Sutter's Fort ELP Day

Thank you for your patience for this blog update.  We completed our March 10 Sutter’s Fort ELP day almost a month ago, but March was non-stop with other activities, projects, etc. This specific blog is about our Sutter’s Fort ELP Day. If you have no interest in this…move right along and get back to work, breakfast, washing your car, digging out of snow, packing for your vacation etc.  But if you would like to read a little bit about that day and see pictures and a video…sit back, grab a cup of tea or coffee & enjoy.

The morning began with putting on all those clothes.  More so for Leah, Chris & I than the boys.  Leah and I took off a few minutes earlier from Rescue with Uncle Russ as our chauffer.  Leah was dropped off at the Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento with the 69 other participating students and their 18 small group leaders.  We arrived a wee bit early and waited with her until her small group leader arrived.  Let me just tell you, Leah was so excited.  And if you get the chance to talk to her about her Sutter’s Fort experience, there will be no denying her exuberance for it! 

We left the participants and I was dropped off at the fort around 8am.  It was quite a sight to see well over 100 people dressed in 1840’s style clothing and carrying in supplies.  What was even a better sight was watching the patrons outside the fort in modern clothes and their curious stares J  As soon as I arrived at the fort, to work I went.  Scott, Chris & Nolan had already arrived and were on task setting up their stations.  Scott and Nolan, as his helper, were tending to the outdoor fire.  Chris was one of our weavers and I would be manning one of the 2 bakeries open that day.  It was the first time the Sacramento Area Homeschoolers had to use both bakeries for their ELP day. 

 

At approximately 9:30, we were told that the wagons were arriving and off we went to the front lawn to greet the newly arriving emigrants.  We had a total of 5 wagons pulled by horses.  We were told they had to split the wagons up because if there were more than 3 wagons, the Sacramento Area Homeschoolers would have to get a “parade permit”.  So the wagons left in segments and the first three wagons held off and waited for the last two wagons to catch up and then they finished their procession at the fort.

 

Once the emigrants were given instructions, and group photos taken, in to the fort we trekked.  And then we time travelled to 1846 and the work began.  The “emigrants” would be bustling around to different stations with their small group.  At each station they had tasks to do and each group would have the opportunity to: visit the blacksmith; visit the trappers; make rope; make candles; become carpenters and make a lantern; to punch tin (for the lantern); prepare dinner in the kitchen; prepare baked goods for dinner, night watch or breakfast; churn the butter for dinner and baking; weave baskets; spin wool and weave on loom; and purchase period items in the trade store.  Some also had the opportunity to make corn husk dolls.

We were very blessed with weather here in California for March 10^th.  It was a very nice day and would have been wonderful in modern clothes.  In 1846 duds-it was hot!  Luckily in the bakery I was under cover all day, and those outside were under some shelters to block shade, but with all those clothes-it was warm.  The kitchen staff and  those by the outdoor fires were probably the toughest jobs all day because of the heat of the sun & the heat of the fires.  Our bakery fire was in an adobe brick oven outside, so that was our saving grace.

Once the fort opened to the public, in streamed the people.  All said in done-we had a total of 1500 visitors to the fort on that day (not including our ELP group of 280).  We hustled & bustled non-stop for the entire day.  And when the fort closed to the public at 5:00 we were still going with either getting dinner ready or cleaning up stations.  Prior to dinner we got a group photo & then dinner was on.  Dinner consisted of “roast beef” which was tri-tip, refried beans, salsa, cucumber salad, Mazatlán rice, Indian corn, adobe bread and fresh churned butter, and peach-ginger crisp for dessert.  Yum…it was fantastic.   

 
 

 

 

After dinner the entertainment began and the students and some of the parents and teens danced the Virginia reel.  I finished help clean up the bakeries before the fort staff checked it off for the evening and then I had the luxury of going home with Nolan and Chris to sleep in my own bed.  Which after being on my feet all day-felt so good.  However Scott and Leah remained overnight at the fort. Leah thoroughly enjoyed her night watch tour where she’ll describe to you the rubber chickens hung in various places around the fort (by the teen helpers) and the 2 “bad guys” they caught and put in jail etc.  And the cookies and hot cocoa were a hit too.

Then later she’ll describe how she couldn’t get to sleep and about 4am the rain began, and by 5am those not under cover were scrambling with their sleeping bags as the sprinkles turned to rain.  Despite that-Leah had a fantastic time & can’t wait to do it again in 2 years.
 

I've added  a few pictures here and there of our day at the fort, but  if you have the capability and the time, I’ve also added a video since a picture is worth a thousand words and you’ll get the feel of our day if you can watch the video. 

 

The Sacramento Area Homeschoolers had 5 photographers and a videographer whose sole job that day was to take photos.  I think we received a disc with approximately 2000 photos on it.  Don’t worry-the video doesn’t have all 2000 photos.  I narrowed it down to some group photos and photos that had Leah, Scott, Nolan, Chris & myself in it.  The video is approximately 11 minutes.

I’d also like to thank those family and friends that came to support us that day and say “Hi” and tour the fort and also for taking "James Jr." around the fort as I know he was getting bored with Pa at the fire.  I’ll also have enjoyed the extra photos taken of us too.   For those that couldn’t come for one reason or another-you missed the crowds, but you also missed a beautiful day at the fort as well as the most productive and active ELP’s the fort has had to date (per comments from fort staff).  You’ll now have to wait 2 years for the next one. 

Click here for the Sutter's Fort ELP Youtube Video