Skills fair takes park visitors back in time

Courtesy photos Reenactors fire off a cannon to mark the hour during the Old Mission State Park’s Skills Fair on Sunday.

Reenactors teach visitors the art of yarn spinning with authentic spindles.

by JOSH McDONALD
Local Editor | July 21, 2018 3:00 AM

Reenactors teach visitors the art of yarn spinning with authentic spindles.

CATALDO — Last weekend, Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park hosted the 36th annual Skills Fair and Mountain Man Encampment.

The Skills Fair showcased skills used by people in the early years of the Mission. Demonstrations included the diverse techniques used to build the Mission and a variety of methods to make food, clothing and other basic needs.

At the skills fair, the demonstrators and vendors wore period clothing and demonstrate skills from the time era of 1840-1920.

Frontier Regulars reenacted the soldiers at Fort Sherman, but there were also various yarn spinners, knitters and lace tatters, Dutch oven cooking, flint knapping, quilting, basket making, blacksmithing, era-appropriate kids activities, mountain men, crafts and music.

Park Ranger Kathleen Durfee was pleased with this year’s edition of the event and enjoyed watching the visitors having a good time.

“The people that came loved it and most spent several hours at the park,” Durfee said. “The two-day event is always family friendly, and the local Pinehurst-Kingston Lions Club were on site to provide food.”

Folks living in the Cataldo area may have heard the booming of muzzleloaders on Saturday and then cannon fire on Sunday.

Coeur d'Alene’s Old Mission State Park contains the oldest building in Idaho — the Mission of the Sacred Heart was constructed between 1850 and 1853.

The event is held the second weekend of July each year.