Bloody Lake Rendezvous
• Where: Black Hawk Memorial Park, northwest of Woodford
• When: Open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday
• Who: Yellowstone Flint and Cap Club
• What: The rendezvous provides demonstrations to visitors interested in learning more about Wisconsin in the early 1800s and especially before 1840. People from many states gather to show off shooting and tomahawk-throwing skills, and to showcase other activities such as blacksmith work and tanning animal hides.
WOODFORD - The Yellowstone Flint and Cap Club Inc. will mark its 35th year re-enacting Wisconsin culture as it was before 1840 with the use of tent lodges and teepees at Black Hawk Memorial Park just a few miles northwest of Woodford.
The site of the Bloody Lake Rendezvous was made famous by a battle between Kickapoo warriors and United States militiamen at a bend of the Pecatonica River in 1832. Referred to as the Battle of Horseshoe Bend or Battle of Bloody Lake, the fighting ended with three military men and 11 Kickapoo warriors dead.
Each year, about 400 people from Wisconsin, South Dakota, Tennessee, Florida, Iowa and Illinois flock to the first rendezvous of the summer season. Yellowstone Flint and Cap has organized the re-enactment each year since the club began in 1981.
Club scribe Vicki Tollakson noted pride at the long-standing tradition of gathering each Tuesday through Sunday before the first full weekend of May. The rendezvous is open to the public Saturday and Sunday.
Attendees either take part in the events or show off their skills with demonstrations.
"It preserves the history of certain areas and I think a lot of people enjoying camping like this time period," Tollakson said.
Throughout the week, attendees set up their trade and their tent to last them through the weekend. On Friday during the annual rendezvous, students from area schools flood in to observe people like Margie Schaller, who has been traveling the distance from the Rapid City, South Dakota area to southern Wisconsin for the last five years.
"I like it here," Schaller said. "It's the first of the season and it's a beautiful ride down here."
Schaller's family is originally from the Mt. Horeb area, and she said she likes to drive past the farm formerly owned by her grandparents when she makes the trip. During her week in the Lafayette County park, Schaller spends time honing her trade. In the past, before beading became a trade, Schaller said, women would create colorful bags and other items with quills from porcupines. These women had short lifespans because of the toxic dye they took in from wetting the quills with their mouths, but they were highly regarded.
Schaller said she tries to keep her demonstration to 20 minutes, but sometimes changes her talking points for restless or enthralled students. She shows off her crafting skills and talks to children briefly.
"I like to tell them a lot about Wisconsin history," Schaller said.
Over 20 years of attending rendezvous events throughout the country have left her with a number of items. Schaller said she tans about 75 hides annually, and any knapsack material with her designs incorporated into them were completely handmade by her.
Demonstrations are not just limited to crafting. Others among more than 200 tents spread across the park make food, show off black powder rifles and forge iron as it would have been in the time before the Civil War.
Tollakson said they are excited to see visitors and have enjoyed their time during the 2016 rendezvous so far. The club takes part in a monthly black powder gun shooting competition, which will be held along with tomahawk throwing during the rendezvous.
The site of the Bloody Lake Rendezvous was made famous by a battle between Kickapoo warriors and United States militiamen at a bend of the Pecatonica River in 1832. Referred to as the Battle of Horseshoe Bend or Battle of Bloody Lake, the fighting ended with three military men and 11 Kickapoo warriors dead.
Each year, about 400 people from Wisconsin, South Dakota, Tennessee, Florida, Iowa and Illinois flock to the first rendezvous of the summer season. Yellowstone Flint and Cap has organized the re-enactment each year since the club began in 1981.
Club scribe Vicki Tollakson noted pride at the long-standing tradition of gathering each Tuesday through Sunday before the first full weekend of May. The rendezvous is open to the public Saturday and Sunday.
Attendees either take part in the events or show off their skills with demonstrations.
"It preserves the history of certain areas and I think a lot of people enjoying camping like this time period," Tollakson said.
Throughout the week, attendees set up their trade and their tent to last them through the weekend. On Friday during the annual rendezvous, students from area schools flood in to observe people like Margie Schaller, who has been traveling the distance from the Rapid City, South Dakota area to southern Wisconsin for the last five years.
"I like it here," Schaller said. "It's the first of the season and it's a beautiful ride down here."
Schaller's family is originally from the Mt. Horeb area, and she said she likes to drive past the farm formerly owned by her grandparents when she makes the trip. During her week in the Lafayette County park, Schaller spends time honing her trade. In the past, before beading became a trade, Schaller said, women would create colorful bags and other items with quills from porcupines. These women had short lifespans because of the toxic dye they took in from wetting the quills with their mouths, but they were highly regarded.
Schaller said she tries to keep her demonstration to 20 minutes, but sometimes changes her talking points for restless or enthralled students. She shows off her crafting skills and talks to children briefly.
"I like to tell them a lot about Wisconsin history," Schaller said.
Over 20 years of attending rendezvous events throughout the country have left her with a number of items. Schaller said she tans about 75 hides annually, and any knapsack material with her designs incorporated into them were completely handmade by her.
Demonstrations are not just limited to crafting. Others among more than 200 tents spread across the park make food, show off black powder rifles and forge iron as it would have been in the time before the Civil War.
Tollakson said they are excited to see visitors and have enjoyed their time during the 2016 rendezvous so far. The club takes part in a monthly black powder gun shooting competition, which will be held along with tomahawk throwing during the rendezvous.