Posts by Shelby Helton
How Do You Play?
In 1994, at 25 years of age, I penned, produced, and performed my first one-man show, He Can Amuse Himself for Hours. Chicago Reader critic, Justin Hayford, viewed the work as an examination of, “…[T]he impossibility of having a genuine experience.” The show was a collection of personal play memories set against the relief of…
Read MoreHistoric Baseball in Indiana
Baseball is a sport rooted within American culture. While the sport was born in America, today it is played in over 100 countries. Growing up, I have fond memories of going to the Indianapolis Indians games and watching the Cubs on TV. My brother played little league and my whole family would come together to…
Read MoreWhat July Fourth Means to History
Every July Fourth holiday I have experienced has been different from the year before. Some years I celebrate with my family in our backyard with delicious hot dogs and bright sparklers; other years I’ve enjoyed The Fourth at a friend’s house for a pool party. Most recently I visited my aunt’s house where we watched…
Read MoreA Full Schedule and Full Capacity for 2021 Kroger Symphony on the Prairie
New concerts featuring audience favorites for maximum-capacity audiences. Following local, state and federal health protocols, Kroger Symphony on the Prairie will open to full-capacity beginning with the first scheduled concert, this Friday, June 25. To assure the safest and most comfortable environment, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, in partnership with Conner Prairie will issue a maximum…
Read MoreAudience Favorite Frankie Moreno Makes Conner Prairie Symphony Bowl Debut
Newly added show rounds out the 2021 season. (INDIANAPOLIS, IND – June 14, 2021) – Tickets are currently on sale for “Frankie Moreno: All the Hits,” the newest addition to the Kroger Symphony on the Prairie line up. The popular host of the 2019 IPL Yuletide Celebration is set for August 14 at the Conner…
Read MoreIgnite Your Curiosity as a Youth Volunteer
Becoming a Youth Volunteer at Conner Prairie When I was 9 years old, my mother called me over to her computer one day to show me some information she’d found online regarding a youth volunteering program at Conner Prairie. I was in that stage of life that nearly every child goes through, where the idea…
Read MoreThe Art of Unlearning: Where Children Become their Own Teachers
I want you to imagine what early learning looks like. Do you imagine tiny, child-sized desks, the alphabet on the wall, and an explosion of primary colors? Do you think of a teacher at the front of the room while children try to listen? What about the pain of trying to get a child excited…
Read MoreLife at 377 Feet: The History of Conner Prairie’s Hot Air Balloons
While traveling and camping west of the Grand Canyon National Park years ago, my spouse and I took in a 30-minute ranger talk one evening entitled, ‘What it feels like to be a canyon’. My eyes rolled a bit at the topic, but hey, we were tourists. Fast forward 30 year and I now sometimes…
Read MoreSummer Celebrations: Freedom for All?
Stephenson, Mrs. Charles (Grace Murray). [Emancipation Day Celebration, June 19, 1900], photograph, June 19, 1900; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth124053/: accessed May 26, 2021), Austin History Center, Austin Public Library. Fireworks, cookouts, family reunions, and vacations are traditional scenes of American summers. Top summer celebrations include that of family and freedom from Memorial Day to the Fourth of July.…
Read MoreThings That Go Bump in the Night: Nocturnal Animals at Conner Prairie
Indiana’s Nighttime Visitors to the Prairie The scurry of small feet, the sound of almost-silent wings sailing by, and eyes that reflect back from the bushes. These are the signs of night-life on the Prairie that I often catch glimpses of after the rest of the grounds have fallen silent. Conner Prairie—and Indiana—is home to…
Read MoreBeing Your True Self at Conner Prairie
A Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion “Separate or together?” “One-check or two?” These are questions my husband and I receive regularly in Central Indiana, and throughout the Midwest. We will go to breakfast with our kids and receive questions and comments about what our wives may be up to while we are out…
Read MoreTips for Dementia Caregivers: Experiencing a Dementia-Friendly Museum
Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, or another type of dementia, can be a stressful and emotional journey. You’re not alone. In the United States, there are more than 16 million people caring for someone with dementia. Caregiving can make the biggest difference to a loved one’s quality of life – and that is a…
Read MoreHappy Hour on the Horizon: 2021 History on Tap
WE ARE Makers and Mixers After a year cooped up indoors, Summer 2021 is approaching and I’m seeking all the opportunities to adventure outside and safely attend events. Maybe that’s you too? If so, I hope you plan to join the Conner Prairie and the Horizon Council at the 9th annual History on Tap on…
Read More2021 International Heritage Breeds Week at Conner Prairie
International Heritage Breeds Week: May 16th – 22nd International Heritage Breeds Week is upon us (May 16th-22nd) and I know the Agriculture (Ag) staff and I are excited about all of the extra programs we have developed to allow our guests to dive deeper into our heritage breeds at Conner Prairie. This week, we invite…
Read MoreConner Prairie’s Historic Livestock Program is Hero of Heritage Breeds Week
This effort to preserve endangered livestock is part of the museum’s sustainability efforts May 14, 2021 INDIANAPOLIS — This week, Conner Prairie is celebrating International Heritage Breeds Week, an event that encourages the preservation of endangered livestock breeds that were raised by farmers before modern, higher producing breeds replaced them. Conner Prairie maintains four heritage…
