FORT MASSAC ENCAMPMENT: MORE THAN 100,000 VISITORS EXPECTED FOR TWO-DAY EVENT

METROPOLIS, Ill. -- More than 100,000 visitors will crowd into Metropolis this weekend.

The majority of them will visit Fort Massac State Park at one time or another during the weekend.

The attraction is the 34th annual Fort Massac Encampment, which features authentically-uniformed military re-enactors, working crafts people, musical melodies played by bagpipers, fifes and drums, and foods of an earlier era.

Historical re-enactors represent different time periods and areas in early Illinois history, said Terry Johnson, site superintendent. French, British, Spanish and American soldiers and Indians will engage in mock battles and tactical demonstrations each day.

"The battles do not depict any specific battle," said Johnson, "but the battles do depict how a typical battle of those times might have looked."

The annual encampment has grown over the years. More than 80,000 people have attended the past two or three events, and as many as 100,000 are expected for the 1996 event.

Visitors can view military camps, talk with buckskinners and other craftspeople throughout the weekend.

"The people and activities of the encampment give a good picture of this area from about 1750 to the early 1800s," said Johnson.

Fort Massac State park is located in Metropolis between Highway 45 and the Ohio River, and is the state's oldest state park. It includes an interpretive center and old forts high on the banks of the river.

All the camping facilities are full for the weekend, but the park has 50 class A sites with electricity, a group camping area and tent camping.

The park's facilities also include a large picnic area, shower building and playgrounds. Two trails are available for hiking: a half-mile loop trail through the park, and the 2.5-mile Hickory Nut Ridge Trail which takes hikers along the river.

The site history, told through interpretive video and a museum, dates back to the 1750, when the original fort was built by the French, who held it from 1757 to 1763 during the French and Indian War. The fort was burned when it was abandoned by the French.

The British, who occupied the site during the Revolutionary War, did not rebuild the fort. But in 1778, the site came under U.S. control and in 1794 the fort was rebuilt to protect the U.S. military and commercial interests in the Ohio Valley.

The last time U.S. troopers were stationed there was during the Civil War, when the fort served briefly as a training camp.

The fort and site are now maintained by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The park is the second most-visited park in the state park system.

Festivities this weekend start each day at 10 a.m., with a posting of the colors at the fort.

Events are scheduled each day.

SCHEDULE

10 a.m. -- Posting of Colors, at the fort.

10:30 a.m. -- 42nd Royal Highlands Bagpipe Band, at the battleground; rope walker and juggler performance.

11 a.m. -- Colonial Fife and Drum Corp, battleground; children's puppet show.

11:30 a.m. -- Arrival of Voyager Canoes, Ohio River; Great Rivers Fife and Drum Corp, river.

Noon -- Music of 18th century, stage.

12:30 p.m. -- 18th century children games stage area; rope walker, juggler.

1 p.m. -- Children's puppet show, stage.

1:30 p.m. - Ladies tea, Living History Museum.

2 p.m. -- Music of 18th century, stage; Colonial Fife and Drum Corp, battleground.

3 p.m. -- Mock battle and military tactical demonstration, battleground.

4 p.m. -- Great Rivers Fife and Drum Corp, battleground; rope walker, juggler.

4:30 p.m. -- Military Retreat Ceremony and closing activities, at the fort.