Confessions of a Living History Performer: Secrets to Making the Past Come Alive

February 27, 2024/in News/by fortsteilacoom

Living history can bring the past to life vividly in a myriad of ways – such as demonstrating crafts from a bygone era, playing an old tune, donning period clothing and portraying an historical person. For nearly 30 years, Karen Haas has relished being a living history performer, one of the veterans of South Sound’s thriving living history community.

In a talk that will take you “behind the scenes,” Haas will share snippets of some of her programs, tell of the joys and challenges of creating historic personas, and give tips and tools for doing your own historic reenactment.

Enjoy these entertainingly informative “Confessions of a Living History Performer” at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, 2024, at Historic Fort Steilacoom, 9601 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood.

Her talk in celebration of Women’s History Month is the first of several events commemorating the 175th anniversary of the U.S. Army’s arrival in Puget Sound and the founding of Fort Steilacoom. Fort Steilacoom operated from 1849 to 1868 before the buildings and grounds became what we call today Western State Hospital.

Throughout her career, Haas has interpreted the lives of dozens of unsung, famous or infamous people. Here are just a few of them:

Thea Foss, famed Tacoma-based maritime pioneer (famous then for always serving good coffee)

Narcissa Whitman, a pioneer whose legacy has been under close examination

Dr. Elizabeth Drake, one of Tacoma’s first female physicians. Dr. Drake loved fast cars, fast horses and fast boats – and lived two blocks from what became the Lakewood Mall

Bertha Snell, the first woman to pass the Washington bar, passionate about justice

And seven women whose different experiences gave them vastly different perspectives on the U.S. Civil War

Haas feels especially rewarded telling the tales of those whose voices are usually silent in history — women.

This is especially challenging at Fort Steilacoom as we’re not aware of published recollections of women at the fort, though several men who later became Civil War generals went on to publish memoirs.

The talk is free; donations are welcome. At Fort Steilacoom, volunteers keep the past alive through the support of donors like you. It is the only ‘first U.S. Army fort’ of its kind in the nation managed entirely by volunteers.

Book Sale Fundraiser to be held April 13, 2024

February 9, 2024/in News/by fortsteilacoom

10 am – 3 pm at Historic Fort Steilacoom, Quarters 2, in Lakewood.

Want to help support the mission of Historic Fort Steilacoom? Donate your gently used material to the museum for the sale! Fiction and non-fiction books in all genres are welcome. The only criteria is that they need to be in reasonably good condition (no moldy or torn materials, please!) VHS, CDs, and DVDS are accepted, though print material is preferred.

Books can be dropped off at Fort Steilacoom from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, or Sunday, April 7. If you have an especially large amount, please let us know in advance so we can be prepared. Email us at [email protected] with questions, or if you have material to donate but can’t make it on the first Sunday of those months.

archived events from past years

January 29, 2024/in News/by fortsteilacoom

This is a file of some previous events
2023 events

Of course, we’re open the first Sunday of every month for tours. Book here.

March 25, 2023: Our first Swap Meet since the pandemic.

July 2, 2023: Living history to celebrate the Fourth. It’s a new event for us, and we’re excited about it.

July 4, 2023: We’ll be at the Steilacoom Street Fair and Parade. Stop by the booth to say hello.

July 2023: Lakewood SummerFest, which takes place in the park across the street. Our buildings will be open part of the day for tours.

Sept. 18, 2023: We’re open for Museum Day, sponsored by Smithsonian magazine. Free admission.

Oct. 15, 2023: Our annual meeting – election of officers, and always an interesting program afterward.

Dec. 9, 2023: Our most popular event, Christmas at the Fort. See below for details of past events. Members get first notice when sales begin, and then the subscribers to our free e-newsletter.

Past perfect; Previous events starting in 2022

Christmas at Fort Steilacoom, Dec. 10, 2022:

Learn about the event here.

Get your tickets now, here.

Previous events:

Sept. 10: Join us for an online talk about the three wives of Fort Steilacoom’s builder. More information here.

Previous posts:

The fort will be open 1 to 4 p.m. for summer tours on May 29 and the first and third Sundays of each month in summer before returning to first Sunday in September. Tickets for tours can be reserved through Eventbrite.

We’ll also be open for special events:

Museum Day, Sept. 17
Christmas at Fort Steilacoom, Dec. 10

We’ll be at:

Fourth of July Street Fair booth in downtown Steilacoom, July 4
Lakewood Summerfest, July 23

More events are expected. If you’re interested in organizing an event related to Pacific Northwest history, let us know.

Highlights of 2021

What follows is a record of some of our events in 2021.

