Les Habitants du Poste Vincennes

1732-1778

Newsletter March 12, 2002

March Gathering/Program

"Early French and Piankeshaw Vincennes: What They Wore and Why They Wore It"
Saturday, March 23, 2002 7:00 p.m.
In the auditorium of the Old Town Players Community Theater
5th and Broadway Sts. Vincennes (ample parking)
A fun Saturday evening, and educational, too!

What is it??

Historical interpreters and re-enactors with full 1732-1778 Vincennes impressions will "model" their personas, discuss their articles of clothing and accoutrements, answer questions and relate their items to this history and culture.

"Problem-solving" session: you may wear a partially correct outfit or bring items you have questions about. We'll help you learn to complete an impression, decide on a persona or find "the right stuff."
A person may present more than one persona: there will be opportunities to change clothing.
People may also come just to observe, enjoy and learn some history.
There will be items to look over that pertain to clothing and creating personas for this particular time and place: books, articles, catalogs, fabric, patterns, etc. Feel free to bring items you have to share.
There will be order forms for ordering photocopies of some items.
We'll create atmosphere with recorded period music.
We'll also take a break for refreshments in the OTP reception room. Please bring a contribution to the refreshment table. I will be glad to supply tableware and beverages.
This is a good opportunity to learn from each other, learn some history, get started on developing personas and clothing, get ready for upcoming events (more on that later), have fun getting to know each other better and get other people interested and involved.
The public is invited and this will be well-advertised (would you like any posters or flyers to put up?) - so invite friends and spread the word!
Please contact me with any questions or ideas, or if you know someone with a full, correct impression who I could contact.

AND NOW … FOR THE REST OF THE LES HABITANTS NEWSLETTER …

The web site is finally happening!! My dear husband, VU Reference Librarian Richard King, is helping me to get this off the ground (and out into the world.) The address is: rking.vinu.edu/leshab.htm

Bear with us, at it is now under construction and I will be frequently adding or changing for awhile. I would love to hear your comments and suggestions. The site includes (so far); information about Les Habitants de Poste Vincennes, a brief history of Vincennes from 1732-1779, a printable membership form, how to contact us, the newsletters, a schedule of upcoming events that involve us, and Favorite Links. It will also include the immense and very helpful Resource List for Participants, so now you can print out your own copy and zero in on the resource category you want. We will continually look for other sites to link ours to. Let me know if you have ideas on that. Also, I certainly do not mind hearing corrections on anything I've put on the site - I really want it to be clear and correct. It would be nice to have a logo for our group that we could use on the newsletter and in other ways.

There was a meeting of Les Habitants du Poste Vincennes on Thursday evening, February 28, in the Visitors' Center at the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park. Present were: Terri King, Frank Doughman, Richard Day and Chris Coffey. A small attendance, but we did accomplish things. *The intent was to become familiar with materials helpful to us in the GRC library and gift shop, but those present already knew it well. I do plan, however, to make a bibliography available to you of these materials, as well as bibliographies from other area library collections. This will take awhile - anyone want to help?

*Chris Coffey, Chairman of Children's Activities for the Vincennes Rendezvous, came to the meeting to discuss the possibility of Les Habitants members helping at the Michel Brouillet Trading Post, on of the "Frenchiest" features at Rendezvous. If you are not familiar with this, it's a place where children can come to trade small historically-related items on the blanket, and it's very popular and educational. We also discussed an association with the new Alliance for the Vincennes Farmers' Market. Alliance Chairman Marilyn McCormick welcomes us to share their space at Rendezvous. Les Habitants members could "float around" at Rendezvous and help at both locations, which give us home bases. Richard Day suggested that we have wearable emblems to identify us at such events. *We discussed the need for more hands-on, active programs where members have more opportunity to use historic clothing. Some ideas for future gatherings are:

• Clothing program (March 23!)
• French Colonial cook-in/cook-out, possibly at the French House
• Encampment or other event on the GRC grounds, which Frank has generously offered
• A program on language and dialect
• A program on music and songs
• Walking tour of early Vincennes - imagining where things were and how they looked, from the site of Chippekoke to the French Commons.

Do you have any thoughts on these ideas, or do you have more ideas?

