Cook Forest French & Indian War Encampment

Cook Forest State Park and the Sawmill Center for the Arts will host a series of living history events depicting life during the French & Indian War. Highlights of this full two-day encampment include children’s programs, woodland natives, cannon and musket firing demonstrations, sutler camp, council and trading events, nationally renowned living historians, French & Indian War era artisans, and live tactical engagements. Every battle is different! Take a walk back in time at the Sawmill Center for the Arts to view British, Colonial, French, and American Indian re-enactors as they portray lifestyles of the 18th century.

Saturday, June 9

1000am-600pm Event Open

1000am-1100am Blacksmithing Demonstration - by Dennis Murray story-teller (Clarion County’s #1 liar) and blacksmith, across from Sawmill Craft Market

1000am-1100am Sinew Processing - by Paul Stillman, living historian from Historically Speaking in the old Sawmill Classroom ($10 for materials)

1000am-400pm Cooking Demonstration - by Geoffrey Domowicz, Compagnie LeBoeuf chef, along Black Bear Trail at the main encampment site

1030pm-500pm French & Indian War Era Art & Demonstrators - meet with distinguished artists, authors, artisans, and demonstrators in the Old Sawmill Classroom

1100am-1130am Cannon & Musket Firing Demonstration - by the camp Corps of Artillery, located in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom

1130am-1200pm Peril in the Forest - tactical engagement in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom

1200pm-300pm 18th Century Surgical Techniques - by Jack Mathay Compagnie LeBeouf surgeon, at the NEW Sawmill Classroom

100pm-200pm Conrad Weiser: In the Steps of a Peacekeeper - by Richard Pawling, renowned living historian from History Alive!, at the Sawmill Theater (free, but donations towards the event will be accepted)

200pm-300pm 18th Century Children’s Games - by Jen Domowicz, Compagnie LeBoeuf, along Black Bear Trail at the main encampment site

200pm-300pm 18th Century Parasols: A Decorating Workshop - by Bonnie Stillman, living historian from Historically Speaking in the old Sawmill Classroom ($15)

300pm-500pm Blacksmithing Demonstration - by Dennis Murray story-teller (Clarion County’s #1 liar) and blacksmith, across from the Sawmill Craft Market

300-600pm - Powderhorn & Turkey Wingbone Call Fabrication - by Paul Stillman, living historian from Historically Speaking in the Old Sawmill Classroom ($15 for materials)

330pm-400pm Cannon & Musket Firing Demonstration — by the camp Corps of Artillery, located in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom

400pm-430pm Peril in the Forest - tactical engagement in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom

700pm-800pm ‘1737: Going to Onondaga on the Path of Peace’ by Richard Pawling, renowned living historian from History Alive! at the Log Cabin Inn Environmental Learning Classroom (free, but donations towards the event will be accepted)

During Open Camp Hours

"The Opportunity To Meet the Characters Within the Characters"   Did you ever wish you had a back stage pass to meet a nationally renowned entertainer/actor/musician?  Well here's an opportunity to understand the depth of knowledge that goes into becoming a master of your trade.  Interpretation is an art form that can be learned.  Learn the methods of acting/interpretation that are used to make the past become the present.  Quality interpretation is more than wearing old clothes and saying you are living in the past.   Rich Pawling is the author of Old Clothes - But All I Wanted to do Was Wear Old Clothes and Go Back to the Past, and is an Interpretive Skills Instructor (Professor) with 27 years of teaching experience.   Learn from maps, books, journals on why knowledge of the F+I War is important in understanding the present.   Both Conrad Weiser (aka. Rich Pawling) and Christopher Stump (aka. Bob Fleck - retired high school history teacher) will be stationed throughout the event at the entrance to the Saw Mill Theater.

Sunday, June 10

900am-400pm Event Open

900am-915am 18th Century Sunday Service - by the 42nd Highland Regiment, located in the main encampment site along Black Bear Trail

930am-1100am Blacksmithing Demonstration - by Dennis Murray, story-teller (Clarion County’s #1 liar) and blacksmith, across from the Sawmill Craft Market

1015am-1045am Children’s Musket Drill - by camp Corps of              Re-enactors, at the water tower along Black Bear Trail

1100am-200pm Powderhorn & Turkey Wingbone Call Fabrication - by Paul Stillman, living historian from Historically Speaking, in the old Sawmill Classroom ($15 for materials)

1100am-200pm French & Indian War Era Art & Demonstrators - meet with distinguished artists, authors, artisans, and demonstrators in the old Sawmill Classroom

1100am-1130am Cannon & Musket Firing Demonstration - by the camp Corps of Artillery, in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom

1130am-1200pm Peril in the Forest - tactical engagement in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom

1230pm-200pm 18th Century Surgical Techniques - by Jack Mathay, Company LeBeouf surgeon, at the NEW Sawmill  Classroom

1230pm-200pm Blacksmithing Demonstration - by Dennis Murray, story-teller (Clarion County’s #1 liar) and blacksmith, across from the Sawmill Craft Market

200pm-230pm Cannon & Musket Firing Demonstration - by the camp Corps of Artillery, in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom

230pm-300pm Peril in the Forest - tactical engagement in the woods along Black Bear Trail across from the old Sawmill Classroom

During Open Camp Hours

"The Opportunity To Meet the Characters Within the Characters"   Did you ever wish you had a back stage pass to meet a nationally renowned entertainer/actor/musician?  Well here's an opportunity to understand the depth of knowledge that goes into becoming a master of your trade.  Interpretation is an art form that can be learned.  Learn the methods of acting/interpretation that are used to make the past become the present.  Quality interpretation is more than wearing old clothes and saying you are living in the past.   Rich Pawling is the author of Old Clothes - But All I Wanted to do Was Wear Old Clothes and Go Back to the Past, and is an Interpretive Skills Instructor (Professor) with 27 years of teaching experience.   Learn from maps, books, journals on why knowledge of the F+I War is important in understanding the present.   Both Conrad Weiser (aka. Rich Pawling) and Christopher Stump (aka. Bob Fleck - retired high school history teacher) will be stationed throughout the event at the entrance to the Saw Mill Theater.