Read MoreA Passion for Animal Preservation
When people ask me what I do for a living, I sometimes struggle to explain. Saying, “I manage the livestock and agriculture experiences at Conner Prairie,” just feels lacking because what my team does here at Conner Prairie is so much more than can be summed up in a simple sentence. When people find out…
Read MoreAdventure Camp at Conner Prairie
A look at the Social and Emotional Benefits of Summer Camp Of all the fun activities that campers enjoy at Conner Prairie Adventure Camp, shooting archery is always among the most popular. Over a given summer, thousands of campers will send tens of thousands of arrows zipping towards a foam target. Of all those arrows,…
Read MoreA Joyous Return to Summer: Kroger Symphony on the Prairie
Ticketing procedures and safety protocols new to 2021 (INDIANAPOLIS, IND – May 10, 2021) – After the only hiatus in its 40-year history, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in partnership with Conner Prairie is pleased to announce the 2021 season of Kroger Symphony on the Prairie. The season begins June 25 at the Conner Prairie Symphony…
Read MoreThe Impact of a Simple Seed
Some of my earliest memories of family revolve around gardening. I remember “dancing” in the seeds as I followed behind my dad as he planted; snapping green beans for the quarts of beans my mom canned each year. I would dig for the buried treasure that was homegrown potatoes and harvest sweet corn that went…
Read More‘April is the Cruellest Month’
The Beauty of Poetry Twenty-five years ago, the American Academy of Poets launched National Poetry month. Since 1996, April has been a time to celebrate and explore the wonder of words that is the poem. Poetry is often perceived as difficult, by writers and readers alike, but we’ve subconsciously adopted bits of poetry as a…
Read MoreAdventures on the Prairie – The Conner Prairie-Hamilton Southeastern Schools Partnership
HSE Teacher-in-Residence Amy Murch teaches Archery to HSE 4th graders. Pre-Covid. Photo Credit: Unknown The Adventures on the Prairie partnership Here at Conner Prairie our mission is to be, “….a unique historic place that inspires curiosity and fosters learning by providing engaging and individualized experiences for everyone.” One of the ways we fulfill that mission…
Read MoreConner Prairie Enacts Stabilization Project to Help Improve Drinking Water for Half a Million Hamilton County Residents
The planting, part of the Duke Energy Foundation-funded Shoreline Stabilization Project, will improve drinking water for nearly 540,000 Hamilton County residents Assets found here April 22, 2021 INDIANAPOLIS — This week, Conner Prairie will celebrate Earth Day and the museum’s commitment to river and land stewardship by dedicating the planting of trees on its grounds…
Read MoreEvery Day is Earth Day
Celebrating Earth Day Since April 22, 1970, Earth Day has been a traditional celebration regarding the protection of our natural environments. A beautiful day dedicated to the thoughts and understandings of just how important nature’s systems are in all of our lives. A day meant to educate and celebrate all of the flora, fauna, and…
Read MoreSpring Comes to Conner Prairie
Signs of Spring on the Conner Prairie grounds Spring arrives at Conner Prairie in spurts. One day the sky is impossibly blue and the sun is shining. The next week it storms and the sleet hits my face. Two weeks after the big snow storm I stepped outside the front door of Facilities and saw…
Read MoreWilliam Conner and the War of 1812
The old adage “if only these walls could talk” holds a lot of weight when one walks past the historic buildings that have been assembled on the Conner Prairie grounds. Those buildings have seen more stories than we will ever know, and for the William Conner house this is especially true. William Conner did not…
Read MoreConner Prairie Looks Back at 2020 During Virtual Annual Meeting
Year of “Business of the Unusual” Unpacked in Live Q&A FISHERS, Ind. — (Friday, April 9, 2021) – Today Conner Prairie hosted their annual meeting where they celebrated the successes and challenges overcome during 2020. The event — held virtually for the second year in a row due to COVID-19 — brought Indiana community leaders…
Read MoreBeyond the Everyday
So much of life is made up of everyday, predictable routine. For some it’s humdrum. For others, events that happen dependably at the same time every week are a source of peace and comfort. Routine creates a sense of normality and frees us from the anxiety of figuring out how to schedule our work and…
Read MoreHow Two Brothers Transformed the Grounds at Conner Prairie
Come join other adventurers who travel back in time at Conner Prairie to watch our skilled craftsmen ply their trades. Will you explore Prairietown to see Mr. McClure in his carpenter’s shop, or a blacksmith at work at the Curtis forge? Where does your curiosity lead? Are you coming to watch one of our skilled…
Read MoreWhat is “DEAI” at Conner Prairie? We add “Accessibility” with extra Empathy.
What is Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI)? Like many historical institutions across the country, Conner Prairie is working hard to fight the battle against systemic racism. In June of 2020, as many organizations and individuals were looking inward to determine “what is DEAI” in this organization, and how can we deepen our commitment to…
Read MoreSpeak up: How self-advocacy helps women in business grow
Self-advocacy is critical in leadership – especially for women. Learn how confidence, honesty, and integrity can help you become a great leader.
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