A visitor catches the full moon over the fort on his cell phone during the candlelight tour Saturday evening.
Fort Scott National Historic Site celebrated its 175th anniversary by presenting the 36th annual Candlelight Tour Friday and Saturday evenings.
The theme for this year’s candlelight tour: “Happiness Amid Hardship.”
The tour featured five scenes from the 1840s at Fort Scott, the years that it was an active frontier military fort.
Traditionally, the site’s candlelight tour has been “ghosted,” meaning that the reenactors in the scene do not interact with or even recognize the people on the tour.
This year, the staff encouraged some audience participation in most of the scenes, which made the scenes fun and engaging.
The full moon as a backdrop to the tour added to the ambiance of the evening. Temperatures in the 50s added to the enjoyment as well.
Visitors get information from Park Guide Tiffany on the scene that is about to be portrayed on the Fort Scott National Historic Site Candlelight Tour Saturday evening.Visitors are invited to join in dancing at the dragoon barracks in this scene.Enlisted men are treated gruffly in this scene.There is a discussion of reasons why soldiers are going to become Oregon pioneers in this scene at the sutler building.Men enjoy visiting during this scene at the fort’s store.Visitors participated in an evening social at the officers’ quarters, amidst gossiping and matchmaking activities in this scene.There was singing of Christmas carols led by Ralph Carlson and also refreshments offered in the Grand Hall at the end of the tour.
