For anyone wondering what it was like to live in the Maine woods 200 years ago, the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray was the place to be Saturday. That’s where a group called the Ancient Ones of Maine set up shop with a camp re-enactment from the early 1800s.
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Members of the group assumed historical personas — a mountain man and a Northeastern long hunter were among the campers — and interacted with the public. Visitors were allowed to explore the camp and participate in fire starting, cooking, trading, flint knapping, weaving and even tomahawk throwing.
“The big deal with us versus other re-enactors is that we welcome visitors to come into our camp,” said Dave Bryant, the Ancient Ones’ “booshway” — the man in charge of the rendezvous at the park.
Lisa Kane, a natural science educator at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said the group takes pride in the historical accuracy of its presentation.
“When they set up camp, they live it,” she said. “They really are living like it was 200 years ago.”
There were a couple of concessions to Father Time, however, mostly for the sake of safety.
“We try to be as authentic as we can, but we know eyeglasses are a little out of place,” Bryant said. “But some of us can’t see.”
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