With at least 25 years of crossings behind her, Marjory Wienkop will be among the longest-standing participants at the Christmas crossing reenactment at Washington Crossing Historic Park.
She got her start as an artillery soldier, but for most of the years she’s participated, Marjory has portrayed a captain.
When she reflects on her memories of the crossings, it’s populated with the countless people she’s met, fellow reenactors and guest dignitaries alike.
Having led so many crews across the Delaware, the weather tends to shape her most vivid recollections.
“A lot of my memories tend to revolve around the weather,” she says. “I’ve been out in a couple of good snowstorms, which makes it all the more authentic.”
And there was one year when, testing an especially high river, Marjory’s boat was swept downriver by a swift current. It was a humbling moment and one that reminds her of the ever-present danger George Washington and his soldiers faced on Christmas in 1776.
Marjory always reminds visitors that the first crossing reenactment (set for December 9, 2018) are just as fun as the Christmas Day reenactment. That’s because the houses in the Historic Village are open, and visitors can purchase authentic crafts, watch reenactors cooking and drilling, and step into the Visitor Center for additional activities and education.
