A display of thousands of years of military history celebrates its 30th birthday this year.
“Military Through the Ages,” an annual event at Jamestown Settlement, will be held this weekend with hundreds of re-enactors depicting armed forces from the first century A.D. to modern times. The program was first held in 1984.
The affair will feature 35 groups based in Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Military re-enactors and modern-day units will show how uniforms, weapons and military tactics evolved through the centuries, as well as aspects of field communication and medical treatment.
Re-enactors will portray soldiers and military encounters from Roman times, the medieval period, and all the way up through wars of the 20th century. The National Museum of the Marine Corps and the Virginia Army National Guard will represent the present.
See the full list of re-enactment groups here.
It will be an interactive event, where visitors are encouraged to interact with re-enactors to learn how soldiers attired and armed themselves, what they were fed and how they were housed.
The Civil War 150 HistoryMobile, which has made more than 120 stops since its tour began in 2011, will be out featuring interactive exhibits and an immersive experience. The vehicle draws together stories from the Civil War and emancipation from perspectives across Virginia. It will be located in the Jamestown Settlement visitor parking area and open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Moving away from U.S. history, visitors can learn China’s Boxer Rebellion, and ambush and explosives training during the 20th century’s Anglo-Irish War. They can also take part in a simulated barb-wire crawl and “grenade” bean-bag toss with a Spanish Civil War unit.
British and American viewpoints will be explored in presentations on World War I and II.
Music of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries will be performed throughout the day Saturday and Sunday, including Scottish fiddle, Celtic music and Civil War-era banjo.
At noon Saturday, young “troops” can join in a children’s parade, marching through the museum’s re-created colonial fort and campsites. They will formally present ribbons to each of the participating military units.
Guests can also visit the extensive galleries of Jamestown Settlement, which tells the story of America’s first permanent English colony through exhibits, films and hands-on activities.
Jamestown Settlement is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily year-round. Admission is $16 for adults and $7.50 for ages 6 through 12, and children under 6 are free. Residents of James City and York counties and the City of Williamsburg, including College of William & Mary students, receive complimentary admission with proof of residency. Parking is free.
For more information, call 253-4838 or visit their website.
