Posts by AJ Fecher
Conner Prairie Unveils Promised Land as Proving Ground
A Groundbreaking Permanent Exhibit Exploring the Black Experience in Indiana FISHERS, Ind. (June 23, 2025) – Conner Prairie is proud to welcome guests to the fully realized Promised Land as…
Read MoreThe Resilience of Black Women in Indiana
Actor portraying Lucy Nichols at the 2025 Juneteenth Free Day performance at Conner Prairie. The first time any woman had spoken before the Indiana state legislature was to present a…
Read MoreA Decade with the Arapawas: How Rare Goats Found a Home and a Future at Conner Prairie
For decades, goats have been crowd favorites at Conner Prairie’s Animal Encounters, captivating guests with their curious energy. But it wasn’t until 2015 that a rare and remarkable breed—the Arapawa…
Read MoreCivics 101: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Last year marked Conner Prairie’s inaugural celebration of Civic Season, in partnership with Made by Us. Norman Burns, Conner Prairie’s President and CEO, serves on the Made By Us board…
Read MoreMoms Making History: Thriving Together at Conner Prairie
The demands of raising children often mean putting yourself on the back burner. You’re wiping noses, changing diapers, folding endless piles of laundry, or trying to remember the last time…
Read MoreConner Prairie and Corteva Announce Strategic Partnership to Highlight Agriculture Innovation
FISHERS, Ind. (May 12, 2025) – Conner Prairie is proud to announce a landmark partnership with Corteva to launch a multi-year collaboration designed to support the future of agriculture education,…
Read MoreAwakening Your Senses With Forest Therapy
What is Forest Therapy Forest Therapy is the practice of taking slow meanders in natural spaces. This practice has its roots in the Japanese experience of “Shinrin-Yoku” which translates into…
Read MoreConner Prairie Receives $2.5 Million Grant to Advance Lenape Storytelling and Community Engagement
Tuesday, January 7, 2025 (INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.) – Conner Prairie is honored to receive a $2.5 million grant through Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative in support of the…
Read MoreHoliday Traditions: Reynolds Farm Equipment and Conner Prairie
For more than 30 years, Reynolds Farm Equipment has been a key supporter of Conner Prairie, helping us capture the hearts of our guests by preserving community traditions and inspiring…
Read MoreStep Back in Time for the Holidays at Conner Prairie’s A Merry Prairie Holiday presented by Everwise Credit Union
FISHERS, IN (November 14, 2024) – Conner Prairie is delighted to welcome families and friends to kick-off the holiday season at A Merry Prairie Holiday presented by Everwise Credit Union,…
Read MoreVoting Through Time: Indiana’s Presidential Elections from 1836 to Now
Every four years, in early November, millions of Hoosiers head to the polls to cast their votes for president. They walk into the polling place, present their photo ID, and…
Read MoreMuseums and Repatriation
“Visitors Entering the Opening of the George Gustav Heye Center of the National Museum of the American Indian,” By Sarna, Martin, October 30, 1994, Smithsonian Archives – History Div., SIA2011-1381.…
Read MoreFostering nature programs to be intentionally inclusive
What is intentionally inclusive programming and why do we host these programs here at Conner Prairie? Historically, there’s been a lack of representation and diversity in most nature-based programs and…
Read MoreAvis Foundation and Conner Prairie: Partners for Accessibility
“I truly believe Conner Prairie desires to make its experiences available to all guests, and this new Museum Experience Center is just one of the many ways Conner Prairie is…
Read MoreDave and Heather Kinard: Supporting Conner Prairie’s Long-Range Vision
Thirty years ago, Dave and Heather Kinard had recently moved to Fishers, Indiana and their church volunteered at Symphony on the Prairie, setting up and taking down chairs and tables…
Read MoreConnecting community at the table through a unique dinner experience
Over the past three decades, Chef Susan Collins has been deeply connected to the culinary world, creating unique menu items and savory dishes for guests to experience and appreciate. She…
Read MoreBank of America + Conner Prairie: Supporting Tomorrow’s Leaders
Bank of America made its first major gift to Conner Prairie in 2018 and is today among the museum’s largest corporate sponsors. The company supports a wide variety of festivals…
Read MoreHow shared values led to a 15-year partnership
A family business to its core, Brian Cooley founded the White River Canoe Company with the goal to bring his family together and spend time outdoors. “I wanted our family…
Read MoreCentennial Anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Law: Protecting Native Rights
Source: National Photo Company, President Coolidge Meets with Committee of One Hundred, ca. December 12-13, 1923, Library of Congress, and the White House Historical Association, https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/fotoware?id=EDD0DA4619B34ACE%20ABE69D2B007FBD8A On June 2, 1924,…
Read MoreLearn More about Nature and Sustainability at Conner Prairie
Conner Prairie stewards 1,046 acres of natural habitat and green space, including more than 6 miles of shoreline along the White River. Take a look at some of our education,…
Read MoreWhat you need to know about Indiana’s first-ever Black Birders Week
Black Birders Week is a week-long program dedicated to uplifting Black nature enthusiasts while highlighting the visibility of Black Birders in nature. Black Birders Week is organized by TheBlackAFinSTEM Collective—a…
Read More“Conner Prairie is our happy place”
For Tom and Linda Huser, Conner Prairie is their “happy place.” As long-time volunteers and Conner Society donors, the Husers appreciate seeing the impact they have as Conner Prairie continues…
Read MoreBounce into some history
There are many reasons Conner Prairie loves their corporate sponsors: they’re great people, and we’re happy to know them; their missions – what’s truly important to them – align with…
Read MorePartnering to Protect the White River: Conner Prairie and the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust
Pictured here: David Hillman, Senior Program Officer at Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, at Treetop Outpost. For 22 years, the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust has provided more than $1.2…
Read MoreInvading Nature: Exploring the Impact of Invasive Species
The story of Lenape indigenous peoples in Hamilton County and their displacement from their land by white settlers is familiar to visitors of Conner Prairie. But did you know that…
Read MoreHow our new experience, The Trails at Conner Prairie, impact the world around you
Time spent outside and in nature is unique and personal, just like each of us. In March of 2023, I shared my story of birding and invited guests to join…
Read MorePreserving the Past & Building the Future: McAdams Foundation and Mission Impact Fund
Kathleen McAdams has had a unique connection with Conner Prairie throughout her life, from attending special events to shuffling grandkids to and from Adventure Camp. Today, Kathleen’s connection to Conner…
Read MoreGifts of Love
A colleague and friend asked me recently if I had considered writing a book on celebrations. This led to a conversation about how so many of us struggle to find…
Read MoreBlack Feminism in Indiana
Image of Sallie Wyatt Stewart (Photo credit: Thomas Y., Sallie Wyatt Stewart, 1942, print, Who’s Who of Colored America : 426.) When viewing feminism through traditional means, it is common to…
Read MoreThe Domestic Fight for Equity in the 20th Century
Source: M. Boyer, “The Clubhouse for the Indiana Federation of colored Women’s Clubs,” July 22, 2007. Although the post-war scene offered a temporary step into the spotlight for Indiana’s black…
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