Craftsman brings history to life

SANDPOINT — History merged with the modern world at the Lake Pend Oreille High School in a Friday morning presentation by colonial America historian Fiddlin’ Red Simpson.

Committed to authentic recreations of 18th and 19th century accouterments, household items and culture, Simpson has carefully studied the time period to revive the methods and lifestyles of colonial craftsman. He shared his collection with Mona Stafford’s English class, bringing materiality to the Gary Paulsen historical novels “Woods Runner” and “Soldier’s Heart” the students had just finished.

“We’re always trying to bring the students closer to the reality presented in these books,” Stafford said.

Simpson arrived at the school dressed in the common clothing of a colonial trapper — buckskin pantaloons, moccasins, a drop sleeve shirt and beaver-skin hat. Throughout the demonstration, Simpson produced items like a frontier-style shaving kit, a tomahawk, a tin bucket, a bone and horsehair toothbrush and a twisted rawhide lariat. Amidst the several firearms he displayed, the highlight of the collection was the matched pair of Colt revolvers similar to the set that legendary gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok wielded.

“The kids here are really lucky that I can bring these guns in and show them,” Simpson said. “In Washington, they won’t let me bring any firearms inside at all.”

After displaying his collection, Simpson played several period songs for the students on his fiddle and banjo. At one point, a case of dancing fever overcame student Jesse Myers.

Throughout the presentation, the students remained engaged and active, asking questions and closely examining items from the collection. After the class dismissed for break, many remained to hear Simpson play more music and describe frontier life in further detail. The classroom consensus identified the music and guns as favorites from the morning.

 For his part, Simpson is all too happy to bring the past alive for kids. After all, he’s been doing it for almost 40 years.

“I’ve done these seminars for many, many schools and many, many libraries,” he said.

And his experience makes him the perfect candidate for the job. Fascinated with colonial and Native American lifestyles since childhood, he is a respected blacksmith and musician and a skilled survivalist. He’s participated in a 300-mile trail ride using only 19th century equipment, accomplished feats of sharpshooting while playing Hickok in Wild West shows and had his music featured on movie soundtracks. According to him, self-sufficiency is the number one principle from history that modern day individuals should apply to their lives.

Until recently, he lived in a cabin without electricity or running water while making his living as an instrument and antique repairer. He’s since transitioned into more modern accommodations in preparation for his new job as an instrument repairman and music teacher at the newly opened Sandpoint Music, located at 203 Cedar St. He’ll be accepting students for lessons in the fiddle, guitar, banjo and mandolin.

“I’m at the point in my life where I want to start passing on some of my skills,” he said.

But that doesn’t mean he’s tapering off the public demonstrations of frontier life. He’s already arranged to revisit LPOHS with a portable smithy and demonstrate the fundamentals of metalworking. Throughout his seminars, he encourages kids not to ignore their creativity or their more offbeat interests. 

“I’m always looking for the people that don’t quite fit the norm,” he said. “I always tell them be creative. They have to figure out what they like and use it to find their own way.”