Don't forget about dues! They are $5.00 per person or household (we haven't discussed a "family membership" yet) This will put you on the membership list for the year so you are assured of receiving all mailings and information. It also enables us to have postage, flyers, posters, etc. so essential to communication and publicity. Make checks payable to Terri King and note "Les Habitants" on the check. A big THANK-YOU to those who have already paid!

Here's a run-down of our local upcoming events, as they are now:

Sat. March 23, 7:00p.m., Old Town Players Community Theater building, 5th and Broadway, Vincennes.
Clothing demonstration/workshop …contribute to refreshments and anything you have to share.

Brockman Building Grand Opening and History Fair
Sat. April 13 and Sun. April 14 1-5p.m. both days
Brockman is at the corner of 7th and Hart Sts., Vincennes, across from the Knox County Public Library. It officially opens March 18 as the library's regional historical/genealogical collection. For the April History Fair, historical sites and organizations, authors, re-enactors, musicians and artisans are invited to have representatives and/or displays on one or both days. Les Habitants will have a presence. This is a great opportunity to talk to people about our organization and the history as well as solicit memberships. Jackie Maddock has graciously volunteered, and we need more volunteers! It'll be lots of fun. Historical clothing not required, but definitely encouraged. Please contact me with days and times that you could be there.

Spirit-of-Vincennes Rendezvous
Sat. May 25 and Sunday May 26
French Commons and GRC Grounds
This is the big one, and a great way to let our organization and history be known to thousands of people! You can also meet lots of other re-enactors, interpreters and other history enthusiasts (not to forget the good food, entertainment and shopping!) We need volunteers to hang out at the French Market (Alliance) booth, help children at the Michel Brouillet Trading Post and just float around the Rendezvous as Les Habitants ambassadors (the wearable emblems are especially important here.) Sound like fun? It's very flexible, too. Please contact me if you can be available any time during Rendezvous. This one, of course, requires correct historical clothing, and we can help you with that.

Here are some other events that may interest you in Spring and Summer:

Revolutionary War and French Colonial Encampment
Fort Kaskaskia, IL
1770-1781
March 16-17

Prairieland Frontiersman 13th Annual Historic Arms and Craft Show
Teutopolis, IL
March 23 and 24

Colonial Trade Fair and Musket Frolic
Prairie du Rocher, IL
Sponsored by Chasseurs du Datchurat

April 5-7
9th Annual Eastern American Indian Historical Conference
Cleveland, OH

April 5-7
Colonial Trade Fair and Frolic
Fort de Chartres, near Prairie du Rocher, IL

April 16
Colonial Kids' Day

April 20
Cahokia Courthouse (IL)

Third Annual Camp DuBois Rendezvous
Wood River, IL 1700-1840

May 4-5
Annual Spring House and Garden Tour
Ste. Genevieve, MO
6 historic gardens, 6 historic French Colonial houses

May 4-5
Kids' Day
Fort de Chartres, IL

May 4-5
Voyageur Rendezvous on the Riviere de Teakiki
Grand Kankakee Marsh County Park
Hebron, IN

May 18-19
www.alllake.org/events.php?id=108

Candlelight Tour
Pierre Menard Home (near Fort Kaskaskia, IL)
Music and interpretation

May 31
Fort de Chartres 32nd Annual Rendezvous
1720-1820

June 1-2
Open House at Felix Valle House
Ste. Genevieve, MO
Social gathering, French Folk Dance demo, folktales, candlelight tours

June 8
Feast of the Strawberry Moon
On the Banks of La Grande Riviere
Late 1700's
Grand Haven, MI

June 22-23
13th Annual Gathering on the Theatiki
Bourbonnais, IL
Sponsored by Habitants du Theatiki

July 13-14
La Festivite de la Famille/Family Festival
Pierre Menard Home near Fort Kaskaskia, IL

August 4
6th Annual Les Coureurs de Bois et Voyageurs de Ste. Claire
Mt. Clemens, MI
Great Lakes Fur Trade 1600-1820

August 24-25
Contact me if you'd like more detailed information on any of these. Most of them are listed in the Smoke and Fire publication.

Terri Talarek King
812 726 4431
leapingfrog55 at yahoo.com