Blast Into History event gives families a hands-on 18th century learning experience
CORNING, N.Y. (WENY) -- Living historians gave people a unique experience at the Blast Into History event at the Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes in Corning on Saturday.
People of all ages were able to experience a re-enactment day and learn about the lives of people in the 18th century. Specifically those in the Revolutionary War era.
Some activities at the Heritage Village included firearm demonstrations, campfire cooking, blacksmithing, listening to educational talks, and more.
"I hope people are able to explore history in a way that they never have before," said Pat Monahan, the education and event coordinator at the Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes. "This is a hands-on experience for people and it gives people an opportunity to really experience it from their own perspective."
People walked the grounds dressed in Revolutionary War soldiers' clothing, even giving a lecture on their uniforms and the differences between them. Several elements of the outfits symbolized specific things.
One of the live historians and another one of the event coordinators, Paul Perine, said he wanted people to take away one big thing from this event.
"A lot happened here," said Perine. "This house, or the inn, was built in 1796. It was right on the main thoroughfare. If you were heading to the wilds of western New York after the war, literally your wagon went right by those front doors and people would have stayed here. This is also where politics were decided and chatted and people immersed themselves in their new regions and so forth. This was a big deal."
The annual Blast Into History event happens every Veteran's Day weekend on Saturday.
Organizers from the Heritage Village say to keep an eye out on their Facebook page for information on future events.