September Events for Louisiana State Parks

Upon Request, Forts Randolph & Buhlow State Historic Site, Pineville – Daily Demonstrations. Daily demonstrations will be conducted to show how cotton fiber was separated from seed. Juxtaposed against hand separation, this will serve to illustrate how such a simple machine had such a great impact on the proliferation of cotton production in the South. We will be using a wheel gin (hand crank roller gin). These types of gins even pre-date the Whitney gin. We will also have mature cotton plants with open bolls as part of the exhibit/demonstration, as well as raw cotton for use in the gin. For more information call 888.677.7437 toll free or 484.2390 locally.

Daily, Forts Randolph & Buhlow State Historic Site, Pineville – Musket Demonstration. The demonstration includes a brief presentation of infantry weapons used in the Civil War, a discussion of the merits of rifle muskets over smoothbore muskets and of the basic parts of the musket, a loading demonstration, and finally a firing demonstration. The presentation ends with a question and answer session and an invitation to continue the site tour with a visit into Fort Randolph. For more information call 888.677.7437 toll free or 484.2390 locally.

Tuesdays-Saturdays, Rebel State Historic Site, Marthaville – Musical Petting Zoo, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Visitors can view the collection of stringed instruments on display to touch, play, and enjoy. For more information call 888.677.3600 toll free or 472.6255 locally.

Tuesdays-Saturdays, Rebel State Historic Site, Marthaville – The Listening Library, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Visitors can listen to country recordings and access the collection of books and films that tell the story of the roots of country music. For more information call 888.677.3600 toll free or 472.6255 locally.

Saturdays, Forts Randolph & Buhlow State Historic Site, Pineville – Workin’ in the Garden, 10-11 a.m. Together will the Rotary Club of Pineville, LA, site staff cultivates a vegetable garden on site. Volunteers are welcome to come help out and learn about vegetable gardening then and now. Your labor is always appreciated, as most vegetables produced go to the Main Street Mission of Pineville. For more information call 888.677.7437 toll free or 484.2390 locally.

Sept. 7, Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, Natchitoches – Historic Walk, 9-11 a.m. Site staff will take a walk with points of interest within the park and along a designated path where 18th century colonial families lived. Fee is $10 per person. For more information call 888.677.7853 toll free or 357.3101 locally.

Sept. 7, Fort Jesup State Historic Site, Many – Chalking for Old Man Winter, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. A costumed interpreter will discuss and demonstrate the different plasters and mud packing which were used to insulate the buildings during the 1800s. The program will also demonstrate how the woman of the home also began to prepare for winter. For more information call 888.677.5378 toll free or 356.4417 locally.

Sept. 14, Hodges Gardens State Park, Florien – Painting in the Park, 9 a.m.-noon. Participants will be shown step-by-step how to draw and paint a picture. The gardens will be inspirational with their beauty and color. With or without artistic ability, you will paint your own masterpiece. Bring your own canvas; paint, brushes and easels will be provided. For more information and to reserve a seat call 318.586.7002.

Sept. 14, Forts Randolph & Buhlow State Historic Site, Pineville – Whittling the Hours Away, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Many hours were spent in camp with little to do so soldiers sought refuge from boredom by devising various diversions. Group songs, games, musical instruments, theatrical productions, practical jokes and more all helped to keep morale up and pass the time. For more information call 888.677.7437 toll free or 484.2390 locally.

Sept. 14, Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, Natchitoches – GPS Mapping an 18th Century Block, 1-3 p.m. Using Broutin’s historic map of early Natchitoches, visitors will join staff members and help find structures in and around the 18th century fort site. For more information call 888.677.7853 toll free or 357.3101 locally.

Sept. 17-20, Hodges Gardens State Park, Florien – Nature Walk, 9 a.m. Join the park ranger for a tour through the gardens and trails. This walk will tour to the waterfalls, the old rock quarry and bog garden.  Learn about the trees and wildlife in the various seasons. For more information call 800.354.3523 toll free or 586.3523 locally.

Sept. 21, Marksville State Historic Site, Marksville – Prehistoric Mound Tour, 10 a.m. & noon. Site manager, Doyle Jennings, will conduct tours of the prehistoric mounds and demonstrations of the area and daily tasks. The Marksville mound site was an important American Indian ceremonial center over 2,000 years ago, established sometime around 100 B.C. by the Hopewell Indian culture and extended until approximately 430 A.D. For more information call 888.253.8954 toll free or 253.8954 locally.

Sept. 21, Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, Natchitoches – Happy Birthday St. Denis, 5-6 p.m. Site staff and visitors will celebrate the birthday of St. Denis. Louis Juchereau de St. Denis was born on September 17, 1676 in Canada. This year’s celebration will include a presentation on St. Denis’ achievements and in his honor, the staff will give a musket salute and/or fire the cannon. For more information call 888.677.7853 toll free or 357.3101 locally.

Sept. 27, Forts Randolph & Buhlow State Historic Site, Pineville – Preparing for the Invasion, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. In honor of the sesquicentennial of the construction of Forts Randolph and Buhlow, Confederate re-enactors will be erecting breastworks to show how some Civil War defenses were assembled. Soldiers will employ first person interpretation to explain various obstacles confronted by engineers in charge of both forts’ construction. For more information call 888.677.7437 toll free or 484.2390 locally.

Sept. 28, Rebel State Historic Site, Marthaville – Mini Mandolin Workshop, 10 a.m. – noon. Anyone interested in learning the basics of the Mandolin is invited to bring your musical instruments and attend this workshop. After the workshop has concluded, there will be a jam session from 1 to 5 p.m. for the students to display the skills they have learned. Pre-registration is required. For more information call 888.677.3600 toll free or 472.6255 locally.

Sept. 28, Rebel State Historic Site, Marthaville – Acoustic Instrument Jam Session, 1 -5 p.m. Bring your acoustic instruments and join other area musicians at Rebel SHS for an afternoon of musical fun and learning. The jam session will be held in the Louisiana Country Music Museum lobby from 1 to 5 p.m. You do not have to play an instrument to attend. Listeners are always welcome. For more information call 888.677.3600 toll free or 472.6255 locally.

Sept. 28, Rebel State Historic Site, Marthaville – 3rd Annual Gospel Jubilee, 6 p.m. Rebel’s Gospel Music Jubilee brings together three of the area’s best gospel groups/singers. Beginning at 6 p.m., Bro. Jimmy Price of Converse, LA, will perform for the first hour followed by the well-known Bluegrass Gospel duo; Lee Eddie Self and Terry LeMaster. The Jubilee will conclude at 9 p.m. For more information call 888.677.3600 toll free or 472.6255 locally.