Contact us.The Friends of Fort Atkinson
The Friends of Fort Atkinson (FOFA) is a volunteer organization dedicated to living history efforts to preserve and present the history and heritage of Fort Atkinson in the most accurate, educational and enjoyable manner possible for both the participant and visitor. In conjunction with The Fort Atkinson Foundation, our living history takes place at Fort Atkinson State Historical Park located near Fort Calhoun, Nebraska approximately 8 miles North of Omaha, Nebraska.
We are a non-profit organization that is governed by our Council of Administration (COA). Although there have been volunteers presenting living history interpretation at the fort for several decades, FOFA was officially organized in 1994 and incorporated in 1995. The COA is comprised of five voting representatives elected at large from the membership and two non-voting members consisting of representatives for Fort Atkinson S.H.P. staff and the Fort Atkinson Foundation.
While the Council conducts the overall business of the organization and is the overseer of the living history program as a whole, the groups have their own internal organization and conduct themselves according to the goals of the program and within the guidelines of our bylaws. For example: Coy I, First Regiment of U.States Riflemen have a company commander, 1st Sergeant, and Corporal that conduct the company as a military unit (see the 1st Rifles link). Although the military is not numerically larger than the trade and civilian interpreters, all interpreters at the fort are expected to know and realize that Fort Atkinson was and is to be treated as a military post. This is unlike many Army posts of the time period, and slightly earlier, that were erected to accompany and protect government 'factories' where the Indians could trade for goods. Even those posts were still under military jurisdiction, and within the garrison were purely Army. Fort Atkinson was not a government factory, rather it was founded to protect the American fur trade of the West.
The name of our governing body was chosen as a parallel and to carry on the name sake of the original Council of Administration that would oversee affairs of most Army posts of the time. The council would manage affairs such as setting prices for the regimental sutler so that a fair and equitable pricing of goods was established.
The Official Publication of FOFA is 'The Military Journal'. The Journal is named after and dedicated to the weekly journal that was printed at the original Fort Atkinson. The size of our Journal can, as it has, vary from a few pages to a dozen or more. We don't offer subscriptions as such, but the Journal is provided with a paid membership. Even though we don't offer outside subscriptions, one can receive the Journal by paying the membership fee. Some honorary copies are exchanged with other units and organizations, however these are mostly via E-mail and not printed copy. If you are interested in receiving The Military Journal, feel free to contact us by clicking the link toward the bottom of this page.
Not all is duty and discipline. Inside and outside the garrison are many other activities. The spinners and weavers are usually busy making cloth and other goods, the cooper can usually be found building or making repairs to buckets and barrels, the blacksmiths are always busy at the forge and anvil, or you can visit with the laundresses or Indian Agent as well as many other tradesmen and women, or civilians that are "passing through". To find out more about the venues that can be seen or participated in, follow the links on the main page.
We hope you enjoy your visit to our site and hope that you have the opportunity to gain information that may not have had beforehand. If you would like to inquire about becoming a member and living history interpreter, please feel free to contact us using the link at the bottom of most of our pages. Also, we would appreciate your entering a comment about our site in the Guest Book by either clicking that link or the Guest Book link from the main page.
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Updated: August 31, 2007