June 6 & 7, 2009

Dalton Days Wild West Fest
Showdown on Crooked Creek

Once again the Dalton Gang Hideout will be invaded by gun slinging cowboys and pretty ladies from the Reenactment Guild of America who will compete in the fourth Dalton Days competition June 6th & 7th.

The Reenactment Guild of America (RGA) is a national organization of gunfight teams and living historians dedicated to the true and accurate history of the nineteenth century. These cowboys and cowgirls spend countless hours researching and rehearsing their gunfight skits and living history presentations and are among the best in the country.

Other events to take place at Dalton Days are the parade, Dalton Fun Run for those that are fleet of foot, stick horse races and other kids games are on tap as well.

The always popular ice cream crank off is a big hit as businesses and organizations compete for the title of "champion" for the year. Each team must hand crank an original recipe to be judged by the enactors. The ice cream is then given out to the public. The winning team will take home the "Dalton Days Ice Cream Crank Off" traveling trophy. The current champs for 2008 are the Meade County EMS.

As if that isn’t enough, the "Hodgeman County Nine" vintage baseball team has agreed to come to Meade and play the re-enactors a game of baseball using 1860 rules. The "Hodgeman County Nine" are a living history team in themselves, demonstrating how the game was originally played.

Visitors may look forward to Old West vendors, great food and good company to be had by young and old alike. There will be a chuck wagon breakfast served by Norman Dye and the Meade Methodist men both Saturday and Sunday.

On Sunday morning before the action starts we will once again offer Cowboy Church with Jerry Odle officiating. Jerry is the minister at the Montezuma First United Methodist Church. He is a cowboy at heart and gives a very inspiring and entertaining service.

Dalton Days buttons are going on sale in about a week at a cost of five dollars each and are good for both days. Buttons my be purchased at the Museum or the Dalton Hideout.

Come on down to Meade and the Dalton Gang Hideout for some rousing old west entertainment on the weekend of June 6th & 7th

For further information contact Marc Ferguson at the Dalton Hideout 620-873-2731, email daltonhideout@yahoo.com
 

Vintage Base Ball at Dalton Days Wild West Fest

Take me out to the Ball Park! Well how about to Dalton Days Wild West Fest instead. The Hodgeman Nines vintage base ball (not a typo, it was spelled with two words prior to the 1880’s) team will play a team of reenactors in a game of base ball using 1860 rules.

The Hodgeman Nines are a team that is sanctioned by the Vintage Base Ball Association and play the game according to the mid-nineteenth century rules. The players, sometimes called ballists, wear period uniforms including knickers and wool caps. The equipment is also different than used today. The bats are wooden and a little heavier, the ball is softer and covered with brown leather and no gloves were used.

Back then game was known as a gentleman’s game so no stealing of bases were allowed because it is unethical to steal the next base and should not be done at a family event. The umpire at home plate wore a top hat and tails. The back stop between home plate and the spectators was not to keep fowl balls from injuring the observer rather it was to keep fans from throwing things at the players.

So... if you are looking for some good ole’ American fun, come on down to Meade & watch a very entertaining and educational game of Base Ball at Dalton Days.

 

Mountain Man Dale Colgrove at Dalton Days

New to Dalton Days this year is Dale Colgrove from Dewitt, Nebraska. Dale has spent over thirty years collecting artifacts and developing his skills as a "Flintknapper" or arrowhead maker, thus he was nicknamed “The Mountain Man” as a young man. Dale is deeply influenced by the traditional Indian culture and shares their respect for nature and our earth.

He has realized that few others are carrying on an appreciation for the ways of the Indian lifestyle, his aim is to teach and convey their cultural and spiritual concepts as they were many years ago. Dale travels far and wide to share his knowledge and his vast collection of artifacts.

Dale is not only a collector of historical facts and artifacts; he is also a skilled craftsman. His passion is working with stone, making arrows, arrowheads, knives, pipes and spears. Dale has spent over eighteen year’s perfecting the art of flint knapping. He is a master at storytelling while knapping an arrowhead while he talks. Young and old alike are mesmerized by his abilities to tell how the Indians made and used tools while he makes them right in front of their eyes. We are pleased to have Dale at Dalton Days this year.