Conner Prairie facts for kids
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| Established | 1934 |
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| Location | East bank of White River, Hamilton County, Indiana |
| Type | Living history museum |
| Visitors | 414,342 (2019) |
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William Conner House
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William Conner House
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 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 13400 Allisonville Road Fishers, Indiana |
| Built | 1823 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000038 |
| Added to NRHP | February 8, 1980 |
Conner Prairie is a fun living history museum in Fishers, Indiana. It helps us learn about life in the 1800s. The museum is built around the old home of William Conner. This house is a special historical place.
Conner Prairie shows what life was like along the White River a long time ago. It also has many cool programs and events. You can even enjoy outdoor concerts by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra here. Plus, there are exciting summer camps to join!
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Conner Prairie's Story
A man named Eli Lilly bought the land and the William Conner house around 1933. He wanted people to connect with history in a new way. Lilly fixed up the house and opened it to visitors. At first, it was called Conner Prairie Farm.
By 1940, Lilly had added more buildings. These included a still, a loom house, and a trading post. The farm needed Lilly's help to keep running.
In 1964, Lilly gave the house and its buildings to a special trust. Earlham College became the manager of this trust. Lilly also gave money to help the museum operate. He wanted it to always be open to the public.
The museum grew bigger and more popular. Earlham College decided to expand it. They built an 1836 village called Prairietown. More and more people came to visit Conner Prairie.
Later, there was a disagreement about how the museum was run. In 2003, the museum became independent. It now has its own board of directors and manages its own money. In 2009, Conner Prairie joined the Smithsonian Affiliations program. This means it's connected to the famous Smithsonian museums.
In 2010, Conner Prairie won a big award. It received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. This award came with a $10,000 prize. In 2011, the museum opened a new exhibit. It was called "The 1863 Civil War Journey: Raid on Indiana." This exhibit shows a real Civil War event.
Exploring Conner Prairie
The museum is set up like a timeline of history. Different areas show different time periods. Staff members dress in old clothes. They act like people from the past. They show how people lived long ago.
You can see them cooking, chopping wood, or making pottery. They also take care of animals. Visitors are often invited to join in these activities. It's a great way to experience history!
The main building is called the Welcome Center. It has the entrance and ticket counter. You'll also find "Create.Connect" here. This area has history and science exhibits. There's also a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs.
Fun Attractions
Conner Prairie has many exciting things to see and do. There are permanent attractions that are always there. They also have special events each month. These include "Taste the Past" and a Headless Horseman ride in the fall. You can also enjoy candlelight tours and a country fair.
Create Connect
Create Connect is an indoor area. It's open all year round. This exhibit celebrates "Hoosier Innovation." Hoosier is a nickname for people from Indiana. You can build a windmill here. You can also experiment with circuits. Other activities include building model planes and chain reactions. This area teaches about wind energy, early flight, and science.
Makesmith Workshop
The Makesmith Workshop changes its theme with the seasons. In winter, it's about textiles (like cloth). In summer, it's about metalworking. In spring and fall, it's about woodworking. Kids of all ages can try basic skills. You can sew a button, hammer a nail, or shape metal.
Animal Encounters
Animal Encounters is a real barn at Conner Prairie. It's home to many animals. You can see chickens, goats, sheep, cows, ducks, and horses. You can learn about the animals and the barn. Activities include milking goats and cows. You can also collect eggs or shear sheep.
William Conner House
The William Conner House was built in 1823. It's a two-story brick house. It's believed to be one of the first brick buildings in central Indiana. William and Elizabeth Conner had seven children in this home. The house was also used for important meetings. It even had a post office once.
Conner lived in the house until 1837. His family continued to live there for many years. In 1934, Eli Lilly Jr. bought the house. He wanted to fix it up and make it a museum. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Today, it shows what a home from the 1820s looked like.
1863 Civil War Journey
"The 1863 Civil War Journey: Raid on Indiana" tells the story of Morgan's Raid. This was a long raid during the Civil War. It was the only Civil War battle event in Indiana. You can see videos and do interactive activities. The journey shows the raid through the eyes of real people.
You can walk through a recreated town called Dupont. You can pretend to be part of the Civil War. Kids can even get on a replica steamboat. You can visit a dry-goods store, a home, and a telegraph station. You might also see a soldiers' camp or a field hospital.
People dressed in old clothes will talk to you. They act like soldiers or town residents. They share their thoughts about the war. Sometimes, reenactors show what Union and Confederate soldiers were like.
Prairietown
Prairietown is a recreated pioneer village from 1836. It's not a real town that existed. Instead, it shows what a settlement might have been like. Prairietown has homes, a blacksmith shop, and a pottery shop. There's also an inn, a doctor's office, a store, and a schoolhouse.
If you arrive early, you can help with morning chores. You can also get a character card at the entrance. This lets you play a role in Prairietown society. People in old clothes act like the villagers. They show what daily life was like. They won't talk about things that happened after 1836. But other museum staff can answer modern questions.
1859 Balloon Voyage
The 1859 Balloon Voyage opened in 2009. You can take a 15-minute ride in a giant balloon. It goes up to 377 feet high! This balloon is filled with helium. It's 105 feet tall. It's the world's largest tethered gas passenger balloon. It can carry about twenty people.
There's also an exhibit about ballooning. It shows a street from Lafayette. You can learn about the history and technology of balloons. The ride is based on a real event from 1859. A man named John Wise made the first airmail delivery by balloon.
You can take sunset and nighttime flights on weekends. This happens when the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra plays concerts. The balloon ride depends on the weather. It doesn't operate in strong winds. It's open from April to October.
Lenape Indian Camp
The Lenape (Delaware) Indian Camp shows how the Lenape people lived. You can see wigwams made of bark and cattail mats. There's also a fur trade camp with a log cabin. You can learn about Lenape skills. These include pottery, cooking, gardening, and hunting.
Visitors can learn how the Lenape Indians lived in Indiana. They hunted and trapped animals to trade with Europeans. You can even try throwing a tomahawk! There are also activities like making pendants or bracelets with beads.
Programs and Events
Camps
Conner Prairie offers many different summer camps. These include Adventure Camp and Science Camp. There are also Archaeology Camp, Photography Camp, Maker Camp, and Art Camp. In Art Camp, you can create different types of art.
Preschool on the Prairie
Preschool on the Prairie started in 2019. It's for children aged 3 to 5. The program is held in the president's house.
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
The museum is the summer home for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. They have a concert series called Symphony on the Prairie. Over 100,000 people come to these concerts each year. You can sit at tables and chairs. Or, you can bring a blanket and sit on the grass.
Follow the North Star
For 20 years, Conner Prairie had a program called "Follow the North Star." It was an experience about slavery and the Underground Railroad. Students as young as 12 could take part. This program won national awards in 2003 and 2012. In 2019, Conner Prairie decided to change the program. It was later canceled.
See also
