Cyphers Gang 1700 Reenactment

Hampton Virginia, then known as Elizabeth City, was founded in 1610. Thus making it the oldest English settlement in the US. But unlike Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown, Elizabeth City was harder to control. Pirates and Smugglers abounded during the settlement time period of 1610 to 1700s. While the Golden age of piracy was not seen tell the 1700s. Pirates cruised the early waters of the Chesapeake Bay water shed. Looking for the Tobacco fleet and supply ships to the colonies. Due to the many inlets and rivers it was very hard to control the smuggling in the area and Hampton became a hot bed for the smuggling of Wool, Coffee, Tea and other consumables.

We are towns people of Elizabeth City in the years 1700 to 1740 and demonstrate their every day activities.

Our demonstrations include wool preparation, spinning, embroidery, sewing, weaving, cooking, hide preparation, net making, sailors skills, Blacksmithing, smuggling and pirates.
Gold Panning coming soon.

We also offer a Smugglers Parley. This is a 45 minute long interactive experience that teaches the hows and whys of being a Smuggler and Pirate.

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    Looking for a Piratical Musical Group

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The Girls out Shopping at Black Beards Pirate festival, 2015

Blacksmithing

Mister Cyphers our leader demonstrates the art of Blacksmithing. Blacksmiths made everything from fishing hooks, needles, medical tools to knives.

Textiles (Embroidery, Weaving, Sewing and Spinning)

We prepare wool to be spun. Spin the wool into yarn or thread. Then use what we have spun. We use the thread to make our clothes, weave the yarn into mats and blankets and use the yarn as embroidery floss.

Watermen skills

Mister Ross demonstrates the making of nets for fishing. He also demonstrate knots and the use of a Sail Bench for sail making and repair.

Camp Cooking

 Unlike today, the gathering, preparing and cooking of food was a day long chore. They demonstrate the manner of preparation and cooking during the 1700. 








Native American

Lone Wolf Crow Mulcahy, freed Native American slave.  Explains and demonstrates what life was like for Native Americans in the 1700. This includes deer and Buffalo skin preparation.