BUCKLEY HOMESTEAD NEWS
- Legend of Sleepy Hollow
- Fall Fest
- Weekend Hours and Fees
- Pioneer Day Hands-On Experience
- Winter Horse-drawn Sleigh
Rides
- Woodland Indian Camp at Buckley
- Buckley Homestead old fashioned biscuit recipe
- Watch Historic Cobe Cup Drive
- Gatsby Summer Picnic and Vintage Automobiles
- Basket Workshops
- Preparing for Winter
- Historic Tours -- Indiana History from 1850-1917
- Non Reserved Hayrides
- Buckley Five Miler walk and run
- Buckley Labyrinth
- Volunteers Wanted
Buckley Homestead Weekend Hours and Fees
The park grounds are open daily from 7 a.m. until sunset except during special programs. Parking is in the visitor center lot on Hendricks Road. The farm is a short walk along the trail through the orchard.
Weekends in Spring and Summer -- Through Labor Day
The park grounds are open but historical buildings remain closed until September. During special programs historical building may be open. Free weekends unless otherwise noted for a special program..Weekends in Fall -- September 10 - October 30, 2011
The Visitor Center and historic buildings are open from noon until 5 p.m. Admission is charged Saturdays and Sundays. Regular Buckley admission of $2 per person or $1 for children age 12 and younger or seniors 60 and older apply. Tickets are required for the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and special event fees are charged for the Fall Festival on October 8 & 9.Check special event weekends for exceptions to these times.
Horse-drawn Bobsled
Rides on the Farm
Horse-Drawn Bobsled Rides offered at the
Homestead on Saturday and Sundays in January and February. CALL BEFORE
COMING TO THE PARK --
Winter weather is a tricky thing. What you experience at your home may not be what is happening on the farm
in Lowell, so call ahead before coming to the park to make certain rides will be
offered.
Dolly and Molly, the beautiful Belgian
horses that call Buckley home, will pull you along the snowy paths of the
historic farm. The open bed wagon on runners is a chilly ride so make sure you
dress accordingly and bring a blanket for your lap.
The rides are on Saturday and Sundays during
the months of January and February between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
The availability of rides depends on snow
and temperature conditions. We need
snow, not ice, for the horses – and it can’t be too cold for them either.
Call Buckley at 219-696-0769 and push the option for park information prior to
visiting the park to check weather conditions.
Rides last 20 to 25 minutes. The
cost is only $2 per person. The
bobsled holds eight to ten people.
Woodland Indian Camp at Buckley
You are invited to see how the
Woodland Indians, who lived in Lake County before the white man settled here,
lived. See the wigwam home,
clothing with decorations, wild and cultivated foods – all nestled in the
hardwood and pine trees.
Hear the stories, smell the cooking fire, and feel the bark of the
willow saplings in the wigwam frame as volunteer re-enactors live the lifestyle
of those who were here in 1750. The Callumic Band of Great
Lakes Woodland Alliance sets up camp in the Buckley Homestead back 80 acres,
just southeast of the pioneer farm. Follow
the pathway behind the cabin.
Woodland Indian Camp
Open in 2011 on June
25-26 (DUE TO SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THE CAