The first thing any member needs to do is to build their “kit”, or collection of clothing articles and other accessories to fit the part of a 17th century minute man. Below is a list of reputable suppliers. BUT – do not be discouraged from joining us because you’re intimidated by the kit. We may already have much of the clothing you need, so we’re glad to get you started!
Minuteman National Park Authenticity Standards
To absolutely look the part, we aspire to these standards to the extent practical.
Minuteman National Park Authenticity Standards
Clothing and general outfitters:
Hat: – Recommend black or brown, with no colored banding.
- Matthew Brenkel – (gonfalon AT hotmail.com). Matt lives in Somerville and will make colonial hats custom made to order. Well done and top quality. Top choice.
- Dirty Billy’s Hats – Great quality hats
Shirt / Waistcoat / breeches / stockings: – Plain white work shirt is all you need.
- Sampson Historical – great products, already sown and ready to ship. The downside is they aren’t custom cut to your dimensions, but otherwise outstanding products.
- James Townsend & Son, Inc. – a large assortment of goods for the hobby. Will custom sew clothing to your specific measurements. Like Gedney, Townsend also has clothing and sundries to complete most outfits.
- Tory Tailor – aka, Joyce Murray. Joyce lives in Wilmington and will custom make just about anything you want. Just go to her house and tell her what you need. She’ll measure you up and make what you need. She also attends many events like the Bedford Pole Capping and can take measurements there.
- Bethlehem Trading Post
Shoes:
- Fugawee – Fantastic outfit for shoes and buckles.
- Crazy Crow – Shoes and buckles together for a reasonable price.
Canteen / buckles / assorted stuff:
- The Quartermaster General – Lots of stuff, great service.
- G. Gedney Godwin – High quality goods and large assortment. Some ships very quickly and some can be a while if they are custom made. Very good company.
Muskets / Cartridge Box:
- Cabellas They carry the Pedersoli brown bess flintlock. This is an outstanding musket. On sale sometimes… pricey at other times.
- Middlesex Village Trading – HUGE variety of period rifles and reasonable prices.
- hThe Blue Box Sutlery – cartridge boxes and more at good prices. Make sure your cartridge box can hold at least 19 rounds.
- Marblehead Leather – really cool stuff but really expensive. All custom made. They have flasks and cartridge boxes
Also, do not forget to buy the accessories you’ll need for your musket (all visible here: Godwin shooting accessories):
The Concord Minute Men 