't get build up. It is pretty impressive when they blow it out four times in a row.
It was so hot that we actually didn't go exploring the village very much that day, but just camped under the trees at Walnut Grove and waited between each demonstration. We splurged and got lunch from the Southern Style Lunch Stand. It was great: sweet potato fries, hush puppies, fried okra, fried catfish, fried chicken, and coleslaw (at least EVERYTHING wasn't fried). This is a picture of the cavalry demonstration. They practiced riding in formation,
cavalry drills, and then a mock battle at the end. Myka was excited to go and pet one of the horses and patiently waited for a long time to take her turn to ask the man herself what the horse's name was. I can't believe how big she is getting. So during one of the waits between demonstrations. I got the hankering for some Greenfield Village custard. Unfortunately, the only place to get it was a good walk away. Daniel, Kyla, Myka, and Addie all offered to go get some.
Daniel was just going to carry Myka and have the girls run but as I raised my eyebrows I suggested he take the stroller. This picture does not do justice to the situation they were just covered in melting ice cream pretty much from head to toe. Daniel told me he was pushing the stroller with Myka holding an ice cream and Addie holding two, melting all over them. Kyla got a
lot of strange looks as she tried to run as fast as she could with an ice cream cone in each hand dripping to her elbows and then on down. Needless to say, the shirts never came all the way clean and the girls were still sticky after a pack of wet wipes. But the custard was yummy! Thanks to Birgitte who remembers to take pictures at these crazy moments.
The girls missed the canon demonstration while they were on their ice cream run, but that is O.K. they can catch it next year. Nora and Alyssa came back from the glass blowing shop just in time to catch the battle demonstration, where the two armies showed different techniques they used back then in fighting (i.e. all lining up and firing all at the same time, firing in succession, sending >
in smaller groups first and coming up with the second brigade later) This is a picture of the Union Army with their sharp shooters going in first and the brigade waiting to come in and help when needed. And the Confederate Army is in the next one. It was kind of neat how they did the whole "play dead" thing. At the end of each demonstration they would say over the intercom "The wounded will please arise and join the ranks".
The girls needed a little convincing that no one was actually getting hurt and it was all just for show. At the very end both armies lined up on the opposite side of the field from us and all fired their guns in unison and then charged the audience with their bayonets, well not really of course they stayed safely behind the ropes. By the time the village closed we were so done. It was very nice to come home, shower, and slather the vinegar on sunburns.
Right after the parade we headed straight for Greenfield Village for the Civil War Remembrance Weekend. It was super busy so we had to park way out back. We met our good friends, the William's and Ruesch's, for some neat reenactments and demonstrations. The whole village was decked in army camp gear. You could even enlist, like is was back then. Looks like the parade followed us to the village! This is Alyssa, Kyla, and Katie watching the march while the rest of us take a potty break. 
We met the Williams and went to a neat dramatic play about what it was like for the slaves after the war was won. It was really interesting to see how scared they were of both the North and the South sides and although they were free didn't really have anywhere to go or the means to do so. We all hoped aboard the train for a fun ride and timed it right to see them do a "blow-down" in the woods. They blow out a bottom chamber with steam so they don't get build up. It is pretty impressive when they blow it out four times in a row. 
It was so hot that we actually didn't go exploring the village very much that day, but just camped under the trees at Walnut Grove and waited between each demonstration. We splurged and got lunch from the Southern Style Lunch Stand. It was great: sweet potato fries, hush puppies, fried okra, fried catfish, fried chicken, and coleslaw (at least EVERYTHING wasn't fried). This is a picture of the cavalry demonstration. They practiced riding in formation, 
cavalry drills, and then a mock battle at the end. Myka was excited to go and pet one of the horses and patiently waited for a long time to take her turn to ask the man herself what the horse's name was. I can't believe how big she is getting. So during one of the waits between demonstrations. I got the hankering for some Greenfield Village custard. Unfortunately, the only place to get it was a good walk away. Daniel, Kyla, Myka, and Addie all offered to go get some. 
Daniel was just going to carry Myka and have the girls run but as I raised my eyebrows I suggested he take the stroller. This picture does not do justice to the situation they were just covered in melting ice cream pretty much from head to toe. Daniel told me he was pushing the stroller with Myka holding an ice cream and Addie holding two, melting all over them. Kyla got a lot of strange looks as she tried to run as fast as she could with an ice cream cone in each hand dripping to her elbows and then on down. Needless to say, the shirts never came all the way clean and the girls were still sticky after a pack of wet wipes. But the custard was yummy! Thanks to Birgitte who remembers to take pictures at these crazy moments. 
The girls missed the canon demonstration while they were on their ice cream run, but that is O.K. they can catch it next year. Nora and Alyssa came back from the glass blowing shop just in time to catch the battle demonstration, where the two armies showed different techniques they used back then in fighting (i.e. all lining up and firing all at the same time, firing in succession, sending >
in smaller groups first and coming up with the second brigade later) This is a picture of the Union Army with their sharp shooters going in first and the brigade waiting to come in and help when needed. And the Confederate Army is in the next one. It was kind of neat how they did the whole "play dead" thing. At the end of each demonstration they would say over the intercom "The wounded will please arise and join the ranks". 
The girls needed a little convincing that no one was actually getting hurt and it was all just for show. At the very end both armies lined up on the opposite side of the field from us and all fired their guns in unison and then charged the audience with their bayonets, well not really of course they stayed safely behind the ropes. By the time the village closed we were so done. It was very nice to come home, shower, and slather the vinegar on sunburns.
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