Spring 2024 Event – Brave Church Westminster, CO

Experience 18th-century life through costumed interpreters, hands-on activities, and military demonstrations. Aspects of colonial American life will be available for you to experience – agriculture, blacksmith, education, games, gunsmith, military, and much more.

1776 – Colonial Location – Boston Massachusetts

The tension in the air crackles brighter than a summer storm. Each morning I wake to the rumble of drums echoing across the harbor, a grim serenade from the ragtag army encircling our city. They call it a siege, these Patriots, but for us trapped within Boston’s walls, it feels more like a cage.

Life has unraveled faster than yarn yanked from a cat’s paw. Gone are the bustling markets, the lively taverns, the familiar faces of neighbors who’ve fled this suffocating reality. The air reeks of fear and salt, the ever-present threat of cannons hanging heavy in the damp sea air.

Remember April? The news of Lexington and Concord arrived like a slap, raw and shocking. Then came the panicked exodus, families spilling out of the city like sand from a ripped sack. Those of us who stayed, Loyalists or simply too poor or stubborn to leave, now huddle together, whispers our only currency.

Food dwindles with each passing day. British rations become meager offerings, barely enough to keep a sparrow alive. We barter, we forage, we tighten our belts and pray the siege ends before hunger truly takes hold. News from the outside world filters in like smoke through cracks – whispers of a fledgling “Continental Army,” led by a Virginian named Washington. They say he stands resolute, these ragged farmers turned soldiers, their makeshift fortifications slowly choking the life out of the British hold.

The Battle of Bunker Hill, oh, the carnage! We watched from rooftops, hearts hammering a frantic rhythm against our ribs. Smoke choked the sky, screams a chilling counterpoint to the roar of musket fire. The redcoats prevailed, but at a cost so dear it felt like a pyre consuming both sides.

Then came the long, cold winter. Huddled in drafty houses, fire our only meager comfort, we listened to the wind moan stories of hardship and hope. And then, in the dead of night, the Americans struck. Dorchester Heights, they called it, a silent giant crowned with cannons aimed at the slumbering British fleet.

Panic seized the redcoats. We saw the flurry of activity, the frantic packing, the fear etched on their faces. On Evacuation Day, the harbor teemed with ships, a desperate exodus mirroring the one that had emptied our city months before. We watched, a mixture of relief and unease washing over us, as the last redcoat boat slipped away into the horizon.

Boston is free, they say. The war, they warn, is far from over. But for now, we breathe a ragged sigh of relief. The cage door stands open, the air lighter, though the scars of the siege run deep. We rebuild, we remember, and we wait, wondering what freedom truly holds in this new, uncertain dawn.

— Fictional first person account from a loyalist living in Boston.

18th-Century Military Demonstration – twice daily 11:40 AM & 3:20 PM

Both Continental and British troops will demonstrate 18th-century military maneuvers. Though similar, you will learn the differences between the two opposing forces. This will be introduced by a rousing fife and drum march and concluded with a booming artillery demonstration.

Medical Demonstration – Immediately after each battle

Stop at the apothecary tent to learn about 18th-century medicine. Several surgical techniques will be demonstrated, and none of them will be frightening to watch.

Projects – twice daily 9:30 AM & 1:30 PM

We offer optional hands-on crafts to make something special to take home. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

JOIN US!

We require each family to fill out a Liability Waiver. Save time, and print at home. Print each guest’s name, and have each adult sign. Children under 18 are not required to sign, so long as a parent or guardian has signed.