Hosted By
The 2021 Santa Fe Trail Bicentennial Symposium
Bent’s Fort Chapter Event
La Junta, Colorado
September 23-
The Santa Fe Trail Lives On:
200 Years of Commerce & Cultural Connections
Call for
Historical Interpreters
The deadline for submissions has passed. The interpreter requirements are still posted below so you may judge the types and quality of the historical interpreters who will be taking part in the Symposium
2021 Santa Fé Trail Bicentennial Symposium and the 35th Anniversary Commemoration of the Santa Fé Trail Association
“The Santa Fé Trail Lives On”: 200 Years of Commerce and Cultural Connections
Application Requirements for
Living Historians/Demonstrators/Camps @
Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, La Junta, Colorado
The Mission of the 2021 Santa Fé Trail Bicentennial Symposium:
The Santa Fé Trail Bicentennial is a commemoration of a living part of the American Experience. The Trail remains crucial to American History in its many forms: connecting people in commerce, conflict and culture. The Bicentennial creates opportunities for education, awareness, and exploration of countless facets of the American Experience past, present, and future.
The Organizing Committee for the 2021 Santa Fé Trail Bicentennial Symposium is seeking
the best qualified Living History Interpreters and Demonstrators to educate Symposium
attendees and the visiting public on the activities and lifestyle of those who would
have been involved with the business and events on the Santa Fé Trail throughout
its history but concentrating specifically on the contributions of Bent, St. Vrain
& Company (1833-
In order to demonstrate the lifestyle found on the Santa Fé Trail and at Bent’s Fort during the year 1843, the committee is seeking applications from the best Indian, laborers/herders, fort and camp traders, domestic workers, period craftsmen, clerks/owners, doctor, hunter/trappers, teamsters, trail travelers of the time and place, and military interpreters and demonstrators who will enhance the experience presented at this Symposium. By necessity, there will be a limited number of spaces available in each role. Specifically the committee is seeking living history interpreters for the following roles:
The open positions can be filled by any type of interpreter role for which there is justification for being present at Bent’s Fort or on the Santa Fe Trail in 1843. A couple of examples might include male/female Native Americans, and Charles Warfield, Jacob Snively and Texian volunteers. Background Information for 1843 can be found here.
There may also be limited opportunities to present a developed informal talk and/or demonstration throughout the Symposium on the park site.
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In order to insure that the most qualified, the “best of the best” Living Historians/Demonstrators are selected as contributors to the Symposium based on established standards, their qualifications and their willingness to provide programs; all who would like to be considered will need to fulfill at least one of the following requirements:
1. Attend a Living History Education Encampment held at Bent’s Fort NHS during the
first week of June of odd-
OR
2. Send in a portfolio, have attended and was evaluated at two other Bent's Old
Fort living history events between now and the end of June 2021 and then send in
a letter of interest and be juried as to represent the highest quality and focus
OR
3. Have had sent in a portfolio for the 2015 Fur Trade Symposium and was successfully vetted and participated during that Symposium and then send in a letter of interest, and any updates on the portfolio which was sent in 2015 and be juried as to represent the highest quality and focus.
OR
- Have attended first person Living History programming at a site or event recognized for superior programming and then send in a portfolio to be juried as representing the needs of the event and the high quality and the focus of the symposium. Include, in this portfolio, the names and contact information of person(s) who can attest to your experiences at other sites or events.
OR
- Special application for Novices. A few positions will be filled for the program by interpreters who are just starting their journey in the field. Each applicant must be sponsored by three experienced First Person Historic Interpreters from different historic sites and from different historic roles, with emphasis being given to past activities that reflect the potential of the applicant, work the applicant has done to begin a First Person interpretation, and a letter from the applicant illustrating why they are interested in participating in the symposium and what they hope to contribute, gain, and pass on to other to perpetuate the history of the Santa Fe Trail. All other application requirements will apply.
All portfolios to be vetted for the 2021 event must include, at least:
A. The historic documentation of role-
using and a bibliography of resources used to develop and document that clothing, gear and
accouterments.
B. A series of images (photographs or DVD) that illustrate past programming showing you as an
interpreter in the clothing, with the gear and accouterments described in #1 above.
C. A brief interpretive outline of the historic presentation that will be offered for the enhancement of a
Symposium centered on the Santa Fé Trail.
Simply put, explain to the Committee how you are able to make this Symposium a better event by
what you offer.
D. Please include a list of relevant site and/or events where you have worked and/or volunteered, and
any works on related topics you have had published and any professional organizations of which you
are a member.
________________________________________________________________________________
In order to insure that the most qualified, the “best of the best” Living Historians/Demonstrators are selected as contributors to the Symposium based on established standards, their qualifications and their willingness to provide programs; all who would like to be considered will need to fulfill at least one of the following requirements:
1. Attend a Living History Education Encampment held at Bent’s Fort NHS during the
first week of June of odd-
OR
2. Send in a portfolio, have attended and was evaluated at two other Bent's Old
Fort living history events between now and the end of June 2021 and then send in
a letter of interest and be juried as to represent the highest quality and focus
OR
3. Have had sent in a portfolio for the 2015 Fur Trade Symposium and was successfully vetted and participated during that Symposium and then send in a letter of interest, and any updates on the portfolio which was sent in 2015 and be juried as to represent the highest quality and focus.
OR
- Have attended first person Living History programming at a site or event recognized for superior programming and then send in a portfolio to be juried as representing the needs of the event and the high quality and the focus of the symposium. Include, in this portfolio, the names and contact information of person(s) who can attest to your experiences at other sites or events.
OR
- Special application for Novices. A few positions will be filled for the program by interpreters who are just starting their journey in the field. Each applicant must be sponsored by three experienced First Person Historic Interpreters from different historic sites and from different historic roles, with emphasis being given to past activities that reflect the potential of the applicant, work the applicant has done to begin a First Person interpretation, and a letter from the applicant illustrating why they are interested in participating in the symposium and what they hope to contribute, gain, and pass on to other to perpetuate the history of the Santa Fe Trail. All other application requirements will apply.
All portfolios to be vetted for the 2021 event must include, at least:
A. The historic documentation of role-
using and a bibliography of resources used to develop and document that clothing, gear and
accouterments.
B. A series of images (photographs or DVD) that illustrate past programming showing you as an
interpreter in the clothing, with the gear and accouterments described in #1 above.
C. A brief interpretive outline of the historic presentation that will be offered for the enhancement of a
Symposium centered on the Santa Fé Trail.
Simply put, explain to the Committee how you are able to make this Symposium a better event by
what you offer.
D. Please include a list of relevant site and/or events where you have worked and/or volunteered, and
any works on related topics you have had published and any professional organizations of which you
are a member.
These portfolios shall be sent by mail to:
2021 Santa Fé Trail Bicentennial Symposium
Living History Committee
Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site
35110 Highway 194 East
La Junta, Colorado 81050
Or by email to: [email protected]
The Symposium’s Criteria Committee shall have said portfolio and/or letters of interest on or before 1 January 2021.
Once selected, a Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement will be sent to you which must be signed and returned PRIOR TO 15 March 2021.
Those persons whose portfolios have been accepted and have returned their Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement will receive a formal invitation as a gratis attendee of the 2021 Santa Fé Trail Symposium by 15 April 2021.
Requests for further information, questions or concerns may directed to John M. Carson
@ 719-
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