Students hear from the festival’s blacksmith.
Beth Sergent | OVP
Signing up for the militia.
Beth Sergent | OVP
Junior Miss Battle Days Hadleigh Cossin, fourth from left, joins the militia with support from Miss Battle Days Emily Prichard, far right.
Beth Sergent | OVP
Students learn to take orders from their commanding officer.
Beth Sergent | OVP
Junior Miss Battle Days Hadleigh Cossin, pictured out front, leads the charge.
Beth Sergent | OVP
Students hear from reenactors near the monument for Chief Cornstalk.
Beth Sergent | OVP
This young reenactor carries his moccasins.
Beth Sergent | OVP
Stirring the apple butter.
Beth Sergent | OVP
Reminding festival goers of “You are my Sunshine.”
Beth Sergent | OVP
Reenactors from both sides of history at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park.
Beth Sergent | OVP
No cell phones here. Kids learn about colonial childhood games.
Beth Sergent | OVP
This young reenactor has fun with acorns which fell from a French Oak tree at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park.
Beth Sergent | OVP
Students gather near a reenactor on “Living History Day” at Battle Days.
Beth Sergent | OVP
These 4-H teen leaders take a break from volunteering at the festival to have some lunch from McDonalds in the year 2019. From left, Lexee Wray, Parker Henderson, Kira Henderson and Ethan Kincaid.
Beth Sergent | OVP
Learning the art of throwing a hatchet.
Beth Sergent | OVP
Learning the art of throwing a hatchet.
Beth Sergent | OVP
Darla Jackson speaks to children as Mad Anne Bailey.
Beth Sergent | OVP
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — The annual Battle Days festival kicked off Friday with a day of learning and educational demonstrations for fourth graders from Mason County, W.Va. and beyond.
Held at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park, students traveled from station to station, learning everything from blacksmithing, to colonial childhood games, to how to join the militia.
Friday morning the park was full of students from Leon, Roosevelt, Beale and even Guyandotte elementary schools, the latter of which is located in Cabell County, W.Va. Friday’s weather, which included the evening lantern tour, had an autumn feel, making it ideal, volunteers remarked.
Friday is traditionally known as “Living History Day” at the festival and was followed by a full day of events on Saturday. Battle Days will wrap up today (Sunday), with a colonial church service at 10 a.m.; tours of the Mansion House from 1-4:30 p.m.; and the annual memorial service at 2:30 p.m., all at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park.
The memorial service, and festival, will commemorate the 245th anniversary of the Battle of Point Pleasant.
Admission to the festival is free. Concessions located just outside the park entrance.
Beth Sergent is editor of Ohio Valley Publishing.
