~Upcoming Events ~
A lecture will be presented at the Lewis County Historical Society, 7552 South State St., Lowville, NY, by Jack and Donna Vargo on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. Jack and Donna are currently the owners and artisans of the Beaver River Trading Company in Belfort, NY, a business started in 1995 for the purpose of providing historically accurate museum-quality reproductions of 17th and 18th century colonial artifacts for use at historic sites, museums and by re-enactors of the colonial period. The Vargo’s operate a colonial blacksmith shop focused on the production of knives, trade axes, and other metal trade material. They are also engaged in the production of brain tanned buckskin and items made from it, as well as porcupine quill embroidery, loomed quillwork and other techniques used to decorate Native American objects. They have conducted classes on all of these techniques.
Jack and Donna are the authors of three scientific and archeological papers, have presented material to be used by the New York State archaeologist, the late Dr. Robert Funk, for the NYS Museum, and have written numerous articles for historical society bulletins and journals. Though they produced some of the material used in the movies “Last of the Mohicans” and “Tecumseh” and an 8 hour PBS documentary on the “Lost Colony of Roanoke,” their focus remains within the historical community. The February 4th presentation will discuss the Battle of the Thousand Islands and the siege of Fort Levis, the last battle of the French and Indian War. It examines General Jeffrey Amherst’s role in executing his portion of a three point plan to capture Montreal, the last major obstacle to British expulsion of French influence in North America. Recognized will be the monumental effort of French Captain Pierre Pouchot to delay General Amherst’s advance down the St. Lawrence River in order to achieve that objective. It will also briefly examine the history of the nearly 100 years struggle between England and France for control of North America, and note that the French and Indian war was just one segment of a global conflict. The lecture is free and open to the public and refreshments will be served.
Join us for a great evening of entertainment at the following concerts...
