ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL) – Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park will once again host the Overmountain Militia Muster, celebrating the triumph of frontiersmen who fought in the American Revolution.
The event is set for Sept. 23-24 at the state historic park. Participants will re-live the actual muster of the Overmountain Men, which occurred over 200 years ago at Sycamore Shoals.
Events will be held on both days from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. Demonstrations and activities will showcase frontier life and customs, and storytellers and craftspeople will be at the park as well.
On Monday, Sept. 25, members of the Overmountain Victory Trail Association will recreate the 1780 crossing of the river at 2 p.m. In 1780, troops joined forces by crossing the Watauga River at Sycamore Shoals in response to a British threat.
The muster is free to attend, and families are welcome, organizers said in a release.
Tennessee State Parks provided the following schedule of events during the weekend:
Saturday, Sept. 23
10:00 – Raising the Colors – Join the Overmountain Men inside Fort Watauga as they assemble to post the flag.
11:00 – Echoes of Liberty! – Join members of the Watauga Valley Fife and Drum Corps to learn about martial music of the 18th century.
12:00 – “Every Seventh Man” – Oral tradition states that one in seven stayed behind to guard the settlements as the Overmountain Men went in search of the tory army. Witness the Watauga Home Guard drill and hone their skills as defenders of the frontier.
1:00 – Patience Cooper: Enterprising Woman of the Frontier – Hear the inspiring story of Patience Cooper as you learn the role the of the public house in 18th century America.
2:00 – “Keep Your Powder Dry” – Join historic interpreter Lisa Bennett to hear the incredible story of Mary Patton and learn about the making of gunpowder on the colonial frontier.
2:30 – What’s in my Haversack? – Get a glimpse into the lives of the settlers on the 18th century frontier and join Ranger Sarah to learn about the essential items that were often carried in one’s haversack.
3:00 – Walking in Frontier Footsteps – Join Museum Curator Chad Bogart for a guided interpretive walk along the park trail as he recounts the story of the Overmountain Men and the campaign to Kings Mountain.
4:00 – Event Closed
Sunday, Sept. 24
10:00 – Raising the Colors
11:00 – Frontier Worship Service – Join Parson John and the families of the Watauga Settlement for Sunday morning service held in the courtyard of Fort Watauga.
11:30 – Echoes of Liberty!
12:00 – “Every Seventh Man”
1:00 – Patience Cooper: Enterprising Woman of the Frontier
2:00 – “Keep Your Powder Dry”
2:30 – Firearms of the Revolution – Join Ranger Taylor for a demonstration and talk about various styles of firearms used on the 18th century frontier, and how the flintlock rifle helped win the Battle of King’s Mountain.
3:00 – Walking in Frontier Footsteps
4:00 – Retiring the Colors: Event Closed – Thank you for joining us for a great day of frontier living history. Join us next time!
Monday, Sept. 25
1:30 – Prelude to the Crossing – Join Ranger William Caldwell with the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail as he sets the stage for the historic crossing of the Watauga River. Learn about the events that led up to the muster of the Overmountain Men at Sycamore Shoals. (Meet at the River Crossing Site)
2:00 – OVTA Watauga River Crossing – The Overmountain Victory Trail Association will recreate the historic 1780 river crossing when Colonel William Campbell and 400 militiamen from present-day Abingdon, VA crossed the Watauga River at Sycamore Shoals to join Colonels Isaac Shelby and John Sevier in response to the threat from British Major Patrick Ferguson. (Meet at the River Crossing Site)
Following the Crossing – Join members of the OVTA as they tell the story of the Campaign to Kings Mountain and the decisive American victory that occurred there on October 7, 1780. (Meet inside Fort Watauga)
