Traditional Artisans at Heritage Days

Every year on the last weekend of September, Alton Heritage Days, Inc. sponsors Heritage Days on the Goshen Trail, one of the largest Living History festivals in the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway area. One of the main attractions of the event is the large number of demonstrations of the 1700-1840 era professions and domestic activities.

One of the skills the earliest settlers and explorers needed to learn was hide tanning. Before the area became settled after the American Revolution, hide tanning was essential for clothing, footwear, and carrying devices. Although the art of tanning has a long Old World history, the early settlers and frontiersmen learned the technique from the Native Americans who practiced the brain tanning method which produced very soft, pliable and water resistant leather. After removing the skin from the animal and the flesh from the hide, the hair is removed and soaked in a solution made from the brain of the animal which softens it. A final step of smoking the hide produces the traditional color. At the festival, Larry Michael (photo above) of Farmington, MO, demonstrates the dehairing process and answers questions relating to his art.

As more European settlers began to inhabit the area, they brought with them their own unique skills. One of the most important of these was blacksmithing. Without the manufacturing capability and stores that we have today, all the tools, utensils, and other essential items had to be made by hand. Although the blacksmith was typically a professional and every village and town usually had a resident blacksmith to make cooking equipment, farm tools, nails, hinges for doors, and just about anything imaginable that needed to be made of iron, the trade was also practiced on the farm in rural areas and there were some traveling practitioners. Blacksmiths at Heritage Days like Ken Mikuleza (photo right) of Granite City, IL don’t use the traditional bellows of the era, but through their expertise you can still appreciate the skill and hard work their forebears put into their craft.

There were many domestic activities that the settlers had to practice to produce goods that we take for granted today. One of these activities was spinning and dyeing. The settlers used fibers, usually wool, but other animal hair, cotton, and flax could be utilized. These fibers were cleaned of foreign matter in a process called carding and spun (or twisted together) into long strands using a spinning wheel, usually with three legs, which made it easier to keep it flat on any surface, even the grassy lawn of a pioneer homestead. Once enough strands were accumulated they were dyed, dried and then used to create clothing or other articles made of fabric. According to Lee and Carol Shafer (photo left) of Athens, IL, there were many different plants used by the early settlers to dye their fabrics. Some of these plants were commonly found in the region such as Goldenrod (gold/yellow,) walnut shells (brown,) and others were imported such as Indigo (blue.)

Children of today are used to a wide variety of toys and lots of them! This wasn’t the case in the days of the early settlers when toys had to be made by hand. At a booth manned by Charlotte and John Watts of Bethalto, IL in the Artisan Village area, handmade string dolls representing the early European Settlers, Native Americans, and African Americans can be found. The technique to making these dolls dates back to the late 1700's and they were usually made using candlewick or common string. Other typical toys of the era can be made by the children themselves in the Children’s area.

Hundreds of reenactors are involved every year at Heritage Days. These people are committed to educating the public on the history involved in the roles they have chosen to reenact. Please, don't hesitate to ask questions!


White Coopering Vernon DePauw		Hands on Quilt Making


Traditional Rug Hooking Laura Moore & Judy Roeder		Broom Making Steve & Gail Bumpus


Other Artisans & Products
Candles & Candle Holders		Mums & Flowers
Canoe Paddle Making		Needle Craft
Clay Oven		Oak Baskets
Clog Dolls		Produce
Crocheting		Quilt Raffle
Dried Flowers		Quilting
Feather Art		Rope Making
Flint-Knapping		Soap Making
Gourd Crafts		Sweet Annie
Hairpin Lace		Walking Sticks & Canes
Inkle Loom Weaving		Weaving
Knitting		Wheat Weaving
Lanterns		Wood Carvings
Wooden Flowers

Links to Additional Heritage Days Pages

Home Page		Check out the Home Page for general background information, admission fees, daily schedule of activities, and special attractions.

Historical Demonstrations		There are numerous events, activities, and demonstrations taking place throughout the festival grounds, including black powder shoots, cannon and mortar demonstrations, music and dancing, and marching fife and drum corps. The Primitive Area contains many traders and sutlers and of course there is plenty of great food!

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