Newtown Battlefield in Upstate New York as Great Family Spot

In upstate New York, between Waverly and Elmira near a small hamlet called Lowman lays a very large hill looking much like the other hills around it. That is until you climb the mountain and go back in time to one of the local cultural events of the season. Newtown Battlefield is a place that will literally take you back in time.

There are two of our regions biggest enactments events here each year. I love local history and every year I try to get up there to watch either the war enactment or the Native American festival.

During the enactment your eyes will behold the visions of yesteryear where cannons boomed and a major battle for the revlousarity war is played out upon the hill. In 1779 General George Washington ordered General John Sullivan to gather up an army and go fight the Iroquois and their allies. George Washington wanted the army to drive out the Native Americans out of the area, because they were attacking the white settlers in the area. There was an awful battle in the valley below the mountain and on the mountaintop.

Back in those days the families followed the father into war so you will also see this aspect of the life. You will see people of all ages in period dresses. The females had the long dresses with petticoats and the males went around in knickers. Children played games that challenged their imaginations such as chase the hoop.

My favorite time to go there is when the Native American Festival is going on. Native Americans in full dress are all over, on the top of the hill you can sit among the trees and watch the dances complete with music. There are vendors who are selling all types of Native American items, when my kids were little they loved the flutes.

A trolley bus will take you down to where you can visit the Indian Village to see how they built their shelters long ago. There is a meeting lodge, and shelters in the process of being built. It really is a time capsule back in history dating back to 1779, when the Native Americans were all over this beautiful land.