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
The Brickhouse Plantation Project
We are working with the current owners and former plantation owners of the early 19th century three-story 5100 square foot brick Federal-style home known as the “Brickhouse” to explore the viability of restoring the house to its former glory and possibly making it available for public interpretation. The house is located outside of Clinton, South Carolina in the upcountry.
The Garvin House Project
We were recently contracted by the Town of Bluffton, South Carolina to create a preservation, restoration and interpretation plan for an 1870 Freedman’s house known as the “Garvin House” located in Oyster Factory Park. The more than 400 page report (including appendix) outlines the significance of the structure for the area as well as various options to both restore and interpret the structure in the larger context of the Bluffton Historic District. The town is now exploring ways to raise the money for the restoration of the structure and implement aspects of the interpretation plan as well.
From Slavery to Freedom: The Magnolia Slave Cabin Project
This project which began in 2006 and was completed and open to the public on March 1, 2009 and consisted of the preservation and restoration of four 1850 slave quarters and one circa 1900 African-American dwelling at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina (www.magnoliaplantation.com). This project included 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. The tour includes a 45-minute interactive program on the history of slavery in the Lowcountry and at Magnolia followed by a self-guided tour of the cabins with an accompanying hand-out. The project was awarded the 2009 South Carolina Palmetto Heritage Trust Honor Award for Preservation. (click here for a detailed description of the project PDF 6.3Mbs)
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 Living History Group created the interpretation plan for the new Fountain Inn History Museum. The structure is currently under construction and the museum is expected to open in October of 2010. The new structure will also house the Fountain Inn Chamber of Commerce and be adjacent to the new Fountain Inn Farmer’s Market. The new building is meant to reflect a historic train depot as the building is adjacent to the old railway tracks and located on Depot Street.
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 worked with and acted as intermediaries between Patriot’s Point and the History Channel to provide a documentary film on the World War II battle history of the destroyer U.S.S. Laffey (DD 724) for an exhibit aboard the ship in 2008. We were also contracted by Patriot’s Point to organize and run their World War II educational living history weekends in 2007 and 2008. As part of these weekends we created educational programs & tours that will highlight the men that served on both the WWII Destroyer U.S.S. Laffey and the submarine U.S.S. 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. In 2009 the U.S.S. Laffey developed a serious leak and all living history events were suspended. The famous ship known as the “ship that wound not die” was towed out of Patriot’s Point in August of 2009 and taken to dry dock to repair her hull. It is hoped that she will be back and open to the public in the spring of 2010 and living history events and interpretation aboard her can resume.
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
Pilot for New Television Series
We are currently in pre-production on a pilot for a new reality and history-based one-hour television show to be shot in the fall and winter of 2009. It is an exciting new venture that we will release more information regarding as it becomes available.
Jude Deveraux DVD-Book Project
In July of 2009 we were contracted to act as associate producers and technical advisors for a film shoot in Charleston. The project involved a new medium in film and book publishing in which scenes from a book are filmed as an accompanying preview item for the novel. The current novel this is being experimented with is by best-selling author Jude Deveraux. The novel is set in Charleston, South Carolina in 1800 and is filled with romance and intrigue. The book is to be published sometime in late 2009 or early 2010 along with the accompanying DVD. We provided all of the actors, costumes, and props for the shoot.
Healing Springs Orientation Film
We wrote and produced a seven minute orientation film on Healing Springs, South Carolina for the South Carolina Heritage Corridor and the National Park Service. The film highlights the rich history of Healing Springs from its 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 is now part of a traveling museum kiosk that travels around the state promoting regional heritage tourism and history.
Click here for a News Article on the project PDF 2.3 Mbs
World War II Documentary “Kamikaze!”
As the historical technical advisors for this documentary film on Kamikaze attacks on the Pacific theater during World War II, we provided the World War II U.S. Navy uniforms, equipment, and actors/reenactors for the production. 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 featured in the film, most prominently the U.S.S. Laffey. The Laffey was hit by seven kamikaze planes in April of 1945 off the coast of Okinawa and yet refused to sink. The film was produced by Darlow-Smithson Productions, a London based company. It has aired on both the BBC and the Smithsonian Network. 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
Craig Hadley has just complete a book for the National Park Service and the South Carolina Heritage Corridor entitled; 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. Craig teamed up with military artist Bob Graham of Charleston who painted the more than 30 uniform plates for the book as well. Look for the finished book available for purchase before the end of 2010.
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.
