CHALMETTE, LA – The public is invited to a sneak peak of the Living History Park and Re-Enactment Battlefield where 1,500 historical re-enactors will assemble on January, 9 – 11, 2015, to put on the largest re-enactment of the Battle of New Orleans in history.
The groundbreaking takes place today, Wednesday, December 10, at 8207 Patricia St., Chalmette, at 3:00 p.m.
Speakers scheduled to attend include the Honorable James J. Coleman, Jr., Honorary Consul of Great Britain, Timothy Pickles, President of the Louisiana Living History Foundation and Board members of the LLHF and the Joseph & Arlene Meraux Charitable Foundation.
“In January 2015, we will assemble on our new Living History Park more people in War of 1812-era uniforms than at any time since January 1815,” explained LLHF military historian Pickles. “Re-enactors are coming from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and across the United States to put on this event to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans.”
The re-enactment of the five principal Battles of the New Orleans 1815 campaign will take place on the purpose built field a mile from Chalmette Battlefield.
“Most people don’t realize it, but it literally takes an act of Congress to have re-enactment on a Federal Battlefield,” Pickles said. “So, thanks to the generosity of the Joseph & Arlene Meraux Charitable Foundation, the Honorary Consul of Great Britain Mr. James Coleman, and Mr. Terry Tedesco, we will break ground on a new Living History Park upon which this massive, three day Battle Re-Enactment will be held in the first weekend of January for the Bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans.”
The groundbreaking will formally inaugurate the new Living History Park featuring an historically accurate, scaled reconstruction of the original Battlefield from the British formations to the American 'Line Jackson'.
The 20-acre plot of land adjacent to Torres Park (behind the Wal-Mart) will host visitors throughout the year, spreading the story of the Battle of New Orleans and its key role in the history of the United States.
