Living History and New Year’s Ball at Salmon Lake Park

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

GRAPELAND – A few days after the official start to 2024, Salmon Lake Park will play host to a New Year’s Ball and living history event, organized by Old Ways Made New, a group specializing in bringing history alive. 

The event is set for Friday and Saturday, Jan 5-6, with several events planned to bring fun and history to Houston County. 

Residents can come out Friday to spend some time “behind the scenes” with the crew, who dress and live as pioneers, showing off the sometimes very different and sometimes, very modern-looking ways our ancestors lived. 

Saturday, the real fun begins as the historical demonstrations are set to begin at 10 a.m., with a dance practice set for 2 p.m.  While the re-enactors will finish at 4 p.m., stick around for the New Year’s Ball, set for 7 p.m., with doors opening a half an hour before, for socializing and spending time with other guests. 

A day pass is $5 per person, and the group invites people of all ages to see the demonstrations during the day such as camp cooking, dance practice, soldier’s encampment, weapons demonstration, blacksmithing, family life, who wore what, colonial Texas and much more. Attendees will be able to learn more about history spanning from the colonial period to 1865, shop with our demonstrators and purchase unique items, visit the cafe in the “hotel” on site and visit at your own pace or follow the schedule for demonstrations scheduled during the day. 

Tickets for the ball are separate, with changing rooms on-site, or one can always bring an RV and stay at the park. There is limited space at the ball, with light finger-foods and entertainment on offer. 

Those interested should contact Salmon Park directly, at 936-687-2594 or by going directly to the historical group’s website for tickets, www.oldwaysmadenew.com.

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]