The Colonial Camp

Typical Activities
Live history firsthand.

Our mission is to develop the character of young men and women campers in an authentic historical context. Following are typical activities that may be conducted at any particular event. (NOTE: Many of these activities may be conducted for any particular occasion; however, not all of them will be executed at a given event.) Typical activities include:
General Wear Colonial Clothing Camp in 18th Century Tents Shoot a black-powder Firearm Observe a Cannon firing Throw a Tomahawk Shoot primitive Bow and Arrows Put on Indian Warpaint Build a Colonial Fence Practice Sword Fighting Make new Friends Shop in the Colonial Store Work with 18th Century animal Breeds Present Awards to Outstanding Campers Participate in a Screaming Contest Enjoy stunning views of Nature Raise a Colonial American flag Go on a Nature Hike Play Colonial Games Climb the Monkey Bridge Rest Play Capture the Flag	Cooking Cook & Prepare Meals on an Open Fire Eat healthy, delicious Food Make Sassafras Tea Cook scrumptous Campfire Fudge Harvest Garden Crops Learn how to Grind Corn Make hand-cranked Ice Cream
Academic Visit a Colonial history Museum Ride on Colonial Ship Discuss Washington's Rules of Civility Observe the Reconstruction of a Colonial Building Examine an Indian village Examine a Colonial farm Read about Men captured by Indians Conduct a Mock Court Session Conduct a Colonial Auction Learn Colonial & Indian Lore Discuss the Proverbs of Solomon Examine authentic Colonial Animal Breeds	The Arts Make Decorative Rubbings Develop Drawing Skills Make Indian Tools Play Colonial instruments Learn Colonial Songs Learn 18th Century rudimentary Drumming Participate in a Colonial Theatre Make a Colonial Doll Participate in a Talent Show Make a decorative Broom Make an Indian bead Necklace Make a Bracelet
Crafts Learn to Tie Knots Adorn a Letter with Wax Seals Make homemade Soap Manufacture Paper Make your own Moccasins Make Beeswax Candles Cut and Sew a Leather Medicine Bag Manufacture a Pioneer Journal Write Letters with Quill & Ink Learn to chop Wood	Textiles Make Spiced Hot Mats Card Sheep Wool Spin Thread Make a Cross-Stitch Sampler Weave Fabric on a Loom Complete a Felt-Making project And Much, Much More ...

