The Fair at New Boston Recalls the Zeitgeist of 1780s America

One of Springfield’s longest running traditions is returning on Labor Day weekend for its 42nd anniversary. The Fair At New Boston has been held annually since its preview year in 1980. Routinely located at George Rogers Clark Park off of Route 4, this destination is the site of the largest battle for the expansion of the Western Territories, the battle of Peckuwe, which took place on August 8th of 1780. This resulted in a significant blow to British military prowess. It also demonstrated the militia men who fought there were capable of venturing into the wilderness and striking at British military defenses, ultimately damaging their capability of carrying the war into the Western Territories.

Though there is a traditional reenactment of this battle between George Rogers Clark and the warriors under the Native American called Black Hoof, who fought there under British rule, the Fair at New Boston however is not designed to be solely representation of military affairs. It also hopes to provide a taste of the zeitgeist of the time during the late 1700s to early 1800s. As seen on their website, the mission statement of the George Rogers Clark Heritage Association “is to educate its members and the public about the history of the area of the Northwest Territory between the years 1700-1850, emphasizing the Ohio Country and the life of George Rogers Clark.”

Following suit, the Friday of Labor Day Weekend is always reserved for Education Day at the fair, catered to host classes from local school systems.

With 110 plots reserved for assorted vendors and merchants, there are both new and classic attractions to anticipate alongside the battle; including entertainment such as a Shakespeare play at the on-site theatre called “Cheapside”, various sideshows, demonstrations of magicians or “conjurers” of the time, trades and various artisan instructors, tours of the historic Daniel Hertzler House Museum, parades, and of course the taverns and refreshment stalls. Reenactors are known to commute as far as California and Canada to participate.

Sherri Forness is the daughter of the couple who established the fair, and one of three of the residing Fair Masters of the event for 2024. Along with her four siblings, Forness represents some of the staples of the festival which keep many reenactors and guests returning. Each has regularly hosted their own booth selling anything from homemade chicken and noodle soups to peaches and pound cake. Forness advises families to “come hungry.” Before her father, Dick Ward, had even thought of its development, Ward would reenact the First American and Ninth Virginia Regiments all along the east coast. While doing so he became acquainted with like-minded historians and artisans, ultimately recruiting them to establish the Fair At New Boston in Clark County. Ward’s wife Donna, who saw the genesis of the festival, passed away just at the top of the year. Fair participants will be holding a memorial service in Donna Ward’s name over the weekend.

Though numbers of participants have slowly inclined again since the Covid-19 pandemic, Forness, along with her fellow Fair Masters Kristin and Kris Schultz, worry for the future of authentic historical reenactment. “A lot of the reenactment groups are breaking up. It has a lot to do with the unfortunate fact that not too many people are interested in history anymore. We’re aging out. Many of the trades are starting to be lost to time because the people who are capable of doing them are retiring and nobody took them up. Like a cobbler or lacemaker.”

Fellow Fair Master Kristin Schultz speaks to this by telling the story of her own family's involvement. Her husband, Kris Schultz, had attended the Fair as a child when Dick Ward, garbed in his customary period-appropriate attire for a soldier, approached him as he sat on a fence watching the battle reenactment. Ward had shown him some of the materials a soldier of the time would use, how they lived, “and really took him under his wing,” comments Forness.

Once Kris and Kristin had married and started a family of their own, they began to return to show their children what the Fair At New Boston has to offer. “I was born here in Clark County, and just came here as a kid. When the fair first started we would come out and were able to find interest. Because we found it interesting when we were kids, as adults we would return to bring our own children, and then we just joined! Because we both agreed that we wanted to do it as kids so why not join as adults? 20 years of doing it year after year, and being some of the younger adults here, we decided to get further involved as Fair Masters…(the interest) is generational” notes Kristin. “These kids that are here now have all grown up together! They’re like my grandchildren” adds Forness. There is a welcoming community at the heart of this annual convention. They have even developed a popular blueprint for reenactment safety and incident action plans, which has since been adopted by various other reenactments and events.

If participation or attendance interests you, or for more information to plan your own family’s trip to The Fair At New Boston, follow this link to their website. You can also see more of what’s to be expected, on their Facebook or Instagram.