Historic Forts Day set for El Camino Real
Lecture, reenactments, soldier's camp, kids activities & more are planned
El Camino Real International Heritage Center – Don't look now, but the folks at the El Camino Real Heritage Center are 'doing it' again... Back by popular demand is one of their best-attended and most enjoyed events of 2006, their Historic Forts Day. The 2007 Forts Day is set to happen again on Saturday, February 24th.
Here's a preview of just one of the topics to be covered during the day:
<table><tr><td width=40 valign=top> </td><td valign=top>Living History Presentation and Artifacts Display by Fred Hampton (Program made possible by NM Humanities Council)<br><br>In honor of the Buffalo Soldiers, the ECRIHC will host a special presentation by Mr. Fred Hampton, acting as Lt. Matthias Day, and one or more of the troopers of the Buffalo Soldiers Society of New Mexico (funding for program provided by NM Humanities Council and ECRIHC Foundation). The presentation will include a display of over 50 period artifacts used by the Buffalo Soldiers. From Medal of Honor recipients to the common trooper, from Indian battles to battles with lawbreakers, visitors will learn how a small number of Black troopers impacted New Mexico history.<br><br><center>* * *</center><br><center><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ecrihc_buffalo_soldiers.jpg><br>Buffalo Soldiers from the 2006 Historic Forts Day</center><br>The transportation of people and merchandise over the 1500-mile terrain of El Camino Real was a dangerous journey. Travel on the trail was always done at the risk of losing coveted products to raiding groups. Early Spanish travelers developed presidios, or fort systems along the trail. Presidios were built to protect travelers and commerce. People would journey from one presidio to another while military personnel patrolled the regions in between.<br><br>Following the Mexican-American War the United States military also based forts along El Camino Real as they sought to expand settlement in the Southwest. Fashioned under the presidios of the earlier New Mexican settlers, U.S. forts were also a means of protecting settlers and providing a buffer from hostile indigenous groups. One such example is Fort Craig, located south of Socorro.<br><br>Fort Craig was the site of one of the most important Civil War battles in New Mexico. After the Civil War, Fort Craig was the headquarters for a troop of Buffalo Soldiers, Black enlistees from the US 9th and 10th Calvary, whose main assignment after deployment of Civil War duties was to deal with warring Indian groups in the Southwest.<br><br>The Buffalo Soldiers, a title of respect coined by Indians who were reminded of buffalo by the Black soldiers course, dark hair, played a critical role of not only helping pacify Indian relations, but also in civil work that included building roads, installing telegraph wires, and digging wells. Several members of the Buffalo Soldiers were awarded Medals of Honor for their contributions in New Mexico.</td></tr></table><br>Visitors attending this event will learn about the frontier forts along the ancient Camino Real and what life was like around New Mexico back in the "good-old days". The Heritage Center will be open all day (8:30 - 5:00 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 24. However, Historic Forts’ Day Activities events are scheduled to start at 11 am and end at 4 pm. Activities planned for the day include a buffalo soldier presentation by Fred Hampton (courtesy of NM Humanities Council); living history re-enactments of soldier camp activities including bullet-making, black powder demonstration, treadle sewing, and open-fire cooking; chuck wagon (courtesy of NM Farm & Ranch), period campsite (courtesy of Fort Selden, NM State Monument). Free refreshments and souvenirs for children.
http://sonewmex.com/images/ecrihc_entrance.jpg
Free admission for ages 16 and under. Event free with paid Monument admission. Located on I-25 between Socorro and T or C, Exit 115. Open 7 days a week, 8:30 am – 5 pm. Closed Tuesdays, November 1 to April 30. For more information, call: 505-854-3600, (http://www.elcaminoreal.org/)or visit: www.elcaminoreal.org (http://www.elcaminoreal.org/) or www.nmmonuments.org (http://www.nmmonuments.org/)
We look forward to seeing you at El Camino Real International Heritage Center on February 24th.
