Participants Bonnie Curry and Nate Williams with youth participants Haley, Claire, Natalie and Allison, participating for 5 years are pictured. Only one of the children misses their electronics.

Located on rolling hills and sprawling acres at 2911 Stoney Run Road, the National Rendezvous and Living History Foundation encampment is a living history dedicated to the preservation and portrayal of time in the United States during the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War and fur trapping and trade in the West.

Flags flown in the Common Area include the American flag, Pennsylvania and New York state flags, flag of Canada and the Seneca Nation flag signifying the coming together of the regions and participants represented in this area’s rendezvous.

Keith Anderson, who began his activity with the group in 1980, is the Booshway for the region’s event. Derived from the French word bourgeois, Booshway denoted the head man or the company man that supervised the trappers in the fur trapping industry. In other words, he is the boss. Vennie and Angela Hotchkiss are the owners who offered to lease their land to host this year’s NEPR event. Vennie has been participating in rendezvous activities since the late 1980s his grandfather introduced him to it with Angela joining in in 2013.

Dressed in simple hand stitched clothing, shoes and boots hand sewn from skins and furs and living in canvas tents of all shapes and sizes the portrayers bring the past to our modern times in the most interesting ways. The rendezvous paints a clear picture of life during the times of trapping along the Hudson Bay area when hunters and trappers would buy, sell and barter. Boasting two flint rifle ranges, shooters can be seen loading and firing at paper targets at all distances. The accuracy of these centuries old weapons is impressive as they are open sight with no use of scopes. Archery, tomahawk and knife ranges and target trails are also available to participants both men and women. Participants build a fully functioning town for the event in just a few days.

Pictured are flags flying in the Common Area.

Touring the encampment visitors will see the blacksmith, gunsmithing, trappers with their skins and furs, wood carvers and all manner of goods and services. There is a Red Cross tent for first aid as well as a store with items for purchase including shoes, boots, belts, clothing, ammunition and food. Items for sale or trade by portrayers and visitors from the public can be found on blankets outside of each tent dwelling.

Ruth, a participant for 35 years, has hand crafted rugs, clothing and baskets on the blankets outside of her tent. On a brazier that is a replica of the one George Washington used himself Ruth does her cooking using vessels and utensils made from tin, copper, enamel, metal and wood. All materials available at the time being portrayed.

“It’s a great hobby” Ruth said of the fully immersive event and its historical value and significance.

“It’s the greatest time of the year for me,” Phil Spelling said as he was cooking his lunch over an open wood fire. Keith Anderson says he “meets new people and makes new friends every time” he attends a rendezvous.

“There are people from all walks of life and from all over the country” that meet up at the NRLHF events, he said.

Authentic tobacco pouch hand stitched with porcupine quills by a Seneca Nation Native American.

Open to the public, visitors are welcome daily from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. There is a $5 donation at the gate for visitors 13 years of age and older. 13 and under are admitted free. There are no pets permitted, though service animals are welcome. The rendezvous runs through Saturday, Aug. 2, at 4 p.m.

Visit the National Rendezvous and Living History Foundation at www.nrlhf.org for further information on the foundation as well as this and other events.

Keith Anderson, Angela and Vennie Hotchkiss are pictured dressed for the time period.

Keith Anderson holds a display containing an original necklace adorned with a turtle crafted by Hudson Bay silversmith Robert Cruikshank. Necklaces like these would have been given to the tribe Chief.