Living Historian

Age Requirement 

Historic weapon volunteers must be at least 18 years old to fire historic small arms or artillery. 

Overview 

Travel the roads to Santa Fe! 

Nine original stone buildings still stand guard in Pawnee County, Kansas. In the late 1860s, they were the center of a notable “soldier town,” the first assignment of the Buffalo Soldiers, the site of two Indian agencies, and an important stop for Anglo and Hispanic freighters on the Santa Fe Trail. Today, staff and volunteers share the role Fort Larned played in an era of conflict and rapid change. 

Living history organizations and groups are welcome to take part in the Fort Larned volunteer program. 

Duties 

Are you ready for life at a frontier post? 

• Portray a soldier of the 3rd Infantry or other unit (e.g. 10th Cavalry (Buffalo Soldiers) or 12th Kansas Volunteern Infantry) stationed at or visiting here in the 1860s. Other appropriate living history roles may also be available. 

• Dress in a period clothing in temperatures up to 100 F with high humidity. Fort Larned can provide 1860s uniforms or volunteers may wear personal living history clothing with the approval of the volunteer coordinator. 

• Learn and follow authentic 1860s parade and drill commands. 

• Artillery: Demonstrate proper skills, understand commands given, and adhere to all National Park Service historic weapons safety regulations during the firing of a M1841 mountain howitzer. 

• Small arms: Demonstrate proper skills, understand commands given, and adhere to all National Park Service historic weapons safety regulations during the firing of weapons in use at the fort during the 1860s (e.g. Springfield Model 1861 rifle-musket, Springfield Model 1866 rifle, etc.). 

• Assist fort staff in demonstrating weapons to audiences of 100 or more during living history events. 

• Help maintain visitor, volunteer, and staff safety.