Published: June 19, 2009 10:26 pm      

Back in the good ol' days

Couple recreates life of pioneers

Many people dream about having a little cabin in the woods where they can escape on weekends from the stresses of daily life.

Living history interpreters Michael and Diana Stevens of Danville, Ind., actually live at the pioneer cabin at Forest Glen Preserve during several weekends each summer.

“Naturally we enjoy getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life,” Michael said. “But our main purpose is to teach people about life in this country during the late 18th century — just how difficult it was for our ancestors to simply feed their families and stay alive during those early days.

“You can read about history in a book,” Michael said, “but there’s nothing like going out and really ‘living’ history. That’s why I’ve been a re-enactor all over the country for 25 years, and Diana has been into this for 30 years.”

In 1986, Michael and Diana were married in an outdoor, public ceremony at the Feast of the Hunter’s Moon in West Lafayette, Ind. They had first met at a re-enactment event where both were portraying historical figures different from the ones they portray today.

Today, Michael portrays a retired British field commander of the 78th Fraser’s Highland Regiment of Scots in America. He chose to re-enact that character in honor of his Scottish ancestry.

Diana portrays the colonel’s French wife most of the time, but occasionally she becomes his Native American wife. This is a second marriage for the historical couple, so they have no children in the house. And because Michael portrays a retired colonel, they have ample resources to live on.

At some special events, Michael gives talks on herbs and spices, and also demonstrates a collection of hand weapons. Diana demonstrates colonial arts and crafts, log cabin living, fireplace cooking, wool and flax fiber hand spinning, and woodland Indian life.

LOVE FOR HISTORY

“One gets into re-enacting not just because he likes history,” Michael said. “Typically you meet someone else who is into ‘living history,’ and you know that it just feels right for you.”

Diana discovered her love for living history when she visited Colonial Williamsburg, Va., many years ago.

“I stepped out of the 20th Century and into that time period,” Diana said, “and I really felt comfortable with it.”

“Living history interpreters are a very social group and family-oriented,” Michael said. “We found the experience to be good for our combined family of grandchildren. The kids learn not only social skills, but also how to build a fire from wood, cook outdoors, and other camping skills.”

The Stevenses purposely do not give a prepared speech to people who come to visit them at the cabin. “We want people to ask questions about things they are interested in,” Michael said.

And there are plenty of things at the cabin to ask questions about.

Diana spends her hours spinning wool, knitting, and working on crafts, such as embroidery and other types of needlework. She is fortunate to have copper cooking pans and some proper cooking utensils to use when preparing meals on her authentic brazier, which replicates the type of stove used during the Revolutionary War.

“I have these nice things because my husband is a retired colonel and he has a pension from the military,” she tells visitors. Their supper meal consists of beef roast, salad, and vegetables that they grow in their garden. The couple also is fortunate to have some oranges and a bit of refined sugar that they bought from the British.

GENTLEMAN FARMER

The colonel spends his retirement days gathering greens and mushrooms in the wild, fishing, and hunting rabbits, deer and squirrels. He also spends considerable time cleaning and oiling his collection of guns, knives and other weapons. Because he lives as a “gentleman farmer,” the colonel also oversees the monetary affairs of the farm.

Diana does most of her sewing during the day because candlelight is too dim for such detailed work.

The colonel and his wife typically spend their evenings playing board games, including cribbage, whist (predecessor to euchre) and draughts (predecessor to checkers). Another pastime is shut-the-box, which is a game for teaching children to count — and also a gambling game for adults.

Michael has constructed many of the furnishings and other items that they bring to the cabin each time they visit. They include a folding camp bed, liquor chest, chairs, and a draught board. Diana sewed the muslin curtains for all the windows. She takes them down at the end of summer so the mice don’t chew them up during the wintertime.

“Now you see why it takes us two hours to pack everything up on Sunday nights,” Diana said, smiling.

The Stevenses have hosted only 20 people on some days, and as many as 100 visitors on other days. “Most folks seem amazed at what they see and what we tell them about life in the 18th century,” Michael said.

IN THE REAL WORLD

“We relax on weekends by doing living history,” he said. “We have to admit that sometimes it’s difficult to get back into the modern world on Monday mornings.”

Michael is a union carpenter by trade and Diana is employed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Indianapolis.

Families who camp at Forest Glen often come to the pioneer cabin during one of their hikes through the park. Briana Mariage, 19, and Baylea Hall, 15, came out to the park especially to see the cabin.

“My grandpa used to teach history,” Briana said, “so I have an interest in these types of things.”

PIONEER HOMESTEAD

The cabin at Forest Glen, which was built by five ranger and naturalist staff members, was opened in June, 1983. It is actually much nicer and larger than a typical one-room cabin in pioneer days.

The native poplar logs were purchased from a sawmill in Kingman, Ind. The floors are oak, and the front and back porches were made from black locust. The roof shingles are cedar shakes and the steep staircase is made of white oak. Two tables and chairs inside the cabin were made by the staff out of oak and hickory, and the fireplace is constructed of limestone from the Fairmount quarry.

The flooring in the loft is attached with replica antique nails. The loft area itself is left open for better heating because the cabin has no duct work. It would take three days of constant fireplace heat to make the cabin comfortable for living during the cold winter months.

Typically, a pioneer cabin would not contain as many windows as this one has. They were installed to provide additional lighting for all the educational programs that are held in the building.

Outside, the kitchen garden is planted with items used in everyday cooking, including French sorrel, greens, horseradish, peppers, ornamental gourds, pumpkins, mint and other herbs. Flowers, such as marigolds, were planted around the garden to keep the pesky rabbits away.

The pioneer barn was completed in 1990 by the ranger staff, and the park superintendent made much of the ironwork and many of the tools. Antique wagons are parked underneath the open half of the barn.

FYI

The Stevenses will be at the Pioneer Homestead cabin from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, July 11 and 12, Aug. 15 and 16, and Sept. 5. For more information, call Forest Glen at 662-2142.