FAQs
How do I join?
You can contact us via phone or mail or email and we can get a membership application to you.
Do I need a costume? Where do I get one?
You will find lots of opportunity to learn where to find items that can be converted to period-appropriate equipment, how to make your own period-appropriate clothing, and where to buy anything you can’t or don’t want to make. Sometimes members have costume items for borrowing or buying until you get yours complete.
Don’t let lack of a costume stop you from coming out, though. Even out of costume, there is a lot to see and learn and we’d love your company. There are regular “baggages” where members get together specifically to work on costumes, help each other and learn.
Are there Membership dues?
Yes, the MLHS collects a $15 membership fee from its members. Arranging events can be costly in long distance phone calls and postage, so this fee helps cover operating costs.
Many events through the year involve an honorarium that is divided among the members who attend the event.
Is attendace mandatory?
No! The MLHS is very casually organized. Attend as many or as few events as you like. Of course, we love to have members
show up regularly so we can get to know them, but we understand our schedule and yours won’t always match up. The more events that you manage to attend, the more you can learn about the era and improve your costume.
What’s a “baggage”?
The large rag-tag group of camp followers, hangers-on and family members that followed an army to war were known as the “baggage train”. The semi-regular MLHS meetings became known as meetings of the baggage train, or more often simply “baggages”. At a baggage, we meet at someone’s house for most of the day. There is usually great amounts of food, great amounts of talk, organized and impromptu discussions on historical topics, workshops on practical historical skills, trading and selling of items, and anything else anyone can get the group to try.