“Will and Lisa, I think, spend more time in historic clothing than modern clothing,” Benton said.
Experiencing living history
Lynch has found that people are fascinated by the past. Battle reenactments and living history demonstrations are a great way to bring history to life for visitors to Brattonsville and other historic sites.
“People are inherently interested in how people lived,” Lynch said.
It shares people’s stories in a tangible way that’s accessible and engaging.
Benton seconded Lynch’s comment on accessibility, adding that for reenactors there’s a level of personal interest involved in being part of the greater reenacting community alongside its utility to the general public.
“People a long time ago are really no different than we are today,” Benton said. “They dress differently, they might eat different food, but they’re motivated by the same factors that we are — fear and success and hope. And being able to convey that across various time periods is a lot of fun.”
Reenactors’ passion and dedication shine through, especially during big events, said Olivia Mitchell, marketing manager for the Culture & Heritage Museums of York County, which includes Historic Brattonsville.
“You’ve got to really love it to be out in 100-degree weather in uniforms,” Mitchell said.
What Shelton relishes most is the unique experience he gains from reenacting.
“I like getting to do things that you would never really get to do in the modern world,” Shelton said. “At the moment, I’m working on an 1800s loom weaving. I do a lot of natural dyeing out here. I get to play a little bit of mad scientist, which is always a lot of fun.”
He also does woodworking, blacksmithing and cooking, often learning practical skills that are slowly disappearing.
“We say if there’s a zombie apocalypse, we’ll all meet here,” Swetnam said.
For her, reenacting is a never-ending rabbit hole. There’s always something new to learn.