Last Saturday

Last Saturday—July 31

Come learn the art of 18th century 1st person interpretation. Kathy Doyle, former historical interpreter for Colonial Williamsburg, will guide you through the process of creating & becoming a Revolutionary War era person. Learn how to speak, dress, and carry oneself in the colonial fashion.

Please bring a prepared lunch, pen & paper, and your enthusiasm. Colonial attire will be appreciated, but is not a requirement.”

For information contact Lynn at 803 279-7560 or Lynn@colonialtimes.us A $15 donation is required to cover costs. The class will be held in the barn.

Next Up: Under the Crown

Colonial Times: Under the Crown is coming up quickly: June 4th through the 6th.

Several special guests include Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Brown and the slave Kessie.

It is June 1780. Lieutenant Colonel Brown speaks to a meeting of Augusta's loyal citizens (the public), attempting to recruit troops for the King's Rangers and the loyal Augusta militia. In the course of his talk, the public will learn about Brown, his confrontation with Augusta's Sons of Liberty, and some of the reasons many American colonists choose to remain loyal to England during the American Revolution. Brown is portrayed by Charles Hudson.

Hudson will also give a presentation on both Saturday and Sunday: Getting Started in Living History for Families or Individuals. He will talk about what living history is, why people take up the hobby, the "living history lifestyle", things to consider when thinking about taking up the hobby, and how to get started without making too many (sometimes costly) mistakes.

Renowned historian and storyteller Kitty Wilson-Evans portrays the slave Kessie. Kitty has worked at Historic Brattonsville for years and has made it her mission to tell the stories of the slaves that once lived during the colonial era. She shares not only the stories but the songs and dances of the people.

Kitty is also coauthor with Lucinda Dunn of the book Kessie’s Tales: The Adventures of an African-American Slave Girl in South Carolina. Don’t miss out on the chance to hear this exceptional speaker who has been recognized locally, nationally, and internationally. Her website is www.kessiestales.com.

Chair Class Success

The chair making class, taught by Chris Schleier of the Colonial Chair Company, was a great success. The class was held the weekend of April 23–25 in the barn. Students learned how to build a Continuous Arm Windsor Chair using the same techniques employed over 250 years ago.

The history of chairmaking was discussed along with the benefits of green wood joinery. Students were taught how to use an adz, gouge, file and spokeshave to shape the seat and spindles. Chris also discussed steam bending. These chairs were literally built by eye and can easily be distinguished from the machine perfection of a factory reproduction. After completion of the chairs, finishing techniques were discussed.



Everything above and beyond the cost of materials for the class was donated directly to the park by Chris! It was a win/win for the students—who got to take home a handcrafted, heirloom piece of furniture that their grandchildren will fight over—and a big win for the park!

New Buildings!

The park has two new permanent structures!


The Mercantile is a place for our artisans to showcase their wares. This shop was built by the students at the American College of the Building Arts in Charleston, SC. Plans are underway for an open air market next to the Mercantile Shop in the spring. Plants, fresh vegetables, and natural herb wreaths are just a few of the offerings you will find at the market.



The Colonial Barn reflects the building style of the time frame of 1735–1785.

The 3,000 square foot barn is heated and air-conditioned so it can be used year-round for our expanding educational training programs including colonial era; martial arts, cooking, quilting, music, dance, gardening, special events, programs and much more.

Christmas for the Birds

Join us for the 5th annual Christmas for the Birds. It's a chance to remember our feathered friends during the holidays.

Please bring apples, oranges, pine cones, dried corn, pop corn, cranberries, and of course, bird seed. Or just bring yourself and the children to share the joy of creating and giving gifts at Christmas. Cider and cookies will be served and story time will be held at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, and 1:30.

We've added another feature: We invite you to bring canned or dried food to donate for our 4 legged friends (dog and cats) to be given to the local pet adoptions centers. We want to remember all of our non-human friends this year!

Here is a bit of video from last year's event:

Colonial Times

It's just around the corner: Colonial Days: A Time to Remember. This free event is open to the public. Held the third weekend in October (17th and 18th this year) this annual event has won praise and draws visitors from all over the world. Join us and see for yourself what life was like for the people who settled in the CSRA (Central Savannah River Area) during the 1750s through the 1780s. It is fun and educational.

Do you know what a Marsh Tacky is? Come to the event and find out!

Under the Crown

The Under the Crown event is just around the corner. Special guests include Daniel Boone.

Steven Caudill of Winchester, Kentucky will portray frontiersman Daniel Boone. Steven’s presentation is an educational look into the facts and myths that surround Kentucky’s favorite frontiersman. He has given lectures to elementary schools, colleges, civic groups, and organizations and has made numerous appearances at living history events across the country. Through his 20 year career as a Winchester Police Department officer and detective he developed very strong communication skills and interacts with many types of people with ease. His website is www.danielbooneofkentucky.com.

Renowned historian and storyteller Kitty Wilson-Evans portrays the slave Kessie. Kitty has worked at Historic Brattonsville for years and has made it her mission to tell the stories of the slaves that once lived during the colonial era. She shares not only the stories but the songs and dances of the people.
Kitty is also coauthor with Lucinda Dunn of the book Kessie’s Tales: The Adventures of an African-American Slave Girl in South Carolina. Don’t miss out on the chance to hear this exceptional speaker who has been recognized locally, nationally, and internationally. Her website is www.kessiestales.com.

Kathy Doyle will present the program Dressing From The Inside Out. Kathy will describe and explain women’s colonial era clothing, from undergarments to outerwear. Attendees will be able to see how the garments are worn and learn about variations of clothing due to social structure. She will answer questions during and after the program. The program is currently scheduled for Saturday and possibly Sunday and will take place in the Meeting House.

The event, as always, is free and family friendly. Join us for an entertaining and educational weekend!