The Living History Group
Current Projects
Current projects at this time include:
Historic Site Projects & Restorations
Museum Projects
Film Projects
Book Projects
Family Histories
Historic Site Projects & Restorations
From Slavery to Freedom: The Magnolia Slave Cabin Project
We are currently preserving and restoring four 1850 slave quarters and one circa 1900 African-American dwelling at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina (www.magnoliaplantation.com). This includes not only the restoration of these structures to various time periods of occupation, but also the furnishings, interpretation plan, landscape plan, educational programs, and staff training manuals. Magnolia has a rich a long history dating back to the late 17th century. This project includes the future building of an interpretive exhibits center on African-American history and will have in-depth exhibits on the topic as well as the development of educational programming on African-American history for both the general public and school children. The project has included a year of archaeological excavations that took place in 2007. The project is slated for completion in early 2009 with the grand opening in the early spring of 2009. (click here for a detailed description of the project)
The South Carolina Heritage Corridor
We are working with the South Carolina Heritage Corridor as historical consultants regarding wayside signage in the corridor. Our first project was to research and photograph authentic living historians portraying representations of soldiers that fought in the Revolutionary War battle of Eutaw Springs in 1781. We choose to photograph a Patriot Militia man, a British soldier of the 64th Regiment of Foot, and finally, an American regular soldier of the Maryland Line. These images will go on the wayside signage in helping describe the battle and bring realistic visuals to life for visitors.
City of Fountain Inn History Museum
The City of Fountain Inn contracted us to create an interpretive plan for a future history museum to be located in downtown Fountain Inn as part of a new complex that will also include a new Chamber of Commerce facility and Farmer’s Market. As part of that work we will assess their needs, collections, and what story the museum should tell. It will also include potential exhibit concepts and the costs related to implementing the plan.
Museum of the Upcountry
We recently acted as historical consultants for Christopher Chadbourne & Associates, Inc. (http://www.ccadesign.com/) regarding exhibits for the new Upcountry History Museum in Greenville, South Carolina (http://www.upcountryhistory.org/) We created the overall look and design of a number of open-display life-size figures from various historical time periods reflecting the history of the Greenville area. This included putting together the period correct clothing for displays ranging from a 1770 Indian trader to an 1850s drover. These figures are now on display and are unique as visitors can walk up and touch and feel them.
Patriot’s Point Maritime Museum
We have been contracted by Patriot’s Point to organize and run their World War II educational living history weekends for 2008 and 2009. As part of these weekends we create educational programs & tours that will highlight the men that served on both the WWII Destroyer USS Laffey and the submarine USS Clamagore. We then bring in a number of highly skilled living historians dressed in World War II U.S. Navy uniforms (and occasionally U.S. Marines) to run these programs through our oversight. The dates for the 2009 public educational programs are; USS Clamagore Living History- May 31st; USS Laffey Living Histories – August 9th & November 8th.
Medal of Honor Museum
We recently assisted in putting together an honor guard for the grand opening of the new National Medal of Honor Museum located on board the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriot’s Point Maritime Museum in Charleston, SC. The honor guard for the 42 attending Medal of Honor recipients was made up of five men representing each branch of service as well as different time periods. Beginning from left to right in the photo we have representing the U.S. Army a Civil War infantry soldier. Representing the United States Marine Corps is a Marine dressed from the Banana Wars time period in the 1920s. Representing the U.S. Coast Guard is a World War II Coastguardsman (the only time a U.S. Coast Guard sailor was awarded the Medal of Honor was during World War II). Representing the U.S. Air Force is a pilot from the Korean War era. Finally, representing the U.S. Navy is a corpsman from the Vietnam War. It was truly an honor and a privilege to stand post and salute each of those Medal of Honor recipients as they arrived. The oldest recipient present was John Finn who is 98 years old and was awarded his Medal of Honor for his actions at Pearl Harbor in 1941
Healing Springs Orientation Film
We are currently writing and producing a five to seven minute orientation film on Healing Springs, South Carolina for the South Carolina Heritage Corridor and the National Park Service. This film will highlight the rich history of Healing Springs from it’s Native American roots, through the American Revolution, up to today and how the springs still play an important role in the local community. The film will become part of a traveling museum kiosk that will travel around the state promoting regional heritage tourism and history.
