BRIDGETON, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The annual Bridgeton Rendezvous will offer a taste of authentic 1750s to 1840s living in a beautiful historic setting April 24-25.
Bridgeton Rendezvous will take place 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Then, visitors can walk among re-enactors and see authentic costumes, camps, and pioneer goods for sale and watch live black powder muzzle loader shooting, primitive archery, knife and tomahawk throwing, and other competitions. Pioneer crafts on hand will include blacksmiths, bowl carvers, woodworkers, flint knapping, spinning, knitting, campfire cooking, with plenty of learning activities for kids.
Visitors can take in the French traders camp and learn about the importance of the fur trade in pioneer economy, swing by the 1822 Case Log Cabin and see how the pioneers cooked their meals on the hearth including chicken-on-a-string and bread baking and enjoy live music from Bill Robison’s dulcimer group.
The Bridgeton Grist Mill will offer an 1800’s corn-grinding demonstration and fresh stone-ground Parke County products. Shops will be open and vendors will be selling their wares in the 1878 Barn, Artisan’s Market at the Mill, and Old Barn New. Lunch will be available at Collom’s and the Mill Snackshop, with the Bridgeton Volunteer Fire Department serving up a Jonah Fish Fry Saturday from 2-7 p.m. Strolling through the Bridgeton Covered Bridge is also encouraged.
New features this year include a 10 a.m. Sunday service with Parson John Jarboe, well-known 18th century preacher, and on Saturday afternoon, Maggie Delaney will discuss being an Irish immigrant and indentured servant in colonial times.
There’s no admission charge and plenty of free parking. The Rendezvous will be at 8144 Bridgeton Rd. Bridgeton is located in southern Parke County nine miles south of Rockville and six miles east of Rosedale, or take State Road 59 North from Brazil to the Bridgeton billboard. For further information, call (765) 548-0114.
