People can celebrate an old-fashioned Independence Day from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Lincoln Log Cabin.

According to the Lincoln Log Cabin website, the day starts with raising the flag on the Lincoln Farm, followed by a reading of the Declaration of Independence and a tableau performance by the site’s summer youth program participants.

Matthew Mittelstaedt, the site manager, said the performance is based on still life where all participants freeze into certain poses while a narrator tells a story, then they change poses while the narrator continues the story.

Mittelstaedt said there will also be a game of “Town Ball.”

According to the website, in towns and cities there has always been a ball game.

However, after the American Civil War, the game of choice was “Town Ball,” which is referred to as the predecessor of baseball.

Mittelstaedt said the game was played differently based on the location of where it was played.

He said there is a set of rules that they will use and some differences in the game compared to actual baseball include having four bases, which are called “hideouts,” not counting home plate, which is called the fort.

He said the “hideout” is a pole instead of a plate on the ground and as long as the player is touching the pole they are safe, but if they accidentally remove the pole from the ground, it’s an automatic out.

There are no strikes, he said, the player just swings until they hit the ball.

Mittelstaedt said if people would like to participate, the game is open to all ages and people can bring their own lawn chairs and picnics if they want to.

“Lincoln Log Cabin is always a great place to come out with family and enjoy a picnic and the summer weather,” he said.

Analicia Haynes can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].