South Platte Valley Historical Society’s 18th annual Heritage Fair brought a historical timeline, from the Vikings to the 1800s, at the historic Fort Lupton Fort May 4.
Ginny White, a volunteer, reenacted the role of a school teacher at the Independent Schoolhouse, which was open from 1875 to 1900 at the Fort.
“It was the classroom back then. Then, the school moved between Brighton and Fort Lupton on Road 27, built in a brick building now Wayne’s Electric,” White said.
Volunteers dressed in different periods and sold clothes and items from centuries past. They also demonstrated weaving, games, swordsmanship, blacksmithing, and carpentry and reenacted medieval jousting, Revolutionary War military drills, mock combat and played a game of baseball according to 1890 rules.
Families visited the historic trade fort, which had a Wright shop, trade room, and kitchen from 1836 to 1845, and a trapper’s cabin from the 1850s.
Families could also visit the Donelson Homestead House, the home of Thomas and Laura Aiken Donelson. Thomas came west to the Colorado in 1859, during the gold rush.
Mike Willis renacts the work of an 1800s woodwright with Christopher, explaining how they would cut wood to make furniture. Back then, boys as young as 12 started apprentice training as woodworkers. Credit: Belen Ward 
Louise and Hannah Crandall play their violins while Benjamin Jack accompanies them on the hammered dulcimer as they play a 1776 hymn. Credit: Belen Ward 
Grant and Alec Bowman reenact how Vikings from around 1000 AD used Viking-age tools to make wooden items such as bowls. Credit: Belen Ward 
Adeline, Gabriel, and Peter play a 1776 colonial American game called Five Men’s Morris, a variation on a game that has been popular for thousands of years. Players place colored stones on a board strategically, stealing one of their opponents’ stones when they build a row of three. Game play continues until one player has their stones removed. Credit: Belen Ward 
Addie Young and Katie Jack playing the Game of Graces, a colonial American game also known as French Hoopes. In this game, the ladies throw hoops back and forth and catch them with sticks to practice good posture. Credit: Belen Ward 
Ginny White reenacts a school day in 1875 at the Independent Schoolhouse in Fort Lupton. Credit: Belen Ward