History will step out of musty books at the Old Stone Fort in Schoharie next weekend.
The Stone Fort is hosting its fourth annual History Fair, which this year features special visitors––Ben Franklin among them.
The Fair, sponsored by the Schoharie County Historical Society, will be next Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and Sunday, noon to 5pm, at the Stone Fort.
Alternating years with Stone Fort Days, the History Fair covers a range of topics from home life to military to celebrities.
“We view this as a way to popularize history,” said Carle Kopecky, director of the Old Stone Fort Museum.
“We need to remind people that history is not boring. It’s not just dates and dead people. Here you can see all the different ways to enjoy history.”
A grant from the New York State Council for the Humanities allowed the Stone Fort to expand the Fair this year. Newcomers include:
•A Ben Franklin impersonator who’ll give a formal presentation and mingle with the crowd.
•A re-enactor will portray Scottish patriot Rob Roy, who fought for Scotland’s independence from England in the 1700s. He’ll give presentations on the history of the sword.
•The 77th New York Regimental Balladeers, who’ll perform Civil War-era songs.
•A re-enactor will portray, Jack Mabee, a slave on the Mabee Farm in the Mohawk Valley in the 1700s.
There will also be a military timeline of soldiers from ancient times through the present.
The Fair will also feature displays from local historical societies, the Golden Fleece Spinners and Weavers, the Mohawk-Hudson Chapter of Pioneer Gas Engines and Revolutionary and Civil War re-enactors.
“They’ll all be coming back, and we’re adding these new performers, courtesy of the Humanities Council,” Mr. Kopecky said.
There will also be performances by the Esperance Band and Rural Felicity, games for kids, a presentation by Mike Tarbell of the Iroquois Indian Museum and more.
“This will take history off the page and have it walk around,” Mr. Kopecky said.