Colonial-Era Rendevous
Rediscover a simpler time, meet great folks and shop the trade blankets at Maryland's Fort Frederick 18th Century Market Fair.
Those of us who enjoy reliving the eighteenth century lifestyle are generally forced to shop on-line for the period-correct gear we need. But not everything can be found on line. And there are some items that we just hate to buy unless we have handled them in person first. But it is impractical to gallivant around the country, seeking out far-flung craftsmen. It is much better to gather those vendors and craftsmen in one place, ready for business.
During the era of the Rocky Mountain fur trade, these gatherings were known as the “rendezvous”. Mountain men would gather from the far corners of the west to purchase the goods they needed for another year in the wilderness. It was also an opportunity to re-connect with old friends, and to enjoy some carefree entertainment before returning to the mountains for another year of hard, dangerous work. The modern Rendezvous serves the same function for fur trade era re-enactors, but for those of us who favor the colonial era, there are market fairs.
One of the best-known modern market fairs is held in April each year at Maryland’s Fort Frederick State Park. This event celebrated its 20 anniversary in 2014. It draws vendors and participants from all over the United States. When it began in 1994, the Fort Frederick Market Fair had much more of a rendezvous flavor. Participants portrayed time periods from the 1600s through the end of the mountain man era in the 1840s, and plains style, teepee camps were common. But, in 2003, responsibility for organizing the event shifted from a regional black powder club to the Friends of Fort Frederick. The Friends decided to honor the history of the region, and limit the time period for portrayals to the eighteenth century.
The Fort Frederick Market Fair is a juried event. So, all the clothing, camping gear and equipment used by participants must be appropriate to the time period from 1730 to 1790. And vendors must also meet those standards, both in their clothing and equipment, and in the wares they offer for sale. First time vendors are vetted in advance by the Friends of Fort Frederick Trade Committee before they are allowed to attend a Market Fair.
The eighteenth century timeframe is certainly in keeping with the event’s venue. The centerpiece of Fort Frederick State Park is a massive stone fortification that was built in 1756, after the defeat of General Braddock exposed the western colonial frontier to depredations by the French and their native allies.
Fort Frederick was one of the largest frontier fortifications built during the French and Indian War. It occupies an area of one and a half acres, and it was built to stand up to a major military assault. The fort’s massive stone walls are four and a half feet thick at the base. Inside the fort, two large barracks buildings face each other across the parade ground. The fort is open, inside the walls you can tour the two barracks buildings. They are furnished with sleeping quarters, workshops and offices, just as the would have been during the mid-eighteenth century.
During Market Fair, a contingent of reenactors portraying French and Indian War era Maryland provincial troops man the fort, living in the barracks and providing interpretive events for visitors. These men portray members of Alexander Beall’s and Alexander Beall’s companies of Maryland Forces. During the Market Fair the troops have a schedule of exhibitions, which they perform. You can watch marching demonstrations, flag raising ceremonies or demonstrations of eighteenth century military music.
Market Fair also serves as one of the largest gatherings of Roger’s Rangers reenactors. Roger’s Rangers started as an independent company of light troops. Their job was to serve as scouts and skirmishers, operating well forward of conventional troops, harassing the French and securing intelligence. They performed their work so well that, by the end of the war Robert Rogers was a Major, leading a small battalion of Rangers, and the rangers, by then, were the chief scouting unit for the British forces. Roger’s Rangers are the direct ancestors of our modern military Special Forces units.
Today, Roger’s Rangers is primarily reenacted by the members of Yeager’s Battalion. This is one of the oldest reenacting groups in the country. The battalion serves as the umbrella group for the various state-based Ranger companies. At the Market Fair you will usually see the Battalion Adjutant, Bill Blair, leading companies from Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, and sometimes companies from much farther afield. I’ve seen Ranger companies from as far away as Mississippi and Michigan attending.
The Rangers provide valuable service to the Fort Frederick Market Fair. Each year they run the park’s rifle range, giving us an opportunity to exercise our flintlocks. The Rangers battalion surgeon is a registered nurse who is also a certified E.M.T. . He provides emergency medical assistance to campers and visitors to the Market Fair.
