4 Mile House History Day -- 7 Nov 2009

            “Saturday, 7 November was brite and sunny.  Cinda of like a kid’s Khristmas except it was warm and the ground was dry.  Twoday was the day the Bad Gies get to kill Bluebellys.”  From the fictional diary of the notorious, “Mild Bill Halfkok.”

            Indeed it was.  Twice, at high-noon and about 3:30PM on November 7th, Denver, Colorado’s 4 Mile House became a shooting gallery.  The reports of Colt 45’s, Winchesters, soldier’s muskets & shotgun blasts could be heard throughout the grounds and into Glendale and Denver city.  Outlaws and Union Soldiers fell singly and in groups as salvos of gunfire zinged through the air to their targets.  Many were “killed” and the few left alive were “seriously wounded” enough to die later.  Indeed, there were no winners.  When the battles were over, only the rampant applause of the audience made all come back to life – to fight again another day.

            Such is the life of the Historical Re-Enactor.  Too many to count but it was easy to figure out who they were with.  They came from all over:

The Buffalo Soldiers of the American West portraying the 9^th and 10^th U. S. Cavalry units who patrolled the Western United States.  The “Bluebellies.”

Four Mile House who kept the horse-drawn wagons moving, the Folk entertained and informed, graciously supplied the place to kill and gave tours of the 4 Mile house Museum as well the Lincoln Exhibit in Grant Hall.  Also operated the Summer Kitchen making hardtack & stews for the on-site Re-Enactors.

Hands On History Colorado where the REAL Bad Guys come from.

Monarch Productions where the Good Guys come from (but today they shot with the Bad Guys who shot the Bluebellies).

Rocky Mountain Living History Society (RMLHS) who sent in additional people to help as needed.

1^st Colorado Union Civil War Re-Enactors who sent in the Infantry for the Gunfights, made camp & performed impressive re-loading drills.

Bob Moulder informing about the Navy of the Civil War Era.

Otto “Bear Claw” Ota manned the Trapper’s Cabin and gave talks about life on the Frontier.

            4 Mile House also presented demonstrations of Blacksmithing, Quilting, Baking and Music of the 1800’s.

            The Buffalo Soldiers also put on 2 very fine shows of Horse-Mounted Drills and Formations.  They also performed an impressive drill to the tune, “God Bless the USA”

<Web Master's Note: The only photos I had available to me of this Event, were those supplied by HOHColorado.  In addition to those Groups mentioned above, there also were people from a local Quilting Outfit, a music quartet and others I was not able to obtain their Group info on that day.>