Heritage trade show in St. Charles targets re-enactors, history buffs

Winter is a slow time of year for historical re-enactors. So Jim Fairchild of Batavia decided to create an event geared toward them - and for anyone who is interested in history.

The American Heritage Living History Show, which takes place Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 21-22, at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles, is primarily a trade show for vendors of historical items. With such novelties as demonstrations by a leather tanner, period items for sale, and a Civil War medical group that re-creates procedures from that conflict, there'll be plenty to learn and discover.

"We have over 60 re-enactors vendors, and demonstrators, coming in from all of the states surrounding Illinois," Fairchild said. "I make tents for re-enactors, and this is the time of year where those of us that spend three-quarters of the year under tents kind of go stir crazy and miss our extended family."

"The public will see a lot of craftsmen. We have a painter there, a lady who spins bowls, someone who makes wool yarn and mittens and scarves," he said. "There's a guy who would be fitting for the 'Mountain Men' (show) on the History Channel - he's a fur trapper and he has furs for sale - a silversmith, tent makers, pewter, a guy with period correct games, a lady who makes her soap, a guy who demonstrates how to tan leather. One of our food vendors, who's typically in camp with us, will be cooking really good meals."

Dave Dittmer, a silversmith, will arrive from Galesburg with not only his silver products, but a tale of how silver shaped the trade between Europe and America from 1650-1830, when beaver skins were in high demand overseas.

"Native people, especially on the East Coast, had a belief that anything that can replicate the sun was very powerful because in their world the sun was very powerful. They tried to find things that could reflect light to have that power that the sun had," he explained.

According to Dittmer, when Native Americans came across the early settlers they were delighted by the silver buttons and jewelry they wore and offered to trade beaver skins for the silver, which began a trade relationship between settlers and Native Americans.

Dittmer, who is widely known as Cousin Dave, will bring samples for sale.

"It's a particular type of jewelry based on the patterns of the 15th and 16th centuries," he said. "There were also patterns that were influenced by Native thought."

Christina Johnson of Rockford will also be in attendance in period dresses she makes herself.

"I am skilled in the trade of mantua-making," she said. A mantua is a style of dress that was worn over stays and a petticoat.

Johnson has been a re-enactor since she was 13 and she saw a show on The History Channel. At first, the time period that interested her was the 16th century.

"My primary period now is between 1770 and 1820," she said.

The period drew Johnson in because of its early acceptance of independent women.

"It was the opportunities for women during that period," she said. "When you get a little bit later into the founding of the nation, women were more limited in society. But in the early years, women are more integral in the workplace; (for example) you find dual-income families and single women who owned businesses and property."

Johnson will be on hand this weekend to direct those with an interest in historical living.

"I help (people) who are coming into re-enacting to learn their way around when they're getting started," she said.

Whether visitors arrive to learn, to buy or to immerse themselves in history, the weekend is likely to be of interest.

"Anyone who likes history will enjoy this," Fairchild said.

If you go

What: American Heritage Living History Show

<span class="fact box text bold">When:</span> 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21-22

Where: Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles

Overview: First-time juried timeline trade show will feature period merchants, artisans, craftsmen and women and seminars covering the period 1740-1890.

For kids: Throughout the weekend: Kids can pan for gold courtesy of Donley's Wild West Town

Seminars and workshops: (Saturday only)

• 9:30 a.m. "What Happened to Cotton and Quilting During the Civil War." Take a historical perspective look at the effects of the Civil War on the cotton industry, and how lives were changed as a result. How much cotton made it through the Southern blockades? Where did the North get its cotton?

• 11 a.m. Historical Bare Knuckle Boxing taught by Allen Reed. This class will introduce the basic concepts of bare knuckle boxing and how it was used for self-defense in the 19th century.

• 1 p.m. 17th Field Corps Hospital demonstrating field hospital procedures of the Civil War.

Admission: $7 per adult/day; $5 if in period dress; $10 weekend pass; $20 family rate; kids younger than 12 free.

Info: <a href="http://facebook.com/AmericanHeritageLiving HistoryShow">facebook.com/AmericanHeritageLiving HistoryShow</a>.