Civilian reenactors and living historians come in every type that you could have found in eighteenth century society. Most of the campers portray typical frontier types, dressing and equipping themselves as hunters or scouts. But there is also a large contingent that prefers to portray the higher strata of colonial society. So, among the rough and tumble hunters you’ll find powdered wig aristocrats and evening gowned ladies. There are also quite a few people portraying native Americans.
The fort and the military reenactors are interesting, but, there can be no question that the main draw at market fair are the vendors. During the 2014 edition of Market Fair over 140 vendors set up shop selling eighteenth century goods. Events like this are essential to reenactors and living historians who need to outfit themselves with period correct gear. Let’s face it, you can’t walk into Sears and buy an eighteenth century waistcoat and breeches. But, at market fair you can saunter into the Ft. Downing Trading Company tent, and buy eighteenth century apparel right off the rack. And, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, Frances can measure you, and sew up some custom tailored apparel.
These days you can shop for quite a bit of period correct gear on-line. I do it myself, particularly for muzzleloading shooting supplies. But, for lots of things, especially big- ticket items, or handcrafted items, I feel a lot better if I can hold the item in my hands. Fort Frederick’s Market Fair hosts a wide array of skilled craftsmen. There are several blacksmiths at the event making ironware on the spot, or repairing your broken items. This year I watched a silversmith resize a ring for a customer on the spot. There are furniture makers, cabinetmakers, gunsmiths, hornsmiths and leather workers, all plying their trades at Market Fair.
In addition to craftsmen, there are vendors who offer the full range of eighteenth century essentials. At Market Fair you can fully outfit your person with eighteenth century apparel from several excellent tailors. You could also buy every item you would need to outfit a comfortable camp, from the tent, all the way down to a colonial pot scrubber. And you can pick up all the muzzleloading gear you need, from a custom rifle or musket, to a handmade powderhorn or a custom shooting bag. And, if you don’t need any big-ticket items, you’ll find a full range of small items like cleaning jags and forged screwdrivers.
Besides the formal vendors, you’ll find lots of interesting gear for sale on informal trade blankets. Any camper can set up a blanket in front of their camp and offer goods for sale to passers by. Some of the best bargains you’ll find at Market Fair will be on trade blankets.
Over the years, I’ve bought a lot of my gear at Fort Frederick’s Market Fairs, and this year was no exception. Shortly before Market Fair I finished building a new flintlock longrifle, and every rifle deserves its own shooting bag and powder horn. Finding them was my mission at the 2014 Market Fair, and it was a successful mission. In short order, I found a nice little bag with a red heart cut out, made by Dave Kazmark, A.K.A. “Pepe” at Pepe’s Prime possibles.
The horn was a little harder to find. Not that there weren’t plenty of great ones to choose from. There are several top quality hornsmiths plying their craft at Market Fair. I saw some great horns, but none of them spoke to me. Then, on the last day of the event I saw just what I was looking for. It is a fairly simple horn made by Carl Willyard of Old Dominion Forge. It is carved with an eighteenth century, Pennsylvania Dutch floral motif. As son as I saw it, I new it was going home with me.
The shopping is fun, and the history is interesting, but the best thing about the Fort Frederick Market Fair is the people you meet there. By camping at Market Fair you get to meet some really interesting people. Some of them are real characters, like the guy who gets carried around the park in a sedan chair by liveried footmen, or the wig couple. They have huge elaborate wigs that are based on the satirical eighteenth century cartoons that lampooned what was called “Macaroni Fashion”
But mostly I like evenings in camp visiting with like-minded people. The twenty-first century fades from view, and we enter a simpler time where good conversation, face to face, or around a cheery campfire provides a human connection that you’ll never get from a smart-phone. That’s the best part of Market Fair.
Points of contact:
Friends of Fort Frederick State Park
11115 Fort Frederick Road
Big Pool, MD 21771
www.friendsoffortfrederick.info
Fort Frederick State Park
11100 Fort Frederick Road
Big Pool, MD 21711
www.state.md.us/publiclands/western/fortfrederick.html
Old Dominion Forge
RR5 Box 83N
Bloomfield, IN 47424
812-875-8480
Pepe’s Possibles
402 Waldo Lane
Spring City, TN 37381
423-365-5946