In 1775 the now legendary frontiersman Daniel Boone blazed a trail through the Cumberland Gap – a notch in the Appalachian Mountains located near the intersection of Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee – through the interior of Kentucky and the Ohio River. Known as the Wilderness Road, the trail would serve as the pathway to the western United States for some 300,000 settlers over the next 35 years.

Boone’s pioneering path led to the establishment of the first settlements in Kentucky – including Boonesboro – and to Kentucky’s admission to the Union as the 15th state in 1792.

A re-enactment of the blazing of that trail will take place May 7-30 as a group of men and women seek to re-create a 230-mile 18th century horseback expedition from Sycamore Shoals in Elizabeethton to Fort Boonesborough, Ky. The group will represent a cross section of people and cultures, frontier men and women.

Fourteen encampment stops are planned for the three-week journey at which the re-enactors will present educational programs for the public. The purpose of this journey is to bring awareness to the need to preserve America’s frontier history the importance of the westward movement, and its impact on the Euro-American and native peoples, and the skills necessary to survive on the frontier.

One of those stops will be at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area Saturday, May 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

When a group of wealthy investors spearheaded by Judge Richard Henderson of North Carolina formed the Transylvania Company they hired Boone, the white man considered to have the most knowledge of the existing trails, to blaze a new trail through the Cumberland Gap.

To confront the issue of Native American aggression, Henderson decided to approach the Cherokee directly, and in March 1775 his associates negotiated with the Cherokee to purchase the land between the Cumberland and Kentucky rivers, a total of some 20 million acres, for 10,000 pounds of goods.

As many as 300,000 settlers traveled along the Wilderness Road from 1775 to 1810. In addition to its human traffic, the trail provided a route for farm produce intended for sale in markets closer to the coast, as well as goods and supplies to supply the growing western settlements.

The day-long encampment at Sycamore Shoals will include campfire presentations, live fire demonstrations of Long rifles and the music of frontier fiddling.

Each stop on the trail will be a bit different and the public can plan to see this expedition several times for a different live experience.

Parades are planned Barbourville and Berea, Kentucky,  as well as demonstrations and presentations at the encampments.

Two highlights of the event include speakers Mark Sage, representing the frontiersmen, and Rusty Cottrell as “Shawnee Chief Black Hoof” representing the Native American culture. 

At each stop of the journey, there will be an art exhibit by Frontier Artist David Wright. David’s work presents a view of life on the first frontier and his paintings capture the daily activities of both the pioneer and the Indian culture.

The re-enactment will also help to support horse therapy for wounded war veterans through programs such as “Horses and Heroes” and Deer Creek Stables in Richmond, Ky. These programs help veterans return to a heathy life by using this technique of therapy. Donations of hay, oats, old saddles, blankets and offers of services to the veterans will also be accepted on the expedition. It costs $35 to provide a session for a veteran and the public can help them with buying segments or any monetary contributions. Collection stations will be available for the duration of the trip.

America’s Frontier History is sponsoring this event which also brings awareness to the Boone Trace Corridor, the historic road stretching from Cumberland Gap to Fort Boonesborough, constructed by Daniel Boone.

The re-enactment is also in part sponsored by The Boone Society, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization made up of over 300 Boone Family descendants of which Daniel Boone is most notable, and whose mission is to preserve the legacy of the Boone Family.

For more information and to find locations of presentation stops visit http://www.boonesociety.com/pages/americas-frontier-history-expedition/