Re-enactors look to bring Revolutionary War era to life at Altoona fort
ALTOONA, Pa. (WJAC) — This weekend the Revolutionary War era is coming alive as Fort Roberdeau hosts its ranger skills weekend.
Historians say during the war rangers were given the opportunity to leave and return home to help their families through the winter months.
When they returned, Maj. Robert Cluggage would hold a weekend of drills to help hone the rangers' skills in things like ax throwing, shooting and black smithing.
During this weekend’s event re-enactors will be acting as rangers at the fort, showing guests what the training was like for rangers during the war.
Fort Roberdeau was originally built to help protect a lead mine in the mountains above present day Altoona.
The director of the fort shared with us why he loves being a part of the ranger skills weekend, saying it’s a great way to go back to a different era.
“It is a great way to relax and step back in time, so that you could see what it was like in the frontier during the Revolutionary War,” said Glenn Nelson, director of Fort Roberdeau. “Fort Roberdeau was the westernmost Revolutionary War fort in Pennsylvania. So, this was the rugged frontier and it still feels like it today.”
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