General

Wear Colonial Clothing Campers wear authentic 18th Century clothing during camping events. Women wear a chemise (a undergarment like a robe), a petticoat (like a skirt), a bodice (like a vest), and a pinafore (like an apron). Men wear a shirt and a waistcoat. Colonial clothing items are available for purchase separately.	Camp in 18th Century Tents Campers sleep in large Officers Tents and smaller Infantry Tents. These 13 oz. Sunforger canvas tents are authentic replicas of the sleeping quarters of Continental Army soldiers from the Revolutionary War. At our permanent campsites, the Colonial Camp places the tents on earthen mounds to direct drainage around the tent during rainshowers. A smaller number of even larger Marquis Tents are available to conduct events during rain. Each tent has a fly (a 'fly' is a separate canvas roof that hangs next to a tent) to conduct activities scattered around the tent area. It provides shelter from rain and sun.
Shoot a Black-Powder Firearm This activity is one of our fundamental activities. Each camper may fire a black-powder muzzle-loading Brown Bess musket, Committee of Safety musket, or a Kentucky rifle. Or a demonstration firing may be arranged. Instructors are competent to conduct safe range firing for groups and individuals. Our Instructors maintain certifications with the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association (NMLRA).	Fire an Artillery Piece The Colonial Camp possesses cannons and mortars. With the assistance of our nationally recognized National Muzzleloader Rifle Association (NMLRA) instructors, Participants will experience cannon and mortar fire.
Throw a Tomahawk An instructor teaches registrants the safety procedures, form, and technique required to embed a thrown tomahawk into a wooden target. Do you think that you can make it stick?	Put on Indian War Paint "They ordered me to strip off my clothes and put on a breechclout, which I did. Then they painted my head, face and body in various colors. They put a large belt of wampum on my neck, and silver bands on my hands and right arm." (From Frederick Drimmer, Captured by the Indians: 15 Firsthand Accounts, 1750-1870) Indian tribes decorated their faces with colors; participants get an opportunity to do so as well. Students may also participate in another activity while their face is painted, such as reading a story about Indian culture, playing capture the flag, manufacturing Indian jewelry, etcetera.
Build a Colonial Fence A waddle is a fence with posts and a series of tightly woven rails made from long stripped branches. Early Americans manufactured waddles to pen in small livestock like chickens and small animals.	Practice Sword Fighting Participants can work on their fencing techniques using padded weapons, included broadswords, infantry sabres, bucklers, and spears. All weapons are made from soft foam and plastic rods covered with material.
Make new Friends An important part of a camping experience is the value of building new relationships. The intent is to teach individual responsibility in building good relationships, teamwork, and mutual respect.	Shop in the Colonial Store The Colonial Store sells Colonial reproductions and provisions to campers such as books, clothing, pottery, knives, tomahawks, games, currency, jewelry, etcetera. Some items are as inexpensive as one dollar, such as a sterling silver ring, a pewter soldier, an arrowhead, or a feather used to make a quill pen.
Work with 18th Century Animal Breeds There are many societies which maintain rare and authentic breeds of early American animals. Participants may look at, handle, and take care of such animals, such as Dominique chickens, Cur dogs, or English Mastiffs.	Participate in a Screaming Contest How loud can you scream? You might be surprised to find that loud sounds can come from small packages.
Present Awards to Oustanding Campers We provides awards to campers who exemplify the desired character traits.	Enjoy stunning views of Nature When you get the chance to view the world apart from 21st Century pressures and interruptions, it can give you an opportunity to consider the things that really matter in life.
Raise a Colonial American Flag Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?	Go on a nature Hike Learn about the uses of different plants. Observe wildlife in its natural habitat. Learn to navigate and maintain orientation in the forest. Shoot Primitive Bows and Arrows Shoot primitive bows and arrows on our target range. Our Instructors are certified by the National Archery Association (NAA). They teach Participants responsible and safe methods of shooting bows and arrows. They also help develop good markmanship habits, starting from the skill level and ability of each Participant.
Play Colonial Games Learn the rules and develop skills in Colonial games like Graces, Cup and Ball, Fox and Geese, Nine Mans Morris, Nine Pins, and other similar games.	Climb the Monkey-Bridge A Monkey Bridge is a rope bridge, which can be strung across an otherwise impassible area. Participants may try their luck at the balance and skill needed to pass over the Monkey Bridge.
Rest	Play Capture the Flag

Cooking

Cook & Prepare Meals on an Open Fire	Eat delicious, healthy Food
Make Sassafras Tea	Cook scrumptous Campfire Fudge
Harvest Garden Crops	Learn how to grind Corn
Make hand-cranked Ice Cream

Academic

Visit a Colonial history Museum	Ride on a Colonial Ship
Discuss Washington's Rules of Civility	Observe the reconstruction of a Colonial Building
Examine an Indian Village	Examine a Colonial Farm
Read about Men captured by Indians	Conduct Mock Court Sessions
Learn Colonial & Indian Lore	Conduct a Colonial Auction
Discuss the Proverbs of Solomon	Examine Authentic Colonial Animal Breeds

The Arts

Make Indian Tools	Play Eighteenth Century Instruments
Learn Colonial Songs	Learn Eighteenth Century rudimentary Drumming
Participate in a Colonial Theatre	Make a Colonial Doll
Participate in a Talent Show	Make a decorative Broom
Make an Indian Bead Necklace	Make a Bracelet

Crafts

Learn to Tie Knots	Adorn a Letter with Wax Seals
Make homemade Soap	Manufacture Paper
Make Your Own Moccasins	Make Beeswax Candles
Cut and Sew a Leather Medicine Bag	Manufacture a Pioneer Journal
Write Letters with Quill & Ink Participants copy the Rules of Civility, an 18th Century book of manners, from the teenage hand of George Washington. Participants not only learn 18th Century penmanship, but get some insight into the values of America's first President.	Learn to chop Wood There are many lessons to learn from chopping wood. One person can get a lot done if they do it right. One person can break up a great big tree into small little pieces. There are effective and ineffective ways to do lots of things. A group of people working together can accomplish more than the individuals working separately. There is value to manual labor. And there are other lessons to be learned.

Textiles

Make Spiced Hot Mats

Spin Thread

Make a cross-stitch Sampler

Weave Fabric on a Loom

Complete a Felt-Making project

And Much, Much More ...