“Cards and Board Games: Entertainment in the 1830s” program

A living history program held on Saturday, November 7, 14, and 21 will explore entertainment in the 1830s. Site interpreter Seth Goff will demonstrate and teach visitors how games were set up and played. You can learn more about how 19th-century soldiers and civilians entertained themselves with faro and card games. Whenever the soldiers at Fort Gibson had authorized downtime—or whenever enlisted soldiers decided to take a “break” at the expense of Uncle Sam and their officers, there were many options for entertainment during downtime. Gambling card games like faro, as well as more innocent games like checkers, dominoes, and others, were commonly played by both soldiers and civilians in the 1830s. Please check in at the Palisade admissions office located across the parade square from the entrance gate. This program is conducted outside of climate-controlled areas, so visitors should dress for unpredictable weather in November.