In the days when beaver fur ruled the economy of the American west, trappers would meet one time each year at a designated location to trade their bounty for needed supplies.

Raccoon hats, Caseyville Frontier Days / Photo by Roger Starkey

The meetings, called rendezvous, were more than just re-supply stops for the trappers, Bob “Many Hats” Daniel, of South County said. “It was a gathering, because a lot of the time they were out by themselves, so there was a lot of partying and cavorting,” Many Hats said. “Most of the time they left there with enough to survive for a little while, or poor. Whisky and rum were highly traded for because they didn’t know how, or weren’t able, to make it.”

Many Hats and Village of Caseyville events coordinator MK Dashke organized the second annual Caseyville re-enactment of rendezvous, called Frontier Days, which took place recently in Caseyville Park.

Inspired by the successful re-enactment to celebrate Caseyville’s Sesquicentennial in 1999, Dashke hatched the idea for Frontier Days while considering possible events to entertain the people of Caseyville. “Why should our citizens have to go somewhere else?” Dashke said. “I think people are ready for something happening in their own town.”

Caseyville Frontier Days, unlike the rendezvous from the early 1800’s, was not flowing with whisky and rum – at least no while the event was open to the public.

Visitors mingled among tents with tables and blankets stocked with pre-1840 merchandise. Robin Sewell, of Maryville, and Terri Adele, of Cape Girardeau, admired the jewelry and leather goods, but they could have had their pick of guns, raccoon fur hats (with the eyes intact, to watch over you) or hundreds of other items.

Some wandered off to try their hand at throwing a hatchet. The kids gathered in an open area of the park for the candy cannon, a tiny cannon chocked full of pre-wrapped sweets that exploded into the air, sending kids scrambling in all directions to find the projectile prizes.

Each trader was required to dress in period garb and sell only items that existed before 1840. Many Hats monitored the traders to ensure there were no blue jeans or rubber flip-flops. “Cheap sunglasses gotta go,” Many Hats said. “I want the event to be right and, if you can’t do that, you don’t need to be here.”

Walking among the tables and blankets, the families of the traders could be seen in tents or walking in the park. Rendezvous is more than just vendors selling merchandise, it is a way of life for many of the re-enactors. They bring their families and camp on the site for days preparing for the events.

In the evenings, the rendezvous moves to a campfire where the re-enactors have a round-robin session with trade goods only. Someone puts an item out and it is bid on with trade goods only, no money is allowed, Many Hats said. After the trading, as the re-enactors catch up on old times or introduce themselves to new acquaintances, is when the whisky and rum may find their way to rendezvous.

Many in the group will return to Caseyville next year to do it all over again. Many Hats, who attends about 15 rendezvous each year, expects the event to grow as more people find out about it and the gracious hospitality the re-enactors receive.

The village has been wonderful to work with, Many Hats said. The Caseyville VFW Post also provided a free dinner Saturday to the re-enactors and their families.

Frontier Days, or rendezvous, will most likely return to Caseyville Sept. 13 and 14, 2014. The event and the date are not yet determined, but, “the best way to kill a rendezvous is to change the weekend,” Many Hats said.