[naviga:img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-269553" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/SH_History-Camp-01-fire-brigade.jpg" alt="SH_History Camp 01 -- fire brigade" width="1600" height="1067" /]

A young man throws a bucket of water onto a "fire" in front of The Matthew Curtiss House while participating in a History Camp activity on July 13. During the week of July 10-14, children ages 8-10 enjoyed a range of activities at the Newtown Historical Society headquarters. With different groups of children participating in morning and afternoon sessions, campers learned what life was like for children during the Colonial era. On Thursday, children learned about fire brigades before running buckets of water across the front lawn of 44 Main Street and dumping them on cardboard flames. A pair of girls can be seeing rushing toward their own set of flames in the far section of the lawn.  (Bee Photos, Hicks)

[naviga:img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-269554" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/SH_History-Camp-02-Donna-Miles-Ball-presentation.jpg" alt="SH_History Camp 02 -- Donna & Miles Ball presentation" width="1600" height="1067" /]

Donna Ball, seated, and her son Miles presented a brief history of firefighting in America during the July 13 session of History Camp. Campers and the volunteers leading the sessions took advantage of some shade during the hot, sunny morning, and enjoyed the lesson while sitting on the grass in front of The Matthew Curtiss House.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-269555" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/SH_History-Camp-03-Houston-pouring-root-beer.jpg" alt="SH_History Camp 03 --Houston pouring root beer" width="1067" height="1600" /]

Melissa Houston pours a mixture into a jug that would be stored away, after leading a lesson on making root beer during History Camp. A second jug of root beer, which had been fermenting for four days, was then opened so that campers could taste that old-fashioned root beer was "less sweet, more tangy - definitely different" than today's commercially made soda, Ms Houston said.