Welcome to the homepage for the Shawnee Living History Trail.We are a group of reenactors from southern West Virginia who are dedicated to the preservation of our history and our heritage.
The Shawnee Living History Trail was started in 1991 with the simple idea that living history was more appealing to children than reading history in a book.There was also a need for exploring local history, Western Virginia of the 1700's time period, with the general public.
This was the time when when the Shawnee were being pushed from their homes in Ohio and thus their hunting grounds in Kentucky and Western Virginia.
The Trail is set in the late 1770's near the end of the Revolutionary War. While the Continental Armies are fighting the British back east, the frontiersmen are fighting with the Shawnee over the rights to these lands.
4th and 8th grade West Virginia history students are led on an expedition in search of land. The trail begins in a small settlement on the fringes of the frontier.Protected by the local militia,the settlement and the settlers are relatively safe from the indians.
Students are led on their expedition by an officer of the militia. Their journey will take them towards the mouth of the Guyandotte River for the purpose of finding land to settle.
It is an extremely dangerous mission as the group is traveling through the middle of Shawnee hunting lands.
Along the way the they meet some of the people who first settled this land. Before reaching their destination the interlopers are turned back by the fury of a Shawnee raiding party led by Simon Girty.
The group returns to the settlement unharmed and are told that they must wait until the struggle for independance is won before they will be able to settle here. Upon returning the group is allowed to interact with the people in the settlement.
We welcome interested reenactors to join us at our 2004 camp.
We are open to public 10-5 and 10-11
Night Trail will be Friday Oct. 8th
School Dates Oct 3rd through Oct 9th
All personas MUST be circa 1779
