Trail of Courage School Tour Day gives students a look into the past

Sep. 16—Students stepped off the yellow buses Friday at the Fulton County Museum, the cool morning air surrounding them and excited chatter resounding in the forest.

Unbeknownst to them, they are about to take a step back in time to the 1800s where they will learn and experience history from re-enactors at the 24{sup}th{/sup} Trail of Courage School Tour Day, hosted by the Fulton County Historical Society and part of the Trail of Courage Living History Festival.

Various stalls and booths were set up across the field, many with interactive experiences for students. Groups had two hours to walk around and experience the Trail of Courage. One of the first booths students could visit was a blacksmith, who made a decorative leaf made of metal. Students watched as he hammered and bent the metal into shape, and once it had cooled off, the blacksmith let them touch it.

Another booth displayed furs from various animals, such as puma, deer and raccoons, that students could touch and look at. An additional booth had toys from the 1800s that students could play with, including a puzzle toy and a spinning top game.

Other places to visit included a log cabin, where a re-enactor demonstrated a spinning wheel and drop spindle, a tent where a swordsman presented a sword and ax, a stage where students learned a dance routine and an area where a re-enactor demonstrated how to use and fill a musket. The gunshot echoed through the forest as students yelped in shock from the loud noise.

In addition to historical re-enactments, some booths had items students could purchase. Popular items included glass birds that made noises when blown into them and rock candy sticks. Some items, however, were free, such as feathers that some students enjoyed sticking in their hair or having sword fights with.

A very popular experience was the Tug of War, where students stood on a small block and tried to pull the other student off their block. The line stretched far as students waited their turn and watched their friends. Students also could win a "medal," a bead necklace, if they beat a few people in succession. They could also summon others in the line to challenge them, and one student challenged his mother to a Tug of War. The stakes were high, as he said if he won, his mother would have to do a "yes day," but if she won, he had to clean the windows. The mother ultimately won the Tug of War.

Students and chaperones headed back to the front of the park for lunch around 11:30 a.m. As they walked, many discussed their favorite parts of the morning and the items they got, but some focused instead on getting lunch.

According to museum director Melinda Clinger, the Trail of Courage started in 1976 from an Eagle Scout project, where they had to put down a historic marker for the Potawatomi that were removed from the area in 1838. Students from multiple school districts attended the festival on Friday, Clinger said.

"We have some from as far away as Mishawaka, Marshall County, Bremen Schools, a lot of times Caston Schools and different ones come too," Clinger said. "So, we had around 650 plus today."

Clinger said students hopefully learn the history of the Potawatomi that were in the area. She said the festival commemorates the time period before 1838, when the Potawatomi were removed from the area and taken to Kansas. In addition to learning history, Clinger said students learn a lot of old historic arts that they do not get to see nowadays.

"They will know what their ancestors knew and grew up like," Clinger said. "You know, we don't have all the modern things like they do today back in the 1840s, so they were, you know, camping outside in the weather, dealing with everyday life no matter what the day came, and that's what you dealt with."

The festival is open to the general public on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 to 11 and free for children 5 and younger. More information can be found at www.fultoncountyhistory.org or by calling 574-223-4436. Coinciding with the event is the Trail of Death Memorial Caravan, and the 660 mile trip departing on Monday from Fulton County. It will conclude on Sept. 23 in Kansas.