1815 came alive for the weekend of February 9 through 11, 1996 as the 93rd Sutherland Highland Regiment of Foot Living History Unit sponsored an encampment at Historic Old Fort Parker located near Groesbeck, Texas. Since the annual Battle of New Orleans event did not occur this year, the 93rd was determined to do something, somewhere, and soon! The staff at Fort Parker were more than happy to provide a site and their enthusiasm and hospitality cannot be adequately thanked. Though the event was decided on in a bit of a rush and notices to all those interested in the time period were necessarily sent on short notice the encampment is firmly dubbed a success. The weather was made to order with sunny skies and just right temperatures. A last minute cancellation of an 1880's event at Ft. McKavett, TX made it possible for more participants to attend at Ft. Parker. Pte. Scott McDonald of the 93rd received accolades as having traveled the furthest - from Indiana.

When the Union flag was run up the Fort's flag pole Saturday morning the fort was "magically" transported "Over the Hills and Far Away" to another place and time. Visitors to the Fort were amazed to see 1815 period soldiers within and were anxious to learn more of what was going on. The Fort has a live firing range a few steps outside it's walls. Participants were welcomed and encouraged to make use of the range which they did so with gladness. Pte. Clif Broadworth of the 93rd was able to show off his legendary ability with the Brown Bess, even with a wrist recuperating from surgery.

Fort Parker was never a military installation but rather built by pioneers in the 1830's for their mutual protection. It is the site of the Comanche raid in 1836 that saw young Cynthia Ann Parker taken prisoner by the Comanches. She was later to be the mother of the great chief, Quanah Parker. The Fort was reconstructed in 1936 and again in 1967 and recently was saved from possible demolition as a group of private citizens volunteered to take over as staff when the State proposed to abandon the historic site.

The Fort is a fully enclosed wooden stockade with blockhouses, animal pens and functional cabins within. An original cabin and schoolhouse have been moved to the site recently and are situated outside the walls as the first of more improvements. The staff plan to make the Fort a Living History Center. It is already used by many groups for rendezvous, Am. Civil War camps and a Timeline event in December spanning 300 years.

For more information on Old Fort Parker State Historical Park contact: Rt 3, Box 746, Groesbeck, TX 76642 USA.

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