Because I now write two blogs per month, there are more events for me to share with my readers. In October 2024, there was the Mt. Harmon Colonial Festival in MD. Now, most of the events I attend are reenactments, but this one was a festival. The difference between them is that festivals generally have limited or no reenactors, and firing any weapons isn't permitted. I've been to numerous reenactment events here many times. Two years ago, I wrote about this event in blog #52. 

The drive is fun for me. It takes about an hour and a half on highways and back roads from my home in the Philly suburbs. The only change is that some of the roads now have tolls. The temperature was mild, but the entire day was cloudy, with showers in the late afternoon.

Why is Mt Harmon a historic site to visit? Here is a brief explanation from their website.

Welcome to Mount Harmon, one of Maryland’s most beautiful historic sites. Mount Harmon is a tidewater plantation and nature preserve, and features a restored 18th century manor house, colonial kitchen, smoke house, formal boxwood garden, Carriage House Education & Discovery Center, prize house, replica slave quarters and tobacco barn, set on 200-acres nature preserve with nature trails, and a spectacular waterfront setting. 

Mount Harmon’s history spans more than four centuries, including the native Tockwogh ndians, Captain John Smith, Colonial and Plantation History, Revolutionary War and American History,...

As I first strolled the grounds, I visited the colonial kitchen and met Pat, the day's kitchen interpreter.  She was setting up for her cooking demonstration by getting the fire ready. There was no need to bring my flash because my Nikon D500 doesn't require much light to get a good photo. I set my camera ISO to around 45,000! The ISO controls the amount of light your camera lets in. Back in the days of film, the highest film ISO was 1600. My digital camera allows more than 28 times more light than the highest ISO film. Unbelievable. I can almost get a decent photo with virtually no light.

For this photo, I wanted to give it a nostalgic look. I muted the colors and added some filters in On1 software.

From 1750 to 1810, Mount Harmon was a tobacco plantation owned by the Louttit and George families. Historically, tobacco plantations were labor-intensive. So, this plantation, like others in the South, relied heavily on enslaved people who performed most of the manual labor. In addition, tobacco farming eventually destroyed the soil. This plantation was transitioning away from tobacco farming by the American Revolution. 

These historical sites are significant because they teach us about our past and history. While strolling the grounds, I noticed this wooden structure and learned it was called the Prize House. It was where tobacco was “prized” or packed tightly into barrels, known as hogsheads, for shipping overseas. 

One of the highlights of a festival like this is the activities and 18th-century toys/games targeted at kids. Here, I noticed this family, especially since the children were dressed in colonial attire, which made this a memorable photo.

Often, festivals focus on sutlers (vendors) selling all sorts of merchandise. Some were outside and protected with canopy tents; others were inside the Education and Discovery Center. I spotted this array of silver pieces there and thought it would make an interesting photo. I wanted to create an image with more of an antique look, so I added some customizing filters in On1 software to get this effect. It makes me think old.

Thank you for reading! Blog # 87 will be posted May 15, 2025.  Be safe & well!

Huzzah,

Ken Bohrer