Before television and electronic gaming systems, handcrafted toys and traditional games were the primary source of entertainment for children. Fort Montgomery State Historic Site will revive that era on May 23. The event, titled 18th Century Games and Toys, is a free public program that invites visitors to explore what childhood activities looked like during the 1700s. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside the historic site, located approximately 12 minutes from Peekskill.
The goal of the event is to continue the park’s educational programming focused on teaching the history of the Revolutionary War era through interactive experiences. This edition centers on popular 18th century games and toys, many of them simple in construction yet highly creative in their use.
Among the featured activities is hoop and stick, a game in which participants roll a wooden hoop while guiding it with a stick, developing coordination and dexterity. Visitors will also encounter Jacob’s ladder, a ribbon-and-block toy that creates a cascading visual effect when manipulated, and stilts, used by both children and adults to test balance and physical skill.
Additional activities recreated during the event include nine pins, an early form of bowling in which players attempted to knock down a formation of nine pins using a ball, and the game of goose, a historic version of the board game that combined chance and progression across an illustrated path. The program will also introduce bilbo catchers, hand-skill devices that required coordination and quick reflexes.
The program will be presented by Tom Hunt, who will guide visitors through the practical demonstrations. This living-history approach will allow attendees to better understand daily life during a period when entertainment depended entirely on physical objects and face-to-face interaction.
For additional information about the May 23 event, as well as future educational programs and activities at Fort Montgomery State Historic Site, interested individuals may contact the site directly at (845) 446-2134 or visit its official Facebook page for updates.
