I've been a subscriber to BACKWOODSMAN for years now. And, you're right, they do advertise some events targeted at this time period, but they are rare things indeed! The concept I'm thinking about is more along the lines of sort of an offshoot of the NMLRA, like the Fur Trade reenactors, where the timeframe of interest is the period of 1840 up to the time of the Civil War (without "stepping on the toes" of the NSSA folks!, and not getting into Civil War actions or uniforms, etc.) This is what I call the REAL Wild West. I realize there ar Mexican War reenactments and other such things, but I'm talking about the "civilian" side of things as well...like the California Gold Rush, the activity along the Oregon Trail, the activity along the Santa Fe Trail...and so on and so on. There was a very interesting article in BUCKSKINNING Book IV about clothing and accoutrements styles of the Southwest that covered this period, that has always interested me. This is the era of Bent's Fort in Colorado, and the boat traffic along the Arkansas River. Who knows? Maybe more interest in the era might even convince one of our gunmakers to supply us with a working "pepperbox" pistol!
Anyway, it's a dream of mine...may never get off the ground, but I like it anyway!
Regards,
Jake