Creating History: The Art of First Person Interpretations

In 2021 and 2023 the Bidwell House Museum hosted two weekend-long living history events where dozens of people camped on the property and lived as if it was the time of the American Revolution. The Museum is planning a third reenactment weekend this coming fall, on October 3-5. The dedication of these historical interpreters creates a wonderfully immersive and educational experience for the visitor, but have you ever wondered how these men and women learned how to turn back the clock and live as if it was the 18th century? In this Zoom program on April 24, you will have an opportunity to listen to several people, who have participated in Bidwell House Museum living history events in the past, explain how they got into the art of historical interpretation, talk about their love of history, and share what they do to prepare for these events.

Speakers in this program:

Emma Cross is a historian who lives in Williamsburg, Virginia. Immersed in history from a young age, Cross comes from a family of storytellers, and has always been drawn to the amazing stories that history has for us. Starting at the age of 4 she began working in museums which led to a 29-year career in front-line museum work. Twenty-two of those years occurred at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in many different departments, including the first-person Nation Builder unit as Clementina Rind. Cross is also the owner and director of Meadows and Stars, llc, a historical performance company that focuses on telling history in engaging and informative ways. She will portray Frederika Charlotte Riedesel at the Bidwell House Museum in October.

Michele Gabrielson is a public school history teacher and historic interpreter of the 18th century. She specializes in interpreting the history of colonial women printers, 18th century chocolate makers, and revolutionary playwright and poet Mercy Otis Warren. Michele is the secretary for the nonprofit Mercy Otis Warren Society, and is the coordinator for the Battle Road Guides for the annual reenactment of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. She was awarded a Rising Star Award for Public History by the Massachusetts History Alliance and a finalist for the 2024 Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year. She has been named the Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution’s Outstanding History Teacher of the Year for 2025 and the winner of the Fred Graham Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati. She will portray Mercy Otis Warren at the Bidwell House Museum in October.

Sandy Spector has been a Revolutionary War reenactor since 2000, but now finds herself in her favorite role, Martha Washington. She spends most of her time researching and interpreting Mrs. Washington and has been portraying Martha – alone or with George – in numerous states and venues for the past 10 years, including the National Park Service’s Washington’s Headquarters’ in Cambridge, MA, Valley Forge, and Newburgh, NY. As well, she presents for museums, classrooms, libraries, historical societies, and various associations virtually and in person throughout the US. She is currently writing a book about Martha Washington—in Martha’s voice. She will portray Martha Washington at the Bidwell House Museum for our opening program on May 17.

Richard Smith has lectured on and written about antebellum United States history and 19th-Century American literature since 1995. He has worked in Concord as a public historian and Living History Interpreter for 26 years and has portrayed Henry David Thoreau at Walden Pond, around the country, and in Canada. He has written or edited 11 books for Applewood Books, including two about Thoreau. Richard is the former Scholar In Residence at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn in Sudbury. He is a regular contributor of historical articles for “Discover Concord.” He will portray Henry David Thoreau at the Museum in October.

The program will be held via Zoom and pre-registration is required. Details for how to access the event will be sent via email a few days in advance to all registrants.