Apaches, a card shark and a military band

It was announced as a “pop-up” event at the Ft. Lowell Park. Now under the guidance of the Presidio San Agustin, old Ft. Lowell including the reconstructed museum was, on Saturday, the site for reenactors from the years the fort was active: 1873 to 1891. And “active” means the period of time when the U.S. government was determined to defeat the Apaches and drive them onto a reservation. In time the army succeeded, but to this day the Apache reservation is called the Apache Stronghold. Naturally, it now has a casino and a good golf course.

But I digress…

Remnants of the old Fort Lowell still exist, now sheltered to prevent further erosion of the adobe bricks. And, right, two newer buildings–reconstructions of officers quarters–house a museum, also shrouded to protect them. The museum is incomplete but perhaps now that the Presidio is overseeing Ft. Lowell, the exhibitions and displays will be finished. (More about this below.)

The real stars of this “pop-up” event were the reenactors, starting with a blacksmith shown at the top of this post.

On the left, a reenactor played a card game with children who could bet blue plastic tokens on which cards would turn up next. In the tradition of card sharks, the kids were losing. Center, men costumed as soldiers and an army saddle. On the right, a woman dressed in 19th century dress and bonnet.

And for your listening pleasure…an army band!

The band played military music and marches and even performed a Fife and drum song. It was getting hot out in the sun so I went to the museum just a few steps away.

Just inside the entrance, above, are these 2 posters that make clear what the museum is about: the Indian Wars in the 1800s. Around the corner, however, was an incomplete display.

And further along are photos and paintings of old Fort Lowell, including one of the native scouts who worked with the army. There was also a photo of Martha Summerhayes who wrote a book detailing her life as an Army wife in Arizona at the time. Sadly the book has not been digitized for Kindle, so I haven’t read it yet.

As I wandered back toward my car, I stopped to talk with some men who had just set up a display and were clearly not reenactors of the U.S. Army. It turned out they were representing the British Army in the early 20th Century.

Fort Lowell Park, when not being the site of this military “pop-up”, is an inviting, shady public park.

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