TRANS-ALLEGHENY CLASH OF CULTURES
American Indian and European cultures fought six wars westward of Allegheny Mountains in what later became the Mountain State of West Virginia. The men and women involved in the 18th-century cycles of war and peace shaped the future of Trans-Allegheny culture.
Your cultural forebearers will come alive again at three West Virginia state parks in 2009: Blennerhassett Island, Hawks Nest and Droop Mountain Battlefield state parks. |
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warrior (portrayed by Doug Wood) swims Ohio River while keeping his powder dry.
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July 4, 2009
Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park
Parkersburg, WV
The first in the series of "Clash of Cultures" will focus on the Revolutionary War in order to complement the "Ringing of the Bell" program also held this day on Blennerhassett Islandat 2:00 p.m.
Six living history presenters will tell several "sides" to the story of American Independence from Great Britain.
- A Tory explains his loyalty to Great Britain,
- A Delaware ensures of his alliance to American patriots,
- A Shawnee relates his Nation's division over the war,
- A Virginian captive's perception of the war,
- A young Virginian woman's perspective, and
- An Indian woman bemoans the erosion of female power during the war.
These historical perspectives on the impacts of the struggle for American Independence on 18th century Ohio Valley cultures are not often explored. Blennerhassett Island provides the perfect backdrop for this exciting, educational event on “the Fourth of July.” Six living history presenters (LHP) will present these perspectives.
Blennerhassett Island schedule:
- Guests to the island will encounter living history interpreters throughout the day. There is no set schedule.
- Island guests encouraged to meet and exchange dialogue with interpreters:
- Shawnee–explaining out the war has split his nation;
- Deleware–explaining how his nationa has made a treaty of peace with the American patriots
- Deleware–explaining the erosion of Indian female power during the Revolutainary War
- Shawnee captive–returning with Deleware to Virginia describes life amon the Indians and commitment to the Patriot cause
- Young Virginia settler–sharing views, fears and concerns of the fight between loyalist and patriot factions
- Loyalist Virginian–explaining why loyalty to Mother England is so important
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A park visitor helps Dianne Anestis demonstrate how a Cherokee war woman treated an injured captive.
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July 18, 2009
Hawks Nest State Park
Ansted, WV
The second in the series of "Clash of Cultures" will focus on French & Indian War, particularly the Mary Ingles Story.
Seven living history presenters and two boys will portray the Ingles captivity march, with the Old "Dutch" Woman's perspective of the arduous return journey through the gorge below the park.
Ostenaco, as portrayed by Doug Wood, will make an appearance to help attendees understand the very significant impact the Cherokee-Virginia alliance had on western Virginia (now West Virginia) during the war. A special presentation on Mary Ingles’ captivity and escape will be held inside the lodge.
Weather permitting, an interactive prisoner camp will be set up at the Hawks Nest setting to help you better understand the ordeals that hundreds of Virginians suffered as they passed alongside New River gorge.
Hawks Nest Schedule:
- 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. – War camp open to the public.
Visit with historical characters who traveled the New River war paths.
Put yourself in a prisoner’s place at the war camp.
- 1 p.m. – Warrior Walk.
Put yourself in a warrior’s moccasins on this short interpretive hike.
- 2 p.m. – ‘Mary Ingles: Caught in the Vortex of the French & Indian War.’
An audio-visual exploration into the history behind the legend.
- 3:30 p.m. – “I Have Now Made a Path to Virginia: Man Killer Ostenaco and the Cherokee-Virginia Alliance during the French & Indian War.”
A History Alive! Presentation of the WV Humanities Council.
Doug Wood portrays the Cherokee war leader whose three military campaigns in western Virginia helps stop the French & Indian raids along the New River.
- 4:30 p.m. Interpretive program ends.
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Two warriors (portrayed by Aaron Bosnick & Doug Wood) read a pictographic war record left on the
war path.
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August 29, 2009
Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park
The third in the series "Clash of Cultures" will focus on war party travel on Seneca Trail.
Living history presenters will touch on several Trans-Allegheny clashes:
- French & Indian War,
- Pontiac's War,
- Dunmore's War, and the
- Revolutionary War.
Special guest performer, Dan Cutler will present his History Alive! portrayal of Chief Cornstalk. The Shawnee warrior, before becoming principal chief, burst onto the scene of history in the Greenbrier Settlements during Pontiac's War.
Ostenaco, as portrayed by Doug Wood will detail his French & Indian War exploits in western Virginia (now West Virginia).
An interactive prisoner camp will be set up at Droop Mountain, in order to help you understand the importance of the Seneca Trail and other war roads in West Virginia to warriors transporting captives back to their hometowns, where their fates were decided..
Droop Mountain Schedule:
- 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. – War camp open to the public.
Visit with historical characters who traveled the Seneca Trail.
Put yourself in a prisoner’s place at the war camp.
- 11 a.m. – Warrior Walk.
Put yourself in a warrior’s moccasins on this short interpretive hike.
- 1:00 p.m. – “I Have Now Made a Path to Virginia: Man Killer Ostenaco and the Cherokee-Virginia Alliance during the French & Indian War.”
A History Alive! Presentation of the WV Humanities Council.
Doug Wood portrays the Cherokee war leader whose military operations on the war trails of western Virginia helped turn the tide of war to favor the British colonies.
- 3:00 p.m. – “Koleshqua, the Cornstalk Warrior.” A History Alive! Presentation of the WV Humanities Council. Dan Cutler portrays the Shawnee war leader who first burst onto the stage of western Virginia history with his masterstroke against the Greenbrier River and James River plantations.
- 4:30 p.m. Interpretive program ends.
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A warrior (portrayed by Ronald McAllister) explains the use of a prisoner stock on his captive (portrayed by Gwendolyn Maxey).
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A park visitor helps Aaron Bosnick demonstrate the use of an ankle stock to hold prisoners.
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Mike Little explains how a captive (portrayed by Aaron Bosnick) was stocked to prevent escape.
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Trans-Allegheny: Clash of Cultures series is open to the public.
There is no cost to attend these programs.
Each of the three days are different in content and time and locations where the reenactment
and presentations occur will be posted. |
