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Information
for
Reenactors and Historians
There have been many developments in the field of reenacting in recent decades. Not the least notable of these is the increasing attention to detail and accuracy at period events. More than just a dramatic presentation, period events have become more realistic exhibitions of the entire scenario they are depicting. The directors and the performers are accepting their roles in the spirit with which they were intended.
At Waterside Woolen Mill we are committed to preserving the nearly lost knowledge and experience of the traditional woolen system in much the same way that a dedicated show organizer or reenactor performs and portrays his or her role. We are not entertainers, however and we receive much of our fulfillment vicariously through the knowledge that those who use our products are experiencing the authenticity and integrity which is part of their making.
Reproductions of period items to be used by living historians and reenactors have historically been evaluated by their accuracy; accuracy being the extent to which the item resembles the extant item after which it was replicated. We agree with this. And the accuracy of the goods available to the reenactor market has improved greatly in the past few decades.
We would like to strive for a new level in terms of originality and authenticity. Our approach includes the experience of processing wool with period equipment at a period mill which made goods used by the honorable men and women whom we portray. We recognize and respect efforts by all who strive to relive and relearn through experience the actual making of the products in the original way. There have been surprisingly few changes at the Waterside Woolen Mill since the blankets made here were used by Civil War Soldiers. It raises the integrity of the hobby and our profession and is good for all.
Each individual has his or her specific reasons for participating in the reenactment of American Civil War period events. And the groups of people who have dedicated themselves to the restoration of the Waterside Woolen Mill have their mission, too. We have chosen to collect, protect and preserve the working knowledge of a 19th Century Woolen system.
We humbly extend ourselves as a sustainable resource for traditional woolen productions. And we encourage those who share our passion to offer constructive suggestions or guidance for the betterment of the field..
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