Fort Matanzas

A couple of years ago, I went on a week long summer vacation to Crescent Beach, FL.  Michael was just starting to get involved in history and we had the opportunity to go to a couple of forts and to an Alligator Farm.  

Fort Matanzas - This was a small forte less than a mile from the house we were staying at.  You get to ride a short ferry across the river to get to the fort.  The fort is small, but real neat.  I think we went to the fort every day of the week that we were there.  It is a small park and a quick ferry trip, but we loved it.  It was at this vacation that he started to get heavy into military history.  We went to Fort Matanzas 5 times that week.  And we walked down the nature trail (boardwalk through the woods).  He loved to get a sprite for each of us as we started our journey down the trail.  When walking a nature trail we loved to pretend that we had gone back in time, that we were in the times of the Spanish armada and the British were at war.  We would gingerly slink down the boardwalk listening for any signs of the enemy.  Each visit Michael would say he would take the tour to the top of the roof on the blockhouse, but he just couldn't manage to do it.  I love those memories.  Watching the wind rush through his hair and his eyes squint so as to see through the surf and wind to our ultimate destination, Fort Matanzas.

The British are Coming - Act 1 Scene 2

Michael loved museums, he loved history, he loved learning new things.  I loved taking him and watching him as he saw history right before his eyes.  A few years ago, we went to the Mary Brogan Museum just about every weekend or two.  If we were bored, we would just run to the museum for a bit.  

His first visit to Mission San Luis when we talked to the characters, we met a character actor of a spanish solider in the block house.  The actor said that the british or pirates were on their way to destroy the village, he was playing in character of the time.  Michael did not understand at first and became a little frustrated.

Solider:  The british are on their way to destroy the village, they have indian allies and are getting close.  We will have to burn the village before they get here.

Michael: Why don't you call for help?

Solider: That would take weeks to send a messenger.

Michael: Just use your cell phone.

Solider: Cell Phone?  What is this Cell Phone.

Michael: You know, you use it when you want to talk to someone.

Solider:  We sent a message via a courier (sp), we don't think they made it.

Michael:  A cell phone is technology, use your technology.

Solider: We have technology, I have a musket right here.  I have never heard of a cell phone.

Michael: Technology, you know xbox, that is technology.

Solider: xbox?  We have a box over there, is that what you mean.

Me:  Michael the year is 1540, it is not present day.

Michael:  It is 2008, I have an xbox, you have a cell phone.  We have technology to call for help.

Solider:  It is 1540, we must get ready to burn the fort down.

Michael: Look over there at that red box, it says "pull in case of fire".  That is technology, this is 2008.

Solider:  I see no red box.

Michael: (Walks to the box) and points it out matter of factly.

Me: Michael, he is pretending this is 1540 and that we have gone back in time.

Michael: Ohh (A smile creeping across his face), why don't you use your guns to defeat the british? (Always believing the good guys would win).

Michael learned a lot that trip, he had always liked museums.  However, after that encounter, he wanted to talk more to the characters even if he was shy at times with them.  He realized that his love of history and his love of imagination could morph into a magical moment especially at living history exhibits.  He loved watching any reenactments.  

At Mission San Luis, his favorite area was the block house, nature trail, and the great council house.  I believe we made about 7-10 trips to Mission San Luis, what a wonderful time to see how he reacted being around living history.  I don't know if I can ever go back to a museum, the wonder and excitement are gone.  The magic is missing.  They had a story telling April 11th, it would have been fun to go to another story telling by Rainbow Eagle.