Conner Prairie Blog

Holiday Traditions: Reynolds Farm Equipment and Conner Prairie  

November 20, 2024

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…

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Voting Through Time: Indiana’s Presidential Elections from 1836 to Now

October 31, 2024

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…

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Museums and Repatriation

October 31, 2024

“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.…

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Fostering nature programs to be intentionally inclusive

October 22, 2024
Two individuals sitting on a bench looking through binoculars

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…

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Avis Foundation and Conner Prairie: Partners for Accessibility 

October 3, 2024

“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…

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Dave and Heather Kinard: Supporting Conner Prairie’s Long-Range Vision

September 18, 2024

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…

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Connecting community at the table through a unique dinner experience 

August 26, 2024

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…

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Bank of America + Conner Prairie: Supporting Tomorrow’s Leaders

July 24, 2024

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…

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How shared values led to a 15-year partnership

June 24, 2024

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…

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Centennial Anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Law: Protecting Native Rights

June 3, 2024

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,…

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Learn More about Nature and Sustainability at Conner Prairie 

May 13, 2024

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,…

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What you need to know about Indiana’s first-ever Black Birders Week

May 8, 2024

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…

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“Conner Prairie is our happy place”

May 2, 2024

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…

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Bounce into some history

May 2, 2024

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…

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Experience Summer Fun at Kroger Symphony on the Prairie

April 26, 2024

Summer is just around the corner, and it’s time to start planning for Kroger Symphony on the Prairie. Set against the scenic backdrop of Conner Prairie, this outdoor series provides…

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Partnering to Protect the White River: Conner Prairie and the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust

April 18, 2024

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…

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Invading Nature: Exploring the Impact of Invasive Species

April 16, 2024

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…

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How our new experience, The Trails at Conner Prairie, impact the world around you

April 9, 2024

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…

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Gifts of Love

February 29, 2024

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…

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Black Feminism in Indiana

February 21, 2024

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…

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The Domestic Fight for Equity in the 20th Century

February 20, 2024

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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Historic Chocolate Tart Recipe 

February 9, 2024

This Valentine’s Day, try your hand at a historic Chocolate Tart recipe!   The following recipe is a modern take on a historic recipe published in Hannah Glasse’s The Complete Confectioner…

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From employee to donor: Why Sally McGuffey supports Conner Prairie

February 8, 2024
Sally McGuffey standing next to the Prairietown entrance sign

Unlike many donors, Sally McGuffey’s journey to becoming a Conner Prairie donor didn’t start with a school field trip—in fact, it began when she accepted a position on the fundraising…

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Rescuing the Horseshoe Bend Canoe

February 5, 2024

Location where the canoe was discovered, still half-buried in the White River A Mysterious Discovery Have you ever found anything cool while out on a walk? A Civil War coin,…

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Arts & Arms – Crafts of the Past

December 21, 2023

Through making items, we connect the present to the past by gaining an appreciation for hand-crafted items that have survived generations. One of my favorite places growing up was my…

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Collaborative Learning Empowers Kids to Find Meaningful Opportunities

November 17, 2023
Child interacting with Goat

It’s 8 a.m. on a day late in August, and my team is arriving at Conner Prairie. They are an eclectic group of volunteers: a graphic designer, a pastor, a…

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The Impact of the Youth Leadership program

November 17, 2023

“Our family has volunteered well over 10,000 hours at Conner Prairie. While that may seem like our gift to Conner Prairie, in reality, Conner Prairie has given our family invaluable…

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November, Veterans Day, and Native American Heritage Month

November 2, 2023

Native American Heritage Month includes numerous days meant to honor different aspects of Indigenous cultures, identities, histories, and experiences such as National Bison Day (November 4th), Rock your Mocs day…

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A Familiar Face at Conner Prairie

November 2, 2023

Michael Pace, or Mike Pace as he prefers, has been a bastion of education at Conner Prairie for nearly 30 years. He recently retired from full season work at Conner…

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Conner Prairie Alliance focuses on the work of Becky Brammer

October 26, 2023

What do you do when your last child leaves for college and takes with her one of your major volunteer opportunities? That was the question facing Rebecca (Becky) Brammer in…

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