Long Pond Ironworks reenactment brings Victorian history to life
West Milford. Reenactors from the Royal Sussex Society portrayed British military and civilian life during an early Victorian encampment at Long Pond Ironworks on Sept. 12, giving visitors an opportunity to explore the period through demonstrations, historical details and a lantern walk.
| 15 Sep 2026 | 10:11
Kyle Parker, John Van Vliet and Jesse Gerber dress as British soldiers. (
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Larry Young as a French enactor who escaped to Great Britain to avoid Madam Guillotine. (
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John Van Vliet, president of the Royal Essex Society, demonstrates preparing a Victorian era rifle to shoot. (
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Mayra Petretti demonstrates how to make bobbin lace. (
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On Saturday, Sept. 12, visitors to the Long Pond Ironworks were able to talk directly with reenactors portraying the Victorian period. The event offered glimpses into the peculiar, personal and sometimes humorous details of everyday history.
For five years Nathan Bedford, a reenactor himself, has been the reenactment event coordinator for the Long Pond Ironworks. As the coordinator, Bedford has many details to deal with, including a curse. Bedford explained the curse of Martin Deeks continues with the cancellation of Sunday’s encampment due to the threat of severe rains. The curse started when Deeks split logs for creating an authentic worm fence, sometimes called a snake fence, for use in the village. A member of the ironworks preservation society saw the wood and decided to cut it up for use as firewood. The curse continues with adverse weather often requiring reenactment cancellation. Also, for several years, the village was shuttered due to Covid.
Bedford organized this year’s reenactment with the Royal Sussex Society, a voluntary historical organization, interpreting British military and civilian life during the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Saturday’s focus was the early Victorian period and the 35th Royal Sussex Regiment of Foot Grenadier Company. Their emphasis is research and authenticity, not simply dressing in costume. The Royal Sussex Society has it roots in the northern New Jersey/New York Metropolitan area.
The reenactment went beyond the usual focus on battles. Visitors were able to question the reenactors resulting in interesting historical details. For instance, the unusual rooster shape of a rifle’s hammer when getting ready to fire is where the term “cocked” originated. Officers’ uniforms were adorned with gold and silver buttons, but brass and copper were used for the rest of the uniforms. Nonetheless, soldiers needed to polish them so they shone like gold and silver, and they spent a lot of time doing just that. It may be a myth that buttons were placed on the cuffs of uniform jackets to prevent soldiers from using their sleeves as handkerchiefs.
The civilian side of the Victorian period was reenacted as well. A woman dressed in period costume demonstrated how to make bobbin lace, a favorite lace of Queen Victoria. After Prince Albert died, she had all her lace died black. Another woman explained the meaning of each different type of flower. For instance, a person could show disdain by giving a certain type of flower without having to talk about their feelings. Yarn spinning was also demonstrated.
In the evening, a separate event related to the encampment was a lantern walk through the village. The West Milford Players enacted vignettes based on local stories along the route to the barn where the Ministers of Apollo performed old-time music.
DeMarco’s Pizzeria and Restaurant sponsored a dine to donate event to help offset the cost for the event.
Enactments preserve history, not just through famous events, but through small stories and details that otherwise disappear.
