The Long Rifles will appear in the video in 18th century clothing and shooting their rifles just as early settlers would have in 1774.
Wilcher was joined by Steve Case, Dwight Gillock, Tommy Barnett and Tammy Gillock. While the re-enactors were filmed preparing for an attack on the fort, KET officials guided them through a script.
KET has developed 22 videos like the one filmed in Harrodsburg, and topics span historic sites such as Mammoth Cave, cultural sites such as the Kentucky Opera, and practical living sites such as a visit to the post office.
The videos have been produced since 1995 when the first video was made about a Kentucky coal mine.
Larry Moore, education consultant for KET and content adviser for the Fort Harrod project, said the videos are not meant to replace field trips. "This is just a taste. To get the real flavor of a place, people really need to visit."
The 20-minute videos give a brief overview of a location in addition to showing something behind-the-scenes that visitors won't be allowed to see.
The videos are free for teachers to use to supplement curriculum, even if the class is able to go visit the place. "These are good for reinforcing ideas," said Moore.
The videos were started because field trips are becoming more difficult to take.
"The cost of fuel is one reason schools aren't taking a lot of field trips anymore, but it's also due to all the details that you have to go through now," said Moore.
"You have to get parental consent and arrange transportation and get the children back by a certain time. The list continues."
Paired with video from Fort Boonesborough
The Fort Harrod video will be paired with footage from Fort Boonesborough near Richmond. Fort Harrod is Kentucky's first settlement, and Fort Boonesborough was established soon after.
According to Joan Huffman, park manager at Old Fort Harrod, they are the only forts in Kentucky, which makes them the only historic sites to look at fort settlement life in Kentucky during that time period.
"I think this is a great opportunity for Old Fort Harrod State Park and the schools in Kentucky," said Huffman. "We currently educate and entertain approximately 8,000 school children per year."
The video should be ready by Sept. 14. Moore envisions a Web site to accompany the video outfitted with links, slide shows, videostream interviews and a glossary.
"My vision for this is for people to log on, click on their area on a Kentucky map, and be able to see a schematic of the forts, and click on any building within the fort for detailed information," he said. "This really will help them go deeper into the subject."
