MANSFIELD — Seven-year-old Anna McBride adores history, so much so that one of her favorite outfits to wear is a Caroline Abbott dress.
Caroline Abbott is a historical character of the American Girls, representing the War of 1812.
“She fell in love with that time period, so she wanted to dress like Caroline and act like her,” said Anna’s mother Kary McBride.
Both Kary and her husband Anthony also have an interest in history, so it’s no surprise that they could be found at South Park on Saturday for the Colonial Living History Day.
Organized by the nonprofit group Richland Early American Center for History, Colonial Living History Day featured reenactments of what life was like during the early 1800s.
“We’re highlighting some of the pioneering skills people had,” said Tom Pappas of REACH.
Reenactors demonstrated how things like shingles, ink, and butter were made back then.
“Butter is very simple to make; it only takes one ingredient, and maybe a little salt at the end,” said Shirley Addlesperger, one of the reenactors.
The historic Blockhouse was also open for people to visit.
REACH hopes to create what Pappas called a “small village” at South Park that would feature a few other log cabins in addition to the Blockhouse.
Pappas pictures the village as an educational center that could be used to teach students about local history.
In September of last year, REACH partnered with Purdy Construction workers to dismantle a pre-Civil War house in Mifflin that will be reassembled near the Blockhouse.
