Winter Weekend
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At the Usher's Ferry reenactment in September of 2002, we met a lady from Minnesota that told us about a really authentic ball that was held there every year. She told us how wonderful it was and so we obviously got more interested in it. After finding out the name of the group that put this on, I looked to see if they had a website with more information about the ball. I was pleased to find that they did actually have a website with information on this and other events they put on each year. This event is actually more than just a formal ball, it also included an evening of music, Tableaux Vignettes and a theatrical, as well as a day filled with winter activities. They even taught the dances in a workshop they gave the day of the ball, which was most helpful. The ballroom was gorgeous and when I arrived, I couldn't believe I was actually there! I can't say enough about how polite everyone was. The gentleman were very attentive to a lady's every need. They would escort you to wherever you needed to go, they would come over to you every once in a while to make sure you were quite comfortable or to see if you needed a refreshment, and last but not least, they also actually asked you to dance! Many of the "balls" I have gone to, the gentleman never ask you to dance and you find yourself either having to go ask them to dance with you, or content yourself to dancing with your friends. It was a very pleasant change from what I was used to. At about midnight, the gentlemen escorted their ladies to the lower level of the building for an elegant evening meal. The room was lit with table candles and one of the younger ladies played the harp, which she played beautifully. The meal was delicious and I don't think I could dance very many more dances after that! The evening seemed to go by too fast and finally it came to a close in the wee hours of the morning. The next day we went to a park where we ice skated and went coasting. I must say that I never imagined sledding with a crinoline on would be so much fun! Two or three of us went on one of the toboggans down a steep snowy hill. It was so much fun I couldn't help scream and laugh at the same time! Finally, the toboggan came to a stop after one of the girls' petticoats got caught under it. Some of the gentleman went down by themselves on smaller sleds. I have to say they looked rather comical sledding down the hill with their elegant top hats high upon their head. I'm not sure how they kept them on, but they seemed to stay on, at least until they tumbled off the sled near the bottom of the hill! It was just too much fun! Unfortunately, we didn't get to ice skate with everyone else, since we got there a bit too late. But, my friend and I went back to the ice pond to skate a bit ourselves. It's a gorgeous place to ice skate! You can see a few pictures below. After we were about frozen to the bone (at least my feet were, because I was only wearing one pair of cotton stockings when I should have worn wool), we went to Mr. and Mrs. Pinkerton's lovely home to get warm and chat with others that were there. Oh, the weekend went by much too fast! I think I may safely say that this was one of the very best and most authentic events I have ever attended! I cannot wait until next year!!
If you are at all curious about attending this event, you may find more information on their website The Living History Society of Minnesota.
I wasn't able to take many pictures of the event. I didn't want to take away from the authenticity by bringing out a camera all the time, so I tried to take only a few pictures. I have a picture of all three of us girls that went, but those pictures are still in my other camera! I brought along a digital and a 35mm camera. I use my digital camera way more frequently than my other camera now, so I find it difficult to go get any film left in my 35mm camera developed. As soon as I do get that film developed, I will post the other pictures. Now I just hope they turned out!!
