MANSFIELD — Perfect fall weather on Saturday morning greeted the launch of the eighth-annual Heritage Days in the city’s South Park.
Sponsored by the Richland Early American Center for History, the two-day family-friendly event allows residents to see, smell and hear what life was like in America in the 1700s and early 1800s.
The event features demonstrations of blacksmithing, rope making, games and children’s activities, Native American artifacts and 18th-century dance. There are also civilian and military reenactments.
Laura Supinger of Making the Past Present is demonstrating 18th century cooking over the cabin’s open hearth.
Benjamin Hoffman of Hoffman Reproductions will be at the Hawks Nest Forge on Saturday doing live blacksmithing demonstrations. Todd Salsburey will be manning the forge on Sunday.
Scheduled speakers include:
— Matt Wulff, a collector of 19th-century firearms
— Audrey Newbacher, who will give a brief history of 18th century block printing and its influence on the fashions of the day
— Laura Supinger, who will talk about what it was like to be an 18th century lady, with insights into their jobs, education and laws that impacted them
— Julie Rossington, who will discuss 18th century medicine and midwifery
For more information on the event, click here or check out the full event schedule below.
(Below are photos taken Saturday morning as the eighth-annual Heritage Days event was beginning in South Park in Mansfield. The event runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.)
