| The Dao | 06 Mar 2020 2:33 p.m. PST |
I recently was disappointed that Fort Ligonier removed the "life-size toy soldiers" in their buildings, so I did a post in memory to them. A great site to visit and be inspired on so many war-game levels, troops, terrain, etc. Well worth a visit, even with the toys removed. link |
 ColCampbell  | 06 Mar 2020 3:45 p.m. PST |
Any reason given for removing the "toy soldiers?" Thanks for the tour! Jim |
| JMcCarroll | 06 Mar 2020 5:14 p.m. PST |
Pretty sure some liberals son or daughter were terrified by the solders after their parents explained the horrors of war from a 21st century view. |
 Der Alte Fritz  | 06 Mar 2020 5:28 p.m. PST |
You should have asked the staff at the fort why the changes were made. |
| Berzerker73 | 06 Mar 2020 5:36 p.m. PST |
Yes let's blame the liberals for everything… It is a shame they've been removed. |
| BorisTheSpider | 06 Mar 2020 5:44 p.m. PST |
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| The Dao | 06 Mar 2020 6:24 p.m. PST |
The two answers I received were 1. Scaring the kids (that's no joke) and 2. Wanting to have more "living" history interpretations within. I would like the living history interpreters, but the issue is likely budget and exactly how many they can regularly staff. It leaves the fort experience relatively empty, compared to the feeling of walking into each building and getting a frozen image in time. Still worth a visit. |
| Londonplod | 07 Mar 2020 10:42 a.m. PST |
Nice photos, thanks for posting. |
| historygamer | 07 Mar 2020 11:19 a.m. PST |
So my memory and involvement with the site goes back pretty far (70s), and I think those mannequins have been there most of that time. They are looking a bit dated, and they get in the way (and have to be removed, or left to work around) when re-enactors populate the place for their events over the year. They are kind of creepy looking, I'll give the kids that. |
| marco56 | 08 Mar 2020 12:15 p.m. PST |
If those mannequins scared the kids god help us.
Mark |
| Sundance | 09 Mar 2020 6:14 a.m. PST |
I believe the living history interpreters are volunteers, not paid employees. I live near the fort, and though I haven't been there in years, it seems they were always desperate for interpreters – and likely always will be. |
| historygamer | 09 Mar 2020 8:17 a.m. PST |
Yes, you are correct. So two different things – perhaps regular volunteers that come up whenever, vs (we) re-enactors that appear for events held at the fort. For Fort Ligonier Days in October, they always remove the mannequins as they just get in the way and look weird when real people are in the buildings. During my younger days at Fort Pitt Museum, we used to go into the displays of the powder magazine, or barracks and stand still as a mannequin when people would come by. Oh, the comedy that ensued. :-) |
| Shagnasty | 10 Mar 2020 1:24 p.m. PST |
I liked the mannequins. Too bad they've been removed. |
is back from Council of Five Nations.