Jean Dessellier has been visiting Fort Wilkins in Copper Harbor since she was a little girl and said she can never get enough of it, especially when the Future Historian interpreters program is taking place. This program is a youth living history initiative where students portray real people from the summer of 1870. The students are in grades 4 thru 12 and are from the central and western Upper Peninsula. They are trained as costumed interpreters and spend several days engaging visitors at Fort Wilkins Historic State Park, with period chores and games as a living history program that is monitored by state historians through the Michigan History Center. The youth also engage in year-round monthly meetings in Negaunee at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum. What a great program for young people that are interested in history to be a part of. For more information about the program and insights from the youth who participate, click here: Future Historians Program

You can see a period game from the 1800’s, called Game of Graces or The Flying Circle, in Jean’s video. It was considered a proper game, one befitting young ladies and supposedly one that would make them more graceful. It was hardly ever played by boys and never played by two boys at the same time. The players were always either girls or a boy and girl. The winner is the player who is first to catch the hoop ten times. It looks fun, but I bet it takes practice to be catching that flying circle!

Looks like a fun and informative outing. Thanks for
sharing!

Who knew they recruited students as future
interpreters at Fort Wilkins? Great program!
And that game in the video, wonder if it inspired
the future Frisbee? Just improve the disc and
ditch the sticks lol!
Also, does that mean the Michigan Iron Industry
Museum is back open again? Saw they closed
last winter with roof/snow damage.

Hi
There are a couple of museums near me downstate that
perodically have people in period dress explaining
pioneer life. In one case they were explaining the use
and function of a drying rack to children. Come to my
house on a winter laundry day and you'll get a taste of
living history.

I'm not sure how the game in the video would make the
girls more graceful---improve their reflexes, sure.

Holy wha, they managed to have fun!! Heck, when we
were little, the Grands would take us deep in the
woods, to their deer camp, and we'd slide down
hills in cardboard boxes! And we had fun! That's a
step up from sticks! What a life....