By Elise Fernandez '13
America’s past was brought to life on the Siena College front lawn as the History Club presented “A Day of Living History.” The annual event, now in its fifth year, brings actors and history interpreters from the Capital Region and beyond to campus to share the country’s culture and history.
“We have different venues from social history and military history,” said Francis Butler ’15. “We have 18th century toys and games, 19th century cricket, Dutch colonial trade goods (and) the French and Indian War, American Revolution, World War II and Civil War re-enactors here today.”
Members of the campus and local communities, including history majors and history buffs alike, were able to expand upon what they have learned by experiencing different time periods. Shari Crawford brought her 18th century toys and games program to “A Day of Living History.”
“You can get an idea of what people were playing and how they have translated to today,” said Crawford. “We still have bating games and marble games but they have changed; how they are made out of different materials, the rules have changed, small details like that.”
Re-enactment professionals shared an enchantment with the ideas and knowledge that they hoped to share by exposing people to new ideas and different ways of interpreting history.
“I think students get a different viewpoint and the re-enactors are very well educated people,” said Patrick Dolan from Morgan’s Artillery representing Alexander’s Battery Infantry, a group of Civil War re-enactors. “It becomes not only a hobby, but some of us are obsessed with getting as much information from other viewpoints. We like to go and bring that energy so people can discuss with us or go home with a different opinion than what they had when they got here.”
Butler said that the even brings a new dynamic to the study of history. “To come here and experience this day and live the history just takes everything that I’ve read and studied and makes it tangible and tactile,” said Butler.
Photo Credit: Mitchel Clow '13
