Friday, April 24, 2015

Fair Camps & Fort Barracks

I’ve posted various Fair Camp setups from the Ft. Fred Fair in previous year’s posts.  Most folks setup with a wedge or wall tent and a dining fly.  This year I thought I would focus on the minimalists of the fair – the folks camped under diamond flies and such like affairs..

FFTF 15 (20) Two Diamond Flies Pitched Plow Point Style

Diamond flies are square pieces of canvas measuring anywhere from 7x7 to 14x14 feet in size.  They typically have reinforced corners with a tent peg style loop and a centered canvas reinforcement with a tent peg style loop or web ties.  The plow point pitch is the most popular around here.  Two adjacent sides of the diamond are staked down with the corner in the back set into the wind.  The free corner is then tied off to an upright pole which is itself held firm with guy lines.  A third rope is tied to the diamonds center and a second upright.  This gives one a bit more headroom under the diamond. 

FFTF 15 (28) Another Double Diamond Setup

These two diamonds share a front upright and use a two pole rear set for each diamond.  The headroom created is easy to see in this photo.  Diamonds are easy to setup but don’t provide secure and dry sleeping in a wind driven rain. 

FFTF 15 (29)Double  Lean-to Camp

This lean-to setup uses 2 rectangles of canvas and 4 tied on triangular end pieces.  As you can see by the man inside, the headroom is fairly low.  There are also canvas pieces to tie into the openings between the lean-tos.  This gives good rain protection while also allowing ample ventilation in hot & clear weather.

 FFTF 15 (30) Another Double Lean-to

These folks hadn’t finished setting up yet.  It shows the basic lean-tos without any tie in sections.

FFTF 15 (31) Lean-to with Square Dining Fly

This is a true Lean-to with sewn on sides.  The front section of the roof has been dropped down to act as a door for privacy.

Just for comparison, here’s a statelier dining area:

FFTF 15 (33)The Comforts of Home

Ft. Frederick State Park has been setting up the inside of one barracks with “rooms” from the fort’s garrisoned era.  This year they also has an officer to give a more personal side to life in a frontier fort.

FFTF 15 (103) Junior Officers’ Mess with Interpreter

He was just finishing a presentation on enlisted soldier’s wives as I came in. 

FFTF 15 (101) Military Stores

They’re expanded the military equipment in the quartermaster’s storeroom and made the contents of the various kegs and boxes easier to see. 

FFTF 15 (102) Cannon Loading & Cleaning Tools

These are some of the equipment added since last year.

FFTF 15 (104) The Laundry Room

The Laundry Room now has laundry as well as a baskets, washboards and small wash basins for spot scrubbing.

FFTF 15 (105)Wash Tubs Old & New

There does seem to be a deliberate effort to show things in an in-use state, including broken bits and things needing repair or replacement.

No comments:

Blog Archive