As the region celebrates the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, I worked with the Cecil County Office of Tourism to design a living history walking tour that explored the Upper Chesapeake’s stories during that dangerous time. Working with a group of costumed performers, we strolled around an old colonial river town, Charlestown, exploring thrilling tales. The living history interpreters dramatically presented first-hand accounts we drew from primary sources while I provided the details connecting the dramatic narratives.
As the sky began to darken on that August evening, we used lanterns to light our way through the old historic district as we encountered those characters from the past. The sold out tour, which had a crowd of over 100-people, continues to receive lots of positive feedback from patrons on the popular stroll. Some were introduced to a new chapter in past, while for others the theatrical approach captivated them. And a good number have talked about how pleased they were to be introduced to a beautiful town and historic district and it’s tourism destination spots.
