LIVING HISTORY SCHOOL FIELD TRIP

The Battle of Aiken, past recipient of:
The Governor’s Award for Best South Carolina Event
Dr. James Butler National Award for Best Living History Program
Since 1995, thousands of school children have traveled to the Battle of Aiken Park for the annual School Field Trip Day held the Friday, after President’s Day, each February. Students go through a living history program that makes history come alive! Over 75,000 children have experienced the program. Today, some of the past attendees are now parents and bring another generation of students to the program! Schools from across Georgia and South Carolina attend every year. All public schools, private schools, and home schools are invited to attend this event which is appropriate for all ages. The educational program is believed to be the largest attended single day field trip in the state. 
 
Thanks to our generous sponsors, the field trip will have no costs to schools and is free of charge to students and teachers.

Where those dusty old history books come alive!

Women's Dress
Horse Care
Students View Cannon
Soldier's Drill
Cannon Demonstration
Blacksmithing
Parking for School Buses
1865 Fashions
Sword Techniques
Living History Instruction
Uniform Display
14 Cannons
Hundreds of Kids See Demonstrations
School Day
Music
Fashions
Army Cooking
1865 Civilians
Students will rotate, at their own pace, through different stations that bring history alive. Students will step back in time as living historians in authentic dress or uniform explain:
  • Women's Camp Life
  • Women's 1865 fashions
  • Military uniforms
  • The role of infantry, artillery, and calvary
  • Tent & camp set up
  • 1865 music
  • Artillery fire demonstration
  • Evolution of the musket with firing
  • Military engineering and signal corps
  • Blacksmithing
  • Pioneer crafts
  • 1865 open fire cooking
Students can also see and tour:
  • An authentic 19th century log cabin
  • A recreated one room school house
  • Corral with horses
  • A recreated one room school house
  • A recreated 1850 jail
  • An 1865 country store
  • Soldier campsites
Horses
1865 Medicine
Country Store
Engineers Map Making
Cavalry Camp
1800s Crafts
Engineers
1865 Fashion

Admission: Free
Time: Gates open at 8:30 A.M. and close at 3:00 P. M. Presentations begin at 9 A. M. There is no minimum or maximum time requirement. Most schools spend five hours at the site.
When: Friday morning prior to the annual Battle of Aiken reenactment.
Food: Students are welcome to bring box lunches. Food and soft drinks are available for purchase at our concessions.
What to Bring: Warm clothing, umbrella, jacket, cap, comfortable walking shoes, and a camera.
Souvenirs: Some historical-based souvenirs and books will be available for purchase.

Please forward this information to fellow teachers, schools, and home school associations.

To register, please download the registration form and mail or email it.

Send all registration forms to:

Battle of Aiken, P.O. Box 1863, Aiken, SC 29802

or Email: battleofaiken@aol.com