World War II Documentary on Kamikaze Attacks in the Pacific
We were recently the historical technical advisors for a documentary film on Kamikaze attacks on the Pacific theater during World War II. We also provided the U.S. Navy uniforms, equipment, and actors/reenactors for the film as well. Our segment of the film was shot at Patriot’s Point Maritime Museum in Charleston, SC on the U.S.S. Yorktown and the U.S.S. Laffey. Both ships are also featured in the film, most prominently the U.S.S. Laffey as she was hit by seven kamikaze planes and refused to sink. The film was produced by Darlow-Smithson Productions, a London based company. It is due to air on BBC 4 and then this Spring on the new Smithsonian Network which launches at the beginning of 2007. Click here for more photographs from the production featuring our actors, uniforms, and equipment.
click here to see more PHOTOS from the shoot!
Upcountry History Museum
As part of our work with the Upcountry Museum project, we worked with Michael Schaffer productions out of Boston in filming an 18th century piece for the museum. The film revolved around a woman telling the story of the Upcountry as seen through her eyes. She had to age from her early 30s in the 1760s to her late 70s by 1810. We put together the shooting locations, production crew, the make-up artist, costuming, and casting. We also acted as historical consultants, production manager, and assistant director for the actual shoot, which took place at Fort King George in Darien, Georgia. We later produced and directed an additional sequence for the museum recreating aspects of the Battle of King’s Mountain, which we shot on location at King’s Mountain National Military Park. The finished film can now be seen at the Upcountry History Museum in Greenville, South Carolina (http://www.upcountryhistory.org/).
World War II Historical Technical Advisors for Music Video Shoot
We were recently hired as the historical technical advisors for a music video shoot up in Greenville, SC. The band is called "Civil Twilight" and they are all originally from South Africa. It is their first music video and it is for their song "Soldier." You can listen to it at their myspace page located on MySpace.
The Director of Photography was Maz Makhani (www.mazmakhani.com) and some scenes of the shoot can be viewed on his web site under short films. He has directed a large number of high profile music videos for artists such as 50 Cent, Eminem, Ozzy Osbourne, and the Black-Eyes Peas. The video was actually shot on 35mm film and produced by Jeremy Stanley. It has a World War II theme with a World War II American veteran coming home to his farm and then having flashbacks. We put together the German soldiers, their look, and the camp scenes and worked with the American soldiers as well. (You can view more images from the shoot by clicking here).
Historical Technical Advisors for the feature film “All for Liberty!”
For the past two years we have acted as the historical technical advisors for the feature film “Liberty!” This has included costume recommendations, finding living historians, and historically accurate locations. I have also come on board as an associate producer for the film as well. This is an independent feature film that takes place during the American Revolution in South Carolina and follows the life of Captain Henry Felder, a patriot leader of militia. It was a real challenge to try and keep the film looking historically accurate on a low budget. The film is being produced by the Actors Theater of South Carolina. Please visit the film's web site and view the trailer at www.allforliberty.com.
BBC Program "Blue Peter" Historical Coordinator
One of the longest running children's television shows in England, "Blue Peter" (www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter/) came to the U.S. recently to film a few episodes. One of which was on the American Civil War. We provided the location, living historians, much of the hosts own outfits, and historical consulting on the episode. It was an interesting shoot.
Military Heritage Corridor Book Project
We are currently writing a book for the National Park Service and the South Carolina Heritage Corridor entitled; South Carolina: South Carolinian’s in Uniform: 1671 to 1945. This publication will go into all of the military heritage corridor sites and other State and National Park Service book stores. We have teamed up with military artist Bob Graham of Charleston who will paint the uniform plates for the book as well. Look for the finished book available for purchase before the end of 2009.
Howard-Gray Family History Project
We are currently working with the Howard-Gray family in South Carolina and Kentucky on scanning, archiving, and researching their family history and archives. This includes reviewing hundreds of pages of World War II letters as well as other family documents that go back to the War of 1812. When this project is finally completed, their family archives will have been cataloged, scanned, and photographed, properly stored, and a family history written.
World War II B-24 Bomber Pilot Project
We recently compiled oral histories with diaries, mission reports, and photographs detailing the wartime experiences of B-24 pilot Oscar Fitzhenry. Mr. Fitzhenry flew more than 50 combat missions in the Pacific theater as part of the "cactus air force" on Guadalcanal and other pacific locations performing bombing runs on targets such as Truk. The title of the book is Flying into Harms Way: The Wartime Experiences of Captain Oscar Fitzhenry. The book has been privately published for his family.
