JACKSON TWP - For Carl Robertson, a trip 25 years ago to Colonial Williamsburg led to regular trips through time today.

As president and CEO of the Providence Plantation Foundation, Robertson hosts presentations that provide a glimpse into 18th century life.

Set in the striking ambience of an authentically recreated 18th century plantation, Providence offers events staffed with living historians in period dress.

Although many historical presentations focus on military re-enactments, Providence offers a view of civilian life through dramatic presentations that include conversation, music and food.

June 25 will mark the third program held at the plantation for the 2005 season. Programs began in 2003.

The idea to create a center for Colonial and early American education and living history interpretation began after Robertson made several visits to Virginia with his wife Jeanne.

"At the same time, I became increasingly aware of the frontier history of Virginia and Pennsylvania in the Upper Ohio Valley," said Robertson.

After speaking to historians and re-enactors, Robertson decided that something should be created portraying the civilian side of the story.

While Colonial Williamsburg's period is limited to East Coast events on the eve of the Revolution, Providence focuses on the fur trade era, French and Indian War, settlement expansion, American Revolution, and the commercial expansion and pre-Industrial development of the Upper Ohio Valley region.

"One of our major themes is how America in our own region developed in many ways into a free and independent, yet democratic, people," said Robertson. "They even rebelled against British tyranny before these things happened among the Colonists on the East Coast."This history is not generally in the history text books. Only the programs at the Providence Plantation teach this history."Robertson said another topic conspicuously absent in textbooks - the presence and experience of blacks in the region during that time period - is also featured at Providence."Slaves in the Woods," Robertson's book to be published next year, includes depictions of the Virginia and Pennsylvania frontiers, he said."My own extensive research shows considerable evidence of black men and women in the region. Yet their story has never been told before in print, on video or in living history interpretation. Our black interpreters are making history in a sense, while they portray 18th century frontier history.""The role of blacks is certainly something that hasn't been accentuated at all in the literature of the 18th century," said David Dixon, a history professor at Slippery Rock University, who serves on the Providence advisory board."What you typically see is what was going on in the plantation culture and the tidewater regions. You don't see a lot about what was going on in the frontier - and there were blacks on the frontier, too."James Lattaker of Pittsburgh, a black interpreter who portrays three characters in the upcoming Providence event, said he is motivated by the opportunity to spotlight the multi-racial dynamics of history."The contribution of blacks say 100 years prior to the underground railroad: that's not part of our American psyche," he said. "The history we're talking about really shows the collaboration between whites, blacks and reds in various contributions to what we know now as America.

"A lot of positive. contributions (were made) by free blacks in the midst of slavery. And these are things that we try to bring out."Citing crime rates in the Homewood area of Pittsburgh where he lives, Lattaker said without a place in history, blacks can be more prone to excluding themselves from society today."I'm not a part of what's going on. I'm a victim of it," Lattaker said of the feelings of disconnectedness that can stem from lack of a place in history."I'm a firsthand witness of black-on-black crime in the area. A lot of that comes from residual affects of the slave mentality.""You can't clean it up until you dig it up," he said of integrating past and present."I believe it really affects the African American culture overall. Because when you don't have a good sense of where you come from, it kind of thwarts your sense of where you're going."As far as where Providence is going, the nonprofit organization is working to expand its 40-plus acre facility with building projects that include a blacksmith shop, a woodworking shop and a primitive log cabin.The group also plans to expand its base of interpreters and develop a period Indian village and a hunter's camp."We also plan to offer a traditional crafts training program where adults and young people alike can learn historic trades," said Robertson.Currently Providence offers programs on spinning, weaving, knitting, and primitive log cabin construction."Our philosophy of teaching historical education to students is to use as many direct, non-traditional methods as possible, enabling them to get a hands-on or interactive experience with our interpreters," said Robertson.Currently, the dramatic programs are offered at Providence once a month. The programs are geared toward teens and adults.