This year’s Publick Days celebration was the best in recent memory with the Henricus Citie Militia providing cooking, musketry, armor and cannon firing demonstrations in the fort while another contingent of the Militia interpreted nautical instruments at the dock by the Phoenix.

To view images taken from the 2012 Publick Days event please visit our Image Gallery. Thanks to Jim Byrd for also taking some amazing high quality pictures.

Militia members performed Here Comes the Judge, which has always been well received by visitors, with Mike Bell reprising his role as the judge. Matthias Brooks was awarded a matchlock musket and the King’s coin for his years of service to Henricus and for coming of age to fire weapons at the Park.

There was a spectacular Grand Salvo from four cannon in the fort, answered by the bronze guns on the Phoenix from down over the bluff by the dock. Jonathon Courtney agreed to put on a full suit of 17th century armor for the Henricus Militia armor demonstration that fit him so well that he didn’t want to take it off. Most of the many visitors attending the demonstration said they had never seen anything like it before.

The Phoenix, a replica of a 17th century coastal trading vessel, never looked better and sailed away with Ron Blackburn at the helm before a good sized crowd of park visitors late Sunday afternoon under full sail. The crew fired a final cannon salute upon leaving, heading downstream to avoid approaching inclement weather much in the tradition of actual 17th century sailors.

Lamar Banister entertained and educated the public down on the dock all day long on Saturday as only he can. Lara and Hanna Brooks provided cooking demonstrations throughout the weekend and excellent 17th century cuisine for militia members. No one has more knowledge of the original settlement of Henricus and experience when it comes to period cooking than Lara Brooks.

Equally important to the goals of the Militia, five new members attended the weekend event and expressed interest in returning. They were trained to fire the matchlock musket by the militia Sergeant Paul Carter who was awarded a sash to distinguish his rank during the weekend.

The contributions of all the interpreters at the park were appreciated and on Wednesday October 10, 2012, members of the Henricus Militia were honored to represent Henricus Historical Park before a meeting of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors who made it official by recognizing the success of the 2012 Publick Days event.