From fresh-cut french fries of the Rural Preservation Association of Northwestern Lehigh County to music that received many good comments, visitors who braved the damp, cold weather enjoyed themselves at the Lynn-Heidelberg Historical Society’s annual Pioneer Day festival.

Music, which echoed through Ontelaunee Park, was by the Perseverance Jazz Band, with Henry Long of Lehighton as director.

Other members are Steve De Sousa of Catasauqua, Bobby Peruzzi of Bethlehem on trombone, Henry Long Jr. on drums, Vincent Roos on clarinet and a name well known in the area as a director of church music, Randall Perry.

Perry said playing keyboard with Perserverance allows him to step out of the box every once in a while.

There was a Pa. Dutch basket auction with many prizes, including one with a huge mum and several mums that had more than one color in a pot.

Volunteers from The New Tripoli Bank were handing out free ice cream, as they have done at Pioneer Day for the last four years.

Crafts were moved to the old pavilion for protection from a heavy rain which did not happen, just off and on drizzle.

Donald Sheetz said his wife, Carol, makes the signs and collects the antiques being offered.

Carol Sheetz calls her crafts, Primitive Treasures, and said the candlestick holders were made from chair legs.

Barbara Johns, an expert spinner, was giving children a chance to spin wool and then tied it into bracelets for them.

She uses a barrel carder instead of a manual carding comb. The wool is washed and carded before the children try their hands at spinning.

Johns said there are more than 200 breeds of sheep and they may have wool from 5 inches to 20 inches long depending on the breed.

Eighth graders from Northwestern Lehigh Middle School learned their history as they trained to be docents at the historic Fort Everett.

Area settlers saw opportunities over the Blue Mountain but the Seneca Indians fought their encroachment.

At least 50 settlers were killed, Gwen McArdle explained.

In 1756, a fort was commissioned, part of a line of forts designed by Benjamin Franklin. John Everett donated land along what is now Fort Everett Road in Lynn Township.

The historical society studied the plans and designs from other forts and built the one in Ontelaunee Park.

The original fort took one week to build with 44 men, said Natasha Farmer and MacKenzie Hess. The historical society took seven years to recreate Fort Everett. Wood came from Trucker’s Mill in Heidelberg Township.

The fort was not used for militia but as a safe haven for the settlers when needed.

The students said the beds had rope mattresses which had to be tightened regularly. More than 400 feet of rope were used to finish the bunk beds.

They also said the phrase “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water” came from the fact an entire family would use the same water beginning with the father for their monthly bath.

Zach Gehringer and Jacob Dolansky told visitors to Pioneer Day about weapons and implements used by the settlers. Jacob Serulneck discussed the butcher table that allowed blood to drain away and the equipment hanging on the wall of the fort.

Taya Foster said muskets were accurate at 100 yards but bow and arrows were accurate at only 50 yards.

There was a step built on the wall for a lookout to watch for danger.

Paul Trainor, a re-enactor, portrayed a surgeon and dentist who filled cartridges when he had free time.

His Pa. regimental uniform came in either green on green or green on red. He wore the green on green weskit (vest) and coat.

Bob Shick, a member of both the Lynnport and New Tripoli fire police and Bruce Dalrymple of New Tripoli helped with parking at Pioneer Day.