Lecture, reenactments, soldier's camp, kids activities & more are planned
El Camino Real International Heritage Center – Don't look now, but the folks at the El Camino Real Heritage Center are 'doing it' again... Back by popular demand is one of their best-attended and most enjoyed events of 2006, their Historic Forts Day. The 2007 Forts Day is set to happen again on Saturday, February 24th.
Here's a preview of just one of the topics to be covered during the day:
<table><tr><td width=40 valign=top> </td><td valign=top>Living History Presentation and Artifacts Display by Fred Hampton (Program made possible by NM Humanities Council)<br><br>In honor of the Buffalo Soldiers, the ECRIHC will host a special presentation by Mr. Fred Hampton, acting as Lt. Matthias Day, and one or more of the troopers of the Buffalo Soldiers Society of New Mexico (funding for program provided by NM Humanities Council and ECRIHC Foundation). The presentation will include a display of over 50 period artifacts used by the Buffalo Soldiers. From Medal of Honor recipients to the common trooper, from Indian battles to battles with lawbreakers, visitors will learn how a small number of Black troopers impacted New Mexico history.<br><br><center>* * *</center><br><center><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ecrihc_buffalo_soldiers.jpg><br>Buffalo Soldiers from the 2006 Historic Forts Day</center><br>The transportation of people and merchandise over the 1500-mile terrain of El Camino Real was a dangerous journey. Travel on the trail was always done at the risk of losing coveted products to raiding groups. Early Spanish travelers developed presidios, or fort systems along the trail. Presidios were built to protect travelers and commerce. People would journey from one presidio to another while military personnel patrolled the regions in between.<br><br>Following the Mexican-American War the United States military also based forts along El Camino Real as they sought to expand settlement in the Southwest. Fashioned under the presidios of the earlier New Mexican settlers, U.S. forts were also a means of protecting settlers and providing a buffer from hostile indigenous groups. One such example is Fort Craig, located south of Socorro.<br><br>Fort Craig was the site of one of the most important Civil War battles in New Mexico. After the Civil War, Fort Craig was the headquarters for a troop of Buffalo Soldiers, Black enlistees from the US 9th and 10th Calvary, whose main assignment after deployment of Civil War duties was to deal with warring Indian groups in the Southwest.<br><br>The Buffalo Soldiers, a title of respect coined by Indians who were reminded of buffalo by the Black soldiers course, dark hair, played a critical role of not only helping pacify Indian relations, but also in civil work that included building roads, installing telegraph wires, and digging wells. Several members of the Buffalo Soldiers were awarded Medals of Honor for their contributions in New Mexico.</td></tr></table><br>Visitors attending this event will learn about the frontier forts along the ancient Camino Real and what life was like around New Mexico back in the "good-old days". The Heritage Center will be open all day (8:30 - 5:00 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 24. However, Historic Forts’ Day Activities events are scheduled to start at 11 am and end at 4 pm. Activities planned for the day include a buffalo soldier presentation by Fred Hampton (courtesy of NM Humanities Council); living history re-enactments of soldier camp activities including bullet-making, black powder demonstration, treadle sewing, and open-fire cooking; chuck wagon (courtesy of NM Farm & Ranch), period campsite (courtesy of Fort Selden, NM State Monument). Free refreshments and souvenirs for children.
http://sonewmex.com/images/ecrihc_entrance.jpg
Free admission for ages 16 and under. Event free with paid Monument admission. Located on I-25 between Socorro and T or C, Exit 115. Open 7 days a week, 8:30 am – 5 pm. Closed Tuesdays, November 1 to April 30. For more information, call: 505-854-3600, (http://www.elcaminoreal.org/)or visit: www.elcaminoreal.org (http://www.elcaminoreal.org/) or www.nmmonuments.org (http://www.nmmonuments.org/)
We look forward to seeing you at El Camino Real International Heritage Center on February 24th.