The fort has a long and interesting military history that ended in its destruction followed by years of neglect.  Fortunately, reconstruction is well underway and the enthusiastic kids giving tours seem well informed. We enjoy our walk through.  Some of the fort-life demonstrations are done for the season but they still have cooking, cannon and small arms demonstrations.

The big draw this weekend is the Horse and Harvest Festival.  There are craft booths and delicious food truck BBQ but the main theme is the role of horses in military life through the years.  A pair of oxen yoked and ready to work mostly model patience and serenity while chewing their cud.  We do see them drag a log up to the split rail fence demo area.  A team of Belgians is seemingly content to pull wagon loads of visitors.  Spirited saddle horses bravely demonstrate their role as transportation and as partners in battle as calvary men fire from the saddle.  The entire affair is a great primer on the evolution of American fighting forces from the French Indian War, through the War of 1812 on thru the Revolutionary War.

The final demo is a fox hunt; the modern, kinder version.  12 horsemen, 11 dogs, and a scent dragger person (they have a real name but I can’t recall it) take to the fields to show us how it is done.  There are a few hiccups but we get the gist of it.   The scent dragger takes a head start to lay out the trail.  Soon the hunt master shouts the hunt is on and the dogs set off yipping, fanning out then regrouping in search of the scent.  Once found, the real barking begins as they and all the horsemen take off at a full run zigging and zagging hot on the trail.  It all ends when the dogs find the scent dragger and get treats.  Beasts and riders all seemed to have great fun.  Today’s event is complicated by traffic crossing the scent trail, including the aforementioned BBQ truck, and the throng of ill-prepared spectators (including us) some accompanied by their own befuddled pets standing in the hunt path.  It is a first for us as Fox Hunt spectator.

We stop at a local soft serve place, the Wind-Chill Factory on the way home.  The sundaes are yummy.