Ostenaco portrayal part of the Legacy of Mary Ingles weekend event September 15 at Beech Fork State Park

            BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. – Ostenaco (ca. 1703-1780), Cherokee leader, will be portrayed by Doug Wood of Nitro, W.Va., at 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 15, at Beech Fork State Park near Barboursville and Huntington. The presentation is part of the History Alive! program is made possible by the West Virginia Humanities Council.

            Ostenaco was an important Cherokee ally of Virginia military leaders during the French and Indian War. He was instrumental in recruiting and leading the Indian alliance that provided support and protection for British colonial settlements against attack by northern tribes allied with the French. His sphere of influence reached over a wide area and his relationships with Virginia leaders contributed to the expansion of English-speaking peoples into present day West Virginia.

            Ostenaco is one of the many character presentations offered through the West Virginia Humanities Council’s History Alive! program as a means of exploring history by interacting with noteworthy historical figures.  These programs provide audiences with the opportunity to learn and ask questions about individuals that have shaped our history.

            The West Virginia Humanities Council is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing educational programs in the humanities for all West Virginians.  For more than 30 years, the Council has been providing educational programs in the humanities across the state.

            The Ostenaco presentation is part of The Legacy of Mary Ingles weekend at Beech Fork State Park September 14-16, 2012.  The weekend is presented by the Mary Ingles Trail Association and offers 18th century living history encampment on Saturday, September 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, September 16, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  A special presentation by author Eleanor Lahr about her journey following the Mary Ingle’s path is scheduled from noon on Sunday.