The Tidewater Maritime Living History Association

Welcome to our Site!

Crew of the USRC Harriet Lane at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, 2022
From left: Conner Jeanneret, D. Brewer Eddy, Kurt Eberly, Chris Johnson, Ethan Myers, Greg Eatroff, Eric Jeanneret

News:

Member's Photos Gallery

Schedule of Events for Current & Previous Years

The ever-popular
Online Scrapbook

Feature Articles:

Why would anyone want to reenact, anyway?

What in the heck IS the Revenue Cutter Service, Anyway?

2000 TMLHA Grey/BlueJackets' Manual;
our Uniform and Equipment Guidelines

To Hand, Reef, Steer and Cast the Lead (or, Why do a Naval Impression?)

Clocks, Bells, and Watches; Timekeeping during the Age of Sail

The Lead Line:
Construction and Use

The Speed/Chip Log:
History, Construction and Use

A Brief Discourse on the Significance of the Officer's Sword

"It Pays to Increase Your Nautical Word Power!"
Nautical Terms and their Definitions

The Chandlery
TMLHA Recommended Sutler List

Naval and Nautical Links:

The Hampton Roads Naval Museum

The Mariners' Museum

The US Navy Historical Center

Mabry Tyson's
C.S.S. Virginia Home Page

Mystic Seaport Museum

Dictionaries of Nautical Terminology

Visit the
Civil War Naval Reenactor's Forum!

Flash Packet:
Maritime music for all occasions

The Digital Tradition:
words to all kinds of traditional songs, including shanties

The Contemplator:
Traditional music of America

Other Naval Units:

The Navy and Marine Living History Association

The Roanoke River Landing Party

History of the TMLHA:

The TMLHA was formed in July, 2000 by a collection of veteran reenactors and Living history interpreters from the Southeastern Virginia area who perceived a need to provide quality nautical historical presentations to the public. Our membership includes active duty, veteran and retired Marines, Navy and Coast Guard sailors, their families and friends. Our group is based in the Tidewater, Virginia area, but has members from as far away as Georgia and Massachusetts as well. Ours is currently the only Living History organization in the U.S. who portray a US Revenue Cutter crew.

TMLHA MISSION STATEMENT

The overall mission of the Tidewater Maritime Living History Association is to establish and maintain a positive and accurate image of shipboard life in the Age of Sail. Our members portray crewmembers from various merchant, naval, and revenue vessels who lived, worked, sailed and/or fought along the East Coast of the United States from it's discovery through the late 20th century.
For those portraying sailors of the Navy, Revenue Cutter Service, or merchantmen, this is accomplished by presenting maritime and Sea Service historical information and general seamanship knowledge to the public. We do this at living history demonstrations, battle reenactments, school programs, parades and memorial dedication activities, offering period naval and nautical information and training to fellow living history interpreters in the Tidewater region, and by performances of traditional sailor's music.
For those portraying Marines, we portray members of Marine Guard USS Galena, Company C, CS Marines, and other Marine units of the 1860's as needed. Our Marine unit is one of the oldest in the hobby, dating back to 1991, and has participated in Maritime events all along the Eastern Seaboard. Most notably, our Marines assembled and led the US Marine Battalion at the 150th Anniversary Bull Run battle event. With the approval of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, over 110 Marines from around the country participated in this ultimate tribute to the Civil War Marines. TMLHA's Marines participate in all relevant maritime events side by side with their Navy and Revenue Cutter shipmates. If you are interested in the “pointy end” of Maritime reenacting, contact us, or check out our Marine Forum on Facebook

Who is Eligible to Join?

Our organization is interested in mustering-in new recruits or experienced sailors and Marines. Prior sailing, boating, or military knowledge is welcomed but not required, as we will train "landsmen" in the Sailor's or Marine's trades. The most important things a new member needs to bring with them are a love of nautical and naval history, a desire to teach and/or learn the old-time Sailor's or Marine's arts, and a willingness to be involved in interacting with the public in a living history environment. For the experienced reenactor/living history interpreter, most of your kit is usable in a Naval or Marine impression (see our BlueJacket's Manual in the Reference Articles Section for details).
This living history educational organization accepts enlistees regardless of age, (subject to limits outlined below) gender and race. Interested parties may enlist as sailors or civilians, the sole limitation being that young adults under eighteen must be accompanied in their enlistment by a responsible parent or guardian. Members aged sixteen to eighteen may participate without limits at appropriate reenactment events with parental consent and presence, and members thirteen to sixteen years of age may serve in a limited capacity as ship's boys, and/or as functional military musicians in the field, also with parental consent and presence.
(The Tidewater Maritime Living History Association does not tolerate discrimination by any of its members toward any religious or ethnic segment, or any organization that does likewise, nor any who advocate the overthrow the United States Government.)