[steve_o]

Has anyone been watching the Frontier House about people going back in time to the American Frontier. It's done in the same way as the 1900 house was done before, by the same producers. I like it, it's a bit like Survior, Big Brother and a history documentary all in one.

[Amy]

No,whens it on

[Janette]

Not heard about it Steve, when's it on and what channel is it on?

I like that sort of programme, the 1900 house was excellent!

[steve_o]

It's on ch4 at 8.00pm on a Sunday. I think it's in 6 or 8 parts, this will be the 3 rd this Sunday. They have to spend 6 months in the Montana wilderness. If I come across some more info I'll post it up.

[LEE]

I've seen the trailors for it, but haven't actually seen it.

[steve_o]

The idea for such a venture sprung out of a popular series THE 1900 HOUSE, which was shown on PBS last year. In that series, the Bowler family volunteered to travel back in time to the era of Victorian Britain, spending three months living every detail: no electricity, shampoo, or aspirin. Instead, they struggled with gas lighting, a range stove with a mind of its own, whalebone corsets, and a new set of family values. Their fascinating encounter with the past stirred a lot of interest, and many people contacted us to ask if a period of American history could be explored in such a way. FRONTIER HOUSE has done just that. This time, three family groups (brothers, sisters, cousins, and individuals were all welcome to apply) traveled back in time to the days of the Wild West, living as settlers did in on the frontier back in the 1880s. No one could pretend it was be easy, but their story gave us a vivid picture of how far we have come, maybe even a little of what we have lost along the way.

So how did this happen? Preparations were made in Montana for the filming of the series. We selected a beautiful valley in a remote corner in which to locate the project. There, each of our selected families took over their own 160-acre plot of homestead land. Through late spring, summer, and early fall of 2001, we observed their complete immersion into the lifestyle -- how they fared with building their home, tending their livestock, planting food, catching fish in the creek -- all without the assistance of modern technology. Their triumphs and frustrations provide a unique account of one of the most important, and often romanticized, periods in American history.


FRONTIER HOUSE Exhibit: Nevada City, Montana
http://www.frontierhousemuseum.com

[steve_o]

This is the web site, but don't read to much as it was filmed last year and being America they've seen the programme already, unless you want to cheat. It's good for pictures of the families though and the general story.



http://www.pbs.org/wnet/frontierhouse/