Living in the past

One of the best ways to learn history is to relive it.

Usually, this requires a combination of knowledge and a good imagination.

It definitely helps to visit the scene. Even hundreds of years later, the topography is usually the same and, in lucky circumstances, buildings and other artifacts either remain in place, have been recreated or can be examined in photos or artwork.

Historical novels are wonderful tools for gaining insight. Even when some major characters and minor events are fictionalized, most writers attempt to remain true to history; some even provide notes to help readers separate truth from invention.

Kenneth Roberts, of “Northwest Passage” fame, won me over when I was a teen. I gobbled his books. I first learned from Roberts that there are gray areas in history. For example, before he was a traitor, Benedict Arnold was a Revolutionary War hero. We didn’t lose the war because of his treachery; but we might have lost had he not served valiantly before becoming our most famous turncoat.

Movies, including the 1940 film version of “Northwest Passage” starring Spencer Tracy and Robert Young, made history more palatable; but movies can’t include the kind of detail novels are known.

In many ways, it’s hard to top a live performance by a talented thespian who is playing the part of an historical figure. Such events benefit from carefully crafted designed to maximize dramatic appeal while presenting a factual and meaningful account of past events.

The first on-stage impersonator I became aware of was Hal Holbrook, who began playing Mark Twain more than 50 years ago, when he still needed makeup for the part.

I’ve been educated and entertained by a number of professionals. They helped me understand (and like) Walt Whitman, Thomas Jefferson, Harry Truman, John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt and others.

But my favorite form of visiting the past is reenactments. I’ve been in both British and Rebel camps during the Revolutionary War; I’ve visited with southern and northern soldiers during the Civil War; I’ve been to western round-ups; and to gold rush boomtowns.

Saturday, I visited Lower Fort Garry – a recreated outpost of Hudson’s Bay Company on the Red River north of Winnipeg, Manitoba. There, a few dozen college students, and others, portray characters from the mid-nineteenth century.

Sharing the fort with only a few busloads of elementary school students, I had the opportunity to speak with several re-enactors one-on-one. Usually remaining in character, they displayed an impressive command of knowledge and were able to extrapolate from the facts to help me gain insight into both historical and modern day Canada.

Though I was never confused about what century I was in and didn’t “feel” like a pioneer or an employee of the HBC, walking among the buildings and picking the brains of those who are spending the summer immersed in history made for a day I’ll long remember.

Find out more about the fort by visiting http://www.pc.gc.ca/garry. And take a look at the excellent Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Fort_Garry