The Historic Indian Agency House of Portage is hosting their 5th annual living history encampment on Saturday, September 14, 2013 from 9AM to 5PM. This year’s event, “A Funeral at the Fort,” will transport you back in time to a 19th century funeral on the Wisconsin frontier. Visitors to the site will get the chance to observe and interact with a host of characters in historic costume and character in an authentic historic setting. Learn about how our American ancestors dealt with the constant companion of death through special tours, demonstrations and activities taking place throughout the day, featuring fascinating information on mourning traditions and funeral and burial rituals.
Saturday Sep 14, 2013
608-742-6362
Some of the day’s highlights include a frontier doctor eager to share his knowledge of and experience with the many accidents, ailments and medical “remedies” that caused death on the unsettled American fringes that was 19th century Michigan Territory, a funeral set-up in the Agency House parlor (complete with real “pine box”!), memorial samplers and mourning hair jewelry demonstrations, and open-air cooking in historic style.
Catch a special tour at 9:30am, 11:30am, 2:30pm or 4pm, with a special gravestone-rubbing children’s workshop taking place at 1pm at the original and still-existing Fort Winnebago Cemetary just up the road from the Agency House off Highway 33. The special tours and the children’s workshop are free to the public, although reservations for the children’s workshop are strongly encouraged and will help ensure that enough craft materials are on hand for all participants. Call 608-742-6362 or email historicindianagencyhouse@gmail.com to make your reservation today. (Participating children should be between the ages of 6 to 12 years old and accompanied by an adult chaperone.)
Between scheduled activities, visitors are encouraged to wander the site—stroll about and mingle with our historic guests, all experienced educators with an interest specifically in the 1830s era…and they can’t wait to share their knowledge with you!
Please note that special care will be taken to ensure that this event remains family-friendly, despite the somewhat-sobering subject matter. No graphic or gruesome elements will be present.
The free event is made possible by a generous grant from the Great Circle Foundation, Inc. of East Northport, New York. For information regarding this or any other Historic Indian Agency House event, call Director Destinee Udelhoven at 608-742-6362.
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HIAH Living History Event, "A Funeral at the Fort: An Exploration of 19th c. Deathways"
Saturday September 14th
Indian Agency House
