Have you ever heard of wattle fencing? I had not until Tom was researching a project here at Fort Frederica and decided to use this method. Wattle fencing is a woven, light-weight, sturdy method of making permanent or movable fencing. It is an ancient, English method and was used by British colonists all over the …
From National Parks
African American Festival at Fort Frederica
The last Saturday of February, as we have for five of the last six years, Fort Frederica hosted an African American Festival. This is the culmination of Black History month for us. Two years ago we dedicated the Abbott Cemetery and had an attendance of 900 people. This year’s attendance was much smaller, perhaps reflective …
Goodbye to the Jennings
Last week I said goodbye to the Jennings. Steve and Susan have been interpretive volunteers here at Fort Frederica with us since the second week of January. They were last-minute replacements for another couple, but they came with enthusiastic and inquisitive spirits. We knew when they came that they would only be able to be …
Linda Usrey, Local Volunteer at Fort Frederica
Linda Usrey is another one of the volunteers that Tom and I work with here at Fort Frederica National Monument. Unlike the RV volunteers who come and go, Linda is a local. She volunteers two days a week for a couple of hours each day and for special events. Linda and her husband, Dave, moved …
Carnegies on Cumberland Island National Seashore
As promised, I am writing today about the history of the Carnegies on Cumberland Island. They are responsible for the island being preserved and protected from development. The Carnegies donated the land for the National Seashore. They are also responsible for some of the problems with administering Cumberland Island National Seashore today. Much of the …
Cumberland Island National Seashore
Last week, as a thank you to the Fort Frederica RV volunteers, Ranger Michael took us all on a trip to Cumberland Island National Seashore. Ranger Michael has been offering to take us over to Cumberland every year we have worked at Fort Frederica. This year I pushed him to set a date so we …
Suzette and Blair Brumbaugh, RV Volunteers
Today I am highlighting Suzette and Blair Brumbaugh. Suzette and Blair have been working as maintenance volunteers at Fort Frederica National Monument since the beginning of December. They had intended to come down in November, but Blair had some health issues that delayed their arrival. Suzette and Blair Brumbaugh have a house in York, Pennsylvania. …
Cold Weekends for Living History
One of the reasons we come to Georgia in the winter is for the lovely, warm weather. But we had some cold weekends in January. I know, compared to Ohio, the weather wasn’t really cold at all. Ohio has had a frigid January and we are not complaining about the relatively warm weather in Georgia. …
Susan and Steve Jennings, Fort Frederica Volunteers
As of January 10, we now how a full complement of RV volunteers at Fort Frederica National Monument. Susan and Steve Jennings were the last arrivals at Volunteer Village and they are a wonderful addition to the workforce here at Fort Frederica. More than any other place we have worked, Fort Frederica depends on the …
Back in the Saddle Again
Every time Tom and I start working at a National Park site, I feel like singing “Back in the saddle again” (the Gene Autry version, not the Aerosmith version). The title is the only part of the song appropriate to how I feel, but I can sing that one line over an over with lots …