Hands On History 2012 Dates

Dates for 2012 have been approved.  We have 2 Home School Days next year, Wednesday, May 9 and Friday, May 11, 2012.  Monday, May 14 and Tuesday, May 15 are available for public and private school groups.  Please contact me privately or leave a comment with your contact info so I can contact you directly.  As always, private information will not be published.

New Page on Facebook - Hands On History

I've got a lot to learn about using Facebook. However, it occurred to me that having a page for the Hands On History program might make it easier for people to keep in touch about it, especially our home school families and groups. I've made a page here. Please Like our page. Also, if you have photos you'd like to share, please post them.

Directions from the Cincinnati/Lebanon area

Here are some directions from the Cincinnati area to help you get to Quaker Knoll with as few problems as possible.

Take I-71 North to Exit 36, Wilmington Road. This is the Fort Ancient exit.
Go east (right) on Wilmington Road towards Olive Branch Campground (on the south/right side of the road.
Go 3.1 miles past Olive Branch Campground to North Clarksville Road/Co Rd 37. Note that North Clarksville Road is one of those split country roads, so you will first pass northbound North Clarksville Road on the left, the next road to the right is North Clarksville Road southbound.
Go south (right) onto North Clarksville Road for 2.7 miles. You will cross Rt 22/3 at a stop sign and continue into Clarksville.
North Clarksville Road ends at OH 350 next to a feed mill on your left. Go east (left) onto 350 East through Clarksville.
Go 3.5 miles on 350 E then take a slight left onto 730 North towards Wilmington.
Go 2.1 miles on 730 N to the second road to the right. The first road is an entrance to Cowan Lake. The second road is Sprague Road. You can only go Right on Sprague Road. There will be a sign for the Quaker Knoll Church Camp.
Go 1/2 mile on Sprague Road to come to the driveway for the camp. There is a sign. The driveway is shared by a few homes. Just continue on and the lane will end at the Quaker Knoll lodge.

Hands On History - Town Meeting

Participate in the first town meeting after the constitution was ratified. Our town must decide one of the many decisions of how we will govern ourselves in our new country. This class contrasts the new U.S. government with the Colonial government system.

Homeschool Day 2011 - Thursday, May 12, 2011

Join us for Homeschool Day 2011 on Thursday, May 12, 2011. This day will be for home school families and groups only.

Additional writings by Gerry Barker

Gerry Barker now has a blog for his personal writings: http://historyforfuture.blogspot.com/. I hope you will enjoy them.

Hands On History at Quaker Knoll Camp May 11-13 and 16-18, 2011

We are now accepting reservations for May 11-13 and 16-18, 2011.

Hands On History - Sawing

Students participate in sawing a log with a two man crosscut saw. The focus is on the work within the capabilities of young people in constructing homesteads on the Ohio frontier.

Hands On History - Coopering

A look at the role of apprentices in the trades of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with a focus on the cooper, a maker of buckets and barrels. In this class the students will get a look at the necessity of wooden containers, and how they are made along with the progression of young people into the trades. A hands-on element is included.

Home School Day - Thursday, May 13, 2010 - It's Official!

We are now taking reservations for Thursday, May 13, 2010, Home School Day, Hands On History at Quaker Knoll Camp. Join us and the Four Kings, the oxen, for a day learning about early Ohio life.

Home School Day - Thursday, May 13, 2010

We have not had any home school groups select a day this year, so we are offering Thursday, May 13, as Home School Day. Please contact me ASAP to schedule your family or group.

Farming on the Overmountain Frontier

Keep you eyes out for Gerry Barker's new article "Farming on the Overmountain Frontier" coming out soon in Muzzleloader Magazine.

Muzzleloader Magazine Articles

We are very proud that Gerry Barker has been published recently in Muzzleloader Magazine:

- July/August 2008, page 68, "Build Your Own Adventure"
- September/October 2008, page 60, "At the Speed of an Ox"
- March/April 2009, page 63, "Indentured Servitude"

Hands On History dates May 12-14 , 17-19, 2010

We are now accepting reservations for May 12-14 and 17-19, 2010.

Home School Day 2009

Home School Day will be Monday, May 18, 2009 at Quaker Knoll. If you or your home school group is interested in joining us, we are ready to take additional reservations.

Spring 2009 Program - May 13-15, 18-20

Our 2009 program runs May 13-15, 18-20, 2009. We are not planning a fall program but will consider doing one if there is enough interest.

The program takes about 4 hours, running from 9:00 or 9:30 AM until about 2:00 PM, or as your busing schedule permits. Admission is $5.00, with two adults free per 25 students. Home school families and groups are most welcome.

Frontier Resources in the News

On Tuesday we had a visit from Wilmington News Journal reporter Brandon Smith who wrote this article. Unfortunately the photo in his article is mis-labeled. It actually shows Maria Hummel with the oxen.

Picture of the Oxen at the Hartford City Civil War Event 2007

We thank photographer Linda McMillan for allowing us to post this picture taken at the Hartford City Civil War event in October 2007. The Four Kings are great around cannon. This event several years ago was their first time around large cannon. They had been around other artillery, but nothing this large. The first firing on the line took them a bit by surprise, but with Gerry by the lead team of George and William, and me by James & Charles to reassure them, by the 3rd firing they had settled and have never again really reacted to artillery.

Their calm, quiet acceptance has helped other teams, both horses and oxen, to accept artillery with aplomb.

Spring 2008 at Quaker Knoll - Hands On History

We are looking forward to seeing some of our favorite schools and home school groups again this spring. We still have some room for home school groups on Monday, May 19. We do have another day open should you want to bring your school or home school group on Thursday, May 15.

Spring 2008 Home School Day for Hands On History at Quaker Knoll Campground

We are now scheduling home schoolers for Monday, May 19. If your home schooled family or group is interested in attending our program this spring, we suggest this day. If another day would work better for you, please contact me for availability.