I certainly hope Matt is successful in his endeavors in the
Philadelphia area. One benefit of programming in that region is the
USS Olympia, and its period living history crew, etc.
In the Tampa Bay area there is Fort DeSoto, a Spanish War era
fortification which featured heavily in the centennial. Attempts (by
myself and others) to get even Span-Am living history going there
have been a failure over the last several years. As a result one of
the best Span-Am venues in the region is not receptive to even
living history.
Lately, a few of us in Tampa Bay notice the trend among the
reenactment groups listed at Spanamwar.com; that a bunch of groups
are interpreting the soldiers of their state/locality at primarily
local events. This has evidently rendered the organization of a
true "national event" like we saw in 1998 unlikely (other than
paying gigs like the History Channel program of 06).
Rather than fight the trend, we are joining it. Thus I am only
now completing my US Volunteer Infantry impression to interpret the
local 1st Florida Infantry Regiment. So far there are five of us,
and we are having a blast working to kit out. We are shooting to be
kitted out by the end of May of this year in time for a couple of
living history events.
Being a Span-Am reenactor can be lonely. the last comment at a
recent event was: "People reenact the Spanish-American War?" Ha!


"Remember the Maine!"

ARchie Marshall, Tampa, FL