The National Rendezvous and Living History Foundation (NRLHF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which holds rendezvous across the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

for the period between 1640 and 1840 AD, or roughly during the heyday of the North American fur trade. Its unofficial motto, according to its website is, "Formed for the management of the rendezvous program by rendezvous people."

Formation

The NRLHF was formed by the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association in December 1998 and incorporated in March 1999. Its Articles of Incorporation can be found here
NRLHF Articles of Incorporation
The reason behind the Foundation's formation was to put the management of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association's various regional rendezvous in the hands of those who attended the events.

Political structure

The overarching guidelines that the Foundation adheres to are outlined in their Constitution and By-Laws. The By-Laws can be found here
NRLHF By Laws
The NRLHF is a democratic organization at its core. Each of the regional rendezvous managed by the Foundation elects a number of delegates to represent them on the Council of Delegates. The Council of Delegates contains eleven elected delegates and two appointed representatives from the parent organization: the NMLRA. The NRLHF's Board of Directors is composed of eight individuals: four officers (President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer) and four directors. Each of the officers is a delegate elected from the Council of Delegates. Each of the directors was appointed by the parent organization, the NMLRA. The four officers are elected to their position by the Council of Delegates every year during the annual board meeting at the Eastern Primitive Rendezvous.

The rendezvous

Currently, the NRLHF manages five-week-long regional primitive rendezvous and one specialized weekend event. All of these events must follow the rules and regulations of the Foundation set forth by the Board of Directors. These rules and regulations can be found here
NRLHF Rules and Regulations
Traders or sutlers also have specific rules and regulations to follow. These rules and regulations can be found here

The Regional Rendezvous are: * The Eastern Primitive Rendezvous: The Eastern Primitive Rendezvous was first held during America's bicentennial year, 1976. The states in this region include

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

, and

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

. This event has long been known as one of the, if not the, largest Rendezvous in the

. It is traditionally held during the last week of September. This rendezvous currently elects three delegates to serve on the NRLHF's Council of Delegates. This rendezvous also holds the annual NRLHF Board of Directors meeting. * The Northeastern Primitive Rendezvous: The states in this region include New York,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but it ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...

. It is traditionally held during a week in July. This rendezvous currently elects two delegates to serve on the NRLHF's Council of Delegates. * The Southeastern Primitive Rendezvous: The states in this region include

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

, and

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

. It is traditionally held during a week in April. This rendezvous currently elects two delegates to serve on the NRLHF's Council of Delegates. * The Old Northwest Territory Primitive Rendezvous: The Old Northwest Territory Primitive Rendezvous was first held during the year 1986. The states in this region include

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

, and lower

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

. It is traditionally held during the last week of June. This rendezvous currently elects two delegates to serve on the NRLHF's Council of Delegates. * The Midwest Primitive Rendezvous: The Midwest Primitive Rendezvous was first held during the year 1980. The states in this region include

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, and upper

. This event has not had a traditional date set during the summer for some time. This rendezvous currently elects two delegates to serve on the NRLHF's Council of Delegates. Other foundation events include: * The Corps of Discovery Rendezvous: The Corps of Discovery Rendezvous was first held during the year 2005. It is located in the state of Pennsylvania. It is traditionally held during a weekend in the month of May. The event focuses on the period between 1800 and 1803 AD, or, the period of the

Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gr ...

. This event elects no delegates to serve on the Council of Delegates

References

The National Rendezvous and Living History Foundation website
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Rendezvous And Living History Foundation 1999 establishments in the United States

Formation

Political structure

The rendezvous

See also

References