Five Medals at the Trace | 18th Century Event Tour, 2022

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Shaping the future

Like many in muzzleloading, Mike has seen the continued cultural changes in the United States and worries about what it means for the future of a hobby he’s been involved with for decades. While chatting we talk about several events that no longer exist, whether affected by the economy or a dissolving patron base, we’re seeing a number of events go away, and with them, staples of local history.

You could say this concern over the future of not only the Five Medals event but the livelihood of Mike’s friends who depend on these events to support their families has spurred another change in Mike’s living history journey. In recent years Mike has begun to think about the future and how he can support an incoming generation of enthusiasts so that someday he may pass the reins and see them carried forward.

I wanted to talk to Mike because I’ve seen that very desire, the desire to see this continue in my interactions with him. I’ve known Mike since I was a boy and he’s been a great friend to me in my own living history journey. He’s provided resources and keywords I use in my own research and I can’t thank him enough.

This interview is about Mike’s story, but it became more than that, I think. It became the story of a man’s passion through time, changing like the seasons. Each season supports and nurtures the next.