Dec. 5 update: Tickets for this event have sold out except for a few individual slots. No tickets will be available at the door. Please considering visiting us on the first Sunday of a month, where you can learn about Washington Territory’s history and heritage. Get tickets here.

Original post follows:

We’re excited that Christmas at Fort Steilacoom is returning on Dec. 11, 2021. Only limited spaces are available. You can buy tickets here or by clicking on the image above.

If you find the event is sold out or the times you want are taken, you can always find times to visit us on the first Sunday of the month during the year.

Two online events are coming in 2021, for members only. Support our 160-year-old buildings and become a member today.

November talk: Life over the laundry kettles, the life of a frontier Army laundress

Join us for a member’s speaker series at 2 p.m. Pacific Time on Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 as Elizabeth Clark talks about western military laundresses in the 1850s.

December talk: ‘Free Boy: Escape from Slavery on the Puget Sound Underground Railroad”

Join author Lorraine McConaghy at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, for an illustrated overview of the research for her book Free Boy and for a discussion of the people, events and ideas raised in the book.

PAST EVENTS OF 2021:

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

The lives of 19th Century women in the Pacific Northwest will be celebrated in March as Historic Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood marks Women’s History Month.

There is a charge for the virtual programs; the fort’s privately managed four buildings are 165 years old and require considerable care.

All events start at 2pm on these consecutive Saturdays:

MARCH 13: AIRING YOUR DIRTY LAUNDRY

Historical Interpreter and Museum Professional Peggy Barchi presented about “Airing Your Dirty Laundry.” Learn about the daily grind that army laundresses endured and the skills it took to be one.

MARCH 20: IN HER SHOES: TRACING THE FOOTSTEPS OF PIERCE COUNTY WOMEN IN THE MID-1800S

Public Historian Claire Keller-Scholz presented “In Her Shoes: Tracing the Footsteps of Pierce County Women in the mid-1800s.” Learn about the women and girls who lived on the Puget Sound around 1850. Get yo ur ticket here.

MARCH 27: WOMEN’S WORK IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY

Tacoma Historical Society’s Curator, Elizabeth Korsmo, presented “Women’s Work in Washington Territory.” Learn about the day-to-day lives of women in the 1850’s to 1860’s. Get your ticket here.

OTHER EVENTS

The 2021 schedule is still evolving; keep an eye on this space for more events.

April 25: MOUNTAIN ARTILLERY IN THE WEST

Join us for a member’s speaker series 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 25, 2021 as Colonel (Retired) Paul R. Rosewitz, a military historian, discusses the artillery used by the regular army stationed at Fort Steilacoom and around the American West. Members will receive the Zoom link to the presentation prior to the event. To become a member for a reasonable donation, visit https://historicfortsteilacoom.org/membership/.

May 16: FROM SCHUYLKILL ARSENAL TO FORT STEILACOOM, U.S. ARMY CLOTHING AND EQUIPAGE

join us for a member’s speaker series at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 16, 2021, as Ephriam D. Dickson III talks about Schuylkill Arsenal clothing and equipping the soldiers of Fort Steilacoom in Washington Territory.

As the mission of the U.S. Army shifted from the war with Mexico in 1848 back to the newly expanded western frontier, its logistical system struggled with new challenges. The Quartermaster Department, which provided clothing and equipage for all enlisted soldiers through Schuylkill Arsenal near Philadelphia, worked to update designs but it took years for these new patterns to reach remote frontier garrisons such as Fort Steilacoom located in today’s City of Lakewood, Washington.

To become a member for a reasonable donation, visit https://historicfortsteilacoom.org/membership/.

June 13: The Pig War of 1859

Join us 2 p.m. PT on Sunday, June 13, for an online talk by historian and author Mike Vouri about the Pig War of 1859 in Washington Territory.

Long before the San Juan Islands were a vacation destination, they were the focus of an international crisis ignited by an unlikely incident: The shooting of a pig in a potato patch. Mike Vouri is the author of five books about national, state and regional history, including The Pig War: Stand-off at Griffin Bay. You can sign up for this free talk on Eventbrite.

July 18: The myth of the M1855 rifle musket: Weapons of the Coeur d’Alene War of 1858

Join us for a member’s speaker series at 2 p.m. PST on Sunday, July 18, 2021, as Chris Fischer talks about the weapons of the 1858 Coeur d’Alene War in Washington Territory.

For years, historians believed the success of the Army during the Coeur d’Alene War of 1858 came from the use of the new model 1855 Springfield Rifle Musket. The leader of the campaign, Colonel George Wright, even credited the weaponry with military success.

Chris Fischer, public historian who has spent years researching the antebellum period of history, will address our members on this topic.

To learn more about this event and how to attend it, please see our news story about this program.

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