woodscounty

The time is the 1840's; the place is Avard Lake Park, Avard, Oklahoma.                                             

Tents and teepee's and the smell of campfire's - you are walking into an encampment re-enactment of an 1840's Mountain Man Rendezvous.

There are whole families participating in the re-enactment of what a rendezvous or "gathering" was actually like on the prairie in 1840. Rendezvous, is when mountain men would come down to meet with flat landers (city folks) and sell or trade their hides for supplies.

Men, women and children in period dress are engaged in various activities throughout the park. There is a hawk (tomahawk) and knife throw going on at the south end of the encampment. Both men and women are competing to have the best successful number of throws that properly land, sticking into the large slice of tree round propped on a tripod mount. Many are surprised at how powerful a throw must be just to even make the target let alone stick with success! But good camaraderie and cheers at the successful throws are heard from all the participants. The "blanket" prize is the winners choice of items each contestant has brought to the contest - displayed on a blanket.

The costumes of the 1840 era are required for participation and men are clad in buckskins and moccasins or boots. Many have the traditional preserved animal headdress, be that raccoon or bobcat or some other furry creature. The women in the traditional long skirt and petticoats, and the children in miniature versions of their parents.

Homemade buttons of shell or horn are on many of the outfits and outside of each tent of those who are vending their wares is a blanket or table displaying the assorted goods of the time. Black powder for the musket guns of the day, the intricately carved animal horns of varying sizes to load that black powder into the gun or to keep that powder dry. Old bottles, furs and skins, moccasins and buffalo blankets. Arrowheads and bead-worked pouches, an endless assortment of items we don't see everyday. Flint nappers are displaying their wares (all genuinely handmade), knives, both utilitarian and collectors quality.

The Avard Lake Rendezvous only happens once a year in November, the public is welcome on the Saturday of the event, usually from 8 to 5.

You won't find a more friendly or historically knowledgeable band of characters! I recommend you mark your calendars for the 2011 Rendezvous and perhaps you will want to start getting together your outfit to really get into the moment with these interesting and most pleasant of folks!

To learn more about other Rendezvous events taking place throughout the Western Plains go to: Talking-Bear.com