This Memorial Day weekend you are invited to visit Fort Scott National Historic Site, located in Fort Scott, Kansas, and learn more about crucial events of the mid-1800s that helped shape our national character. A series of intriguing programs will highlight 1840s U. S. military life on May 23, 24, and 25. Each day will feature traditional living history activities and demonstrations focusing on 1840s garrison life including black powder firing programs.  Join us in honoring Fort Scott soldiers who died while serving their country from 1842 – 1853. A guided tour will be offered at 1 p.m. each day and a National Moment of Remembrance honoring America’s fallen heroes will be held Monday at 3 p.m. 

 

Come Saturday, May 23, and see soldiers, civilians, and ladies of the 1840s Old Army Era. Visit with the post surgeon about the ailments and cures of the day. Jump in and assist the post laundress as she washes and mends soldiers’ clothes. View items offered by the post sutler for purchase by the military community of Fort Scott. At 3:15 p.m., join us in honoring Fort Scott’s fallen officers from 1842-1853 who died while serving their country.  Fort Scott volunteer and living historian Michelle Martin will present two aspects of women’s lives in Fort Scott as part of Garrison Life activities, “The Long Black Veil” at 11 a.m. and “Painted Dolls on Post” at 2:30 p.m.  “The Long Black Veil” explores a Fort Scott officer’s wife, Mrs. Terrett, first losing her infant son and two days later her husband.  “Painted Dolls on Post”,examines the important social role officer’s wives played in their husband’s life and career.  Living history programs will continue Sunday and Monday.

 

Monday will feature two special programs in addition to scheduled living history offerings.  At 2 p.m., “Tragedies of Fort Scott” is a ranger-led guided tour where re-enactors will create six different scenes in which soldiers or citizens of Fort Scott met violent deaths. Scenes will include a deserter who was shot by a firing squad (1863), a drunken soldier who killed a private in a fight over a dog, (1846), and the death of John Little, who lost his life in a morning raid on Fort Scott (1858).  At each scene, visitors will hear voices from the past. Some of these incidents involve mysteries that have never been fully explained.  At 3 p.m. a National Moment of Remembrance will be observed followed by a program honoring Fort Scott’s fallen officers at 3:15 p.m.  You will learn about the history of Memorial Day and realize the importance of honoring our fallen soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

 

The schedule of activities is listed below:

 

SATURDAY, MAY 23                                                      

10:00 a.m.            – “Flint and Steel” – Small Arms (Black powder) Demonstration

11:00 a.m.            – “The Long Black Veil” – Widow Terrett Talk

12:00 a.m.            – “Canned Oysters, Twist Tobacco, and Fish Hooks” – Post Sutler Talk

  1:00 p.m.             – Guided Tour

  2:00 p.m.             – “The Gun That Shoots Twice” – Artillery (Black powder) Demonstration

  2:30 p.m.             – “Painted Dolls on Post” – Officer’s Wives Talk

   3:15 p.m.            – Honoring Fort Scott’s Fallen Officers

  4:00 p.m.             – Flag Retreat

 

SUNDAY, MAY 24

10:00 a.m.            – “Caretakers of the Military Road” – Quartermaster Department Talk

11:00 a.m.            – “Flint and Steel” – Small Arms (Black powder) Demonstration

12:00 p.m.            – “Bug Juice and Military Justice” – Crime and Punishment at Fort Scott

  1:00 p.m.             – Guided Tour

  2:00 p.m.             – “The Gun That Shoots Twice” – Artillery (Black powder) Demonstration

  3:00 p.m.             – “Always the Infantry” – U.S. Infantry Talk

  4:00 p.m.             – Flag Retreat

 

MONDAY, MAY 25          

10:00 a.m.            – “Canned Oysters, Twist Tobacco, and Fish Hooks” – Post Sutler Talk

11:00 a.m.            – “The Gun That Shoots Twice” – Artillery (Black powder) Demonstration

12:00 p.m.            – “Harbingers of Manifest Destiny” – U.S. Dragoon Talk

  1:00 p.m.             – Guided Tour

  2:00 p.m.             – Tragedies Tour

  3:15 p.m.             – Honoring Fort Scott’s Fallen Officers

  4:00 p.m.             – Flag Retreat

 

Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is an entrance fee of $3.00 for each adult 16 and over. Children 15 and under are admitted free of charge. For more information call the site at 620-223-0310 or visit our web site at www.nps.gov/fosc.