BURLINGTON—A bloody face-off between forces of the British Crown and colonial farmers in North Carolina that helped set the stage for the Revolutionary War here will be recalled at Alamance Battleground State Historic Site in Burlington on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17. Colorful living history programs marking the 238th anniversary of the Battle of Alamance and celebrating Patriots’ Day will be held both days at Alamance Battleground. Family friendly, these activities are free and open to the public, although donations are appreciated.
The programs will kick off Saturday at 10 a.m. Throughout both days, visitors may watch a period-costumed colonial housewife preparing food over an open hearth, a blacksmith working at his forge, an 18th-century doctor waiting for calls from the sick and injured, a schoolmaster demonstrating 1700s teaching methods, and a woman explaining how colonials lit their homes while she makes candles by hand (visitors can also make their own candles to take home). Also, reproduction toys from this historical period will be displayed and available for the kids to try out.
Other activities will include live flintlock musket and cannon firings demonstrated near an encampment of colonial militia troops. Demonstrations will end at 5 p.m. both days.
From 2-3 p.m. Saturday, the Alamance Battleground Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution will mark the 238th anniversary of the Battle of Alamance and the Revolutionary War engagements now known as “Pyle’s Defeat” (Feb. 24, 1781), the “Battle of Clapp’s Mill” (March 2, 1781) and the “Battle of Lindley’s Mill” (Sept. 13, 1781) during its Patriots’ Day program. This program will feature a wreath-laying ceremony.
At 6 p.m. Saturday, a covered-dish picnic will begin, sponsored by the Alamance County Historical Association. Anyone interested in attending should bring a covered dish.
At 7 p.m., N.C. Department of Cultural Resources Secretary Linda A. Carlisle will address program attendees. The topic of her remarks will be “Cultural Resources – Our Heritage, Our Future.” The annual meeting of the historical association follows. All activities are scheduled to end at 9 p.m.
On Sunday, May 17, all living history presentations will begin at 1 p.m. and end at 5 p.m. Families not able to attend on Saturday will have a chance to experience the same demonstrations as he first day of the program.
The mission of Alamance Battleground is to preserve and interpret the history of the Battle of Alamance and colonial life in the North Carolina Piedmont. Alamance Battleground is the site where an armed group of backcountry farmers known as the Regulators battled colonial Gov. William Tryon’s militia in 1771. It features the 18th-century Allen House, battlefield monuments and a visitor center where a multimedia presentation vividly interprets this early battle and the pressures of colonial policies, which helped precipitate the American Revolution.
Alamance Battleground is six miles south of I-85/I-40, exit 143, on N.C. 62 in Burlington. For more information, call (336) 227-4785, e-mail alamance@ndcr.gov
or log onto the Web site at http://www.nchistoricsites.org/alamanc.htm.
Administered by the Division of State Historic Sites, Alamance Battleground is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture. Join the Cultural Resources 2009 theme observance of “Treasure N.C. Culture.” For more information, visit www.ncculture.com.