Old Northwest Territory Primitive Rendezvous comes to Lodi for second year in a row

LODI — People who visited Hidden Hollow Camp took a step back in time to a pre-1840s America on Saturday and Sunday. The National Rendezvous and Living History Foundation held the 33rd annual Old Northwest Territory Primitive Rendezvous this weekend. Although the event has taken place in Lodi for the past two years, it can be held anywhere in what was considered the northwest territory. Zeke Flegel put on the event, and he is known as the rendezvous' booshway. He said it is designed to make history come alive by replicating early American life. People dressed in historical clothing made quilts, knit, chopped wood, shot arrows, practiced blacksmithing and more. "The settlers would go up, trap the beavers and animals and then come back," he said. "They would trade it for goods, food, stuff like that. Basically, this (area) is where they come back to. The blankets are for trading and bartering." Flegel has been attending rendezvous events throughout his entire life. He said his favorite part of it is that everyone is treated like family. "We all look after each other," he said. "You can come in with no food and not go hungry. You can come in without a tent, and there's always someone that can open up for you. Everybody watches everybody's kids. It's just a neat feeling. Everybody is family here." Jean Beckel also took part in this weekend's rendezvous. She said around 20 years ago she went to one for the first time, and she fell in love with it. Ever since she has attended them regularly. "Once you're settled in, there's a lot of friends and music and all sorts of stuff," she said. "We share food, and you always find something to do." Around 75 people from the public attended the rendezvous on Saturday, Flegel said. "Sunday's are usually a little bigger," he said. "Hopefully we can match that again at least and just share history. There's a lot of tents you can just sit down at, and the knowledge that they have of what happened back in the pioneer days is just astounding." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.