The COVID-19 Pandemic has affected many local events, but one annual event, the Fort Scott National Historic Site Candlelight Tour has created an online opportunity for the community to enjoy.

“Last spring we began expanding park programming by creating virtual opportunities for visitors including online programs/events and virtual visits,” Carl Brenner, FSNHS Program Manager for Interpretation and Resource Management,  said.  “As we moved into the fall and began planning for the 39^th annual Candlelight Tour, we understand that not everyone is ready to travel. We want to have alternative opportunities and provide an event that was safe and available to those who have traditionally participated and for those who are unable to travel to the park. We hope everyone enjoys our virtual rendition of the Fort Scott Candlelight Tour, Friday, December 4, 2020, at 7 pm on the park’s web page (www.nps.gov/fosc).”

 Brenner described the six vignettes that comprise the tour.

• Scene 1-Hospital – Health and Care of the Soldiers. This scene is a depiction of healthcare and hospital conditions on the frontier. Actors in this scene are Skip Thomas and Reed Hartford, with a depiction of sick patients by Aiden Mann and Daxson Ruggero

• Scene 2- Stables – Health and Care of the Horses. Horses were one of the most important tools of the Dragoon soldier.  Sometimes horses were treated better than the soldiers. Actors are Brett Dawson, Jericho Jones, and Jesse Dineen.

• Scene 3- Mess Hall – Lifestyle, Comfort, Camaraderie. Enlisted soldiers had a less formal or private life. They ate, slept, and worked in crowded conditions. Actors are Wayne, Dee, and Barrett Young.

• Scene 4-Officers’ Quarters – Lifestyle, Wealth, Comfort. With greater responsibility came greater space, freedoms, and comfort. Actors are George and Diane Bernheimer.

  

• Scene 5- Quartermaster Storehouse – Supplies, Preparedness, struggles. The Quartermaster, and his staff, kept all aspects of the fort running. They also knew what was really happening on the post. Actors are Barry Geertsen and Frankie Ruggero.

• Scene 6-Guardhouse – Discipline, Law and Order, Punishment. To ensure their soldiers were ready for whatever task they were assigned, discipline was a frequently used motivational tool on the frontier. Actors are Lucas Leininger and Casey Gomez.

The scenes and their introductions are being filmed by Barry Geertsen, Laura Abbott, and Abby Schauer from the park staff.

Brenner gave a little background of how the pandemic is affecting the NPS and Fort Scott in particular.

“We, like many Park Service sites, have experienced a reduction in visitation,” he said. ” We have taken this time to reach out to a broader audience. We continue to develop virtual opportunities for visitors and content for teachers to engage their students. Two such projects include: working with educators to develop curriculum around the Missouri Compromise; and to engage students to research and develop videos around African American heroes from the Fort Scott area.”

The park staff has increased their online presence during the pandemic, Brenner said.

“Sharing park stories through Facebook and Instagram is not new,” he said.  “However, we have been increasing these opportunities to share more of the park’s stories and connect with a broader audience.”

Fort Scott Kan. – Enjoy Fort Scott National Historic Site’s 38th Annual Candlelight Tour from the warmth and comfort of your own home. The virtual tour will air on the park’s web page (www.nps.gov/fosc) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FortScottNPS) at 7pm central time on Friday, December 4, 2020. There is no cost or fee for participating and Rangers will answer questions during and immediately following the program

This year’s virtual tour will share images of the traditional 1,000 candle lanterns around the parade ground and will feature six stops exploring 1840s health and safety, law and order, and equal treatment. Was there equality between officers, enlisted soldiers, and even, their horses?

1840’s soldiers at Fort Scott lived in isolation because of being distant from towns, other outposts, families, and friends. They also faced inequality because Officers were paid more and had nicer, more spacious, living quarters. If officers were sick, they could be treated in their quarters and if in trouble, they were subject to house arrest. Enlisted soldiers were paid a fraction of an officer’s salary, and they shared bunks in a room with 25 other soldiers. If they were sick, they were treated at the hospital in an open group setting and if in trouble they were sent to a cell in the guardhouse. Both also enjoyed the holidays differently.

Fort Scott was an active military post from 1842-1853, which was a time of rapid growth and change in the country. As Fort Scott was being built, the nation grew west. With this growth, Fort Scott changed, the mission of its soldiers changed, the environment changed, and the nation changed. However, the soldiers at Fort Scott continued to serve faithfully, despite the constant change.

Fort Scott National Historic Site hopes you enjoy our virtual Candlelight Tour as much as our other virtual events this year (all available on www.nps.gov/fosc) and we hope to see you in person for all of our on-site events in 2021.

From November 1-March 31, Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, will be open for its winter hours of operation. The site exhibit areas and historic buildings are open daily from 8:30 am-4:30 pm. The park grounds are open daily from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset. To find out more or volunteer at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.

March is Women’s History Month

Fort Scott Kan. – Fort Scott National Historic Site is celebrating Women’s History Month in March with weekly Saturday interpretive programs. “Though in 1861, the constitution of the newly created state of Kansas includes ‘the rights of women to participate in school district elections’, it wasn’t until 1919 that Kansas ratified the 19th Amendment,” said Betty Boyko, Superintendent, Fort Scott National Historic Site. “This series of programs around Women’s Suffrage and the 19th Amendment is the beginning of a larger discussion the park will host throughout the year.”

March 7, Noon: Alice Paul and the Suffrage Movement

In 1920, the 19th Amendment was certified into law, giving women the right to vote. Paul believed the vote was just the first step in the quest for full equality. Join us in a discussion of women’s suffrage and equal rights in the United States

March 14, 1 pm: Frontier Gossip

An interpretive program based on the letters written by Charlotte Swords and her husband, Thomas. Captain Thomas Swords was the post quartermaster. He and his wife were prolific writers and were eager to tell the stories of the times.

March 21, 1 pm: Woman’s History Tour of the Fort

Discuss the women that made a difference at the fort and in shaping the west on this walk through the Fort.

March 28, Noon: Alice Paul and the Suffrage Movement

In 1920, the 19th Amendment was certified into law, giving women the right to vote. Paul believed the vote was just the first step in the quest for full equality. Join us in a discussion of women’s suffrage and equal rights in the United States.

From November 1-March 31, Fort Scott National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, will be open for its winter hours of operation.  The site exhibit areas and visitor center are open daily from 8:30 am-4:30 pm. The park grounds are open daily from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset. To find out more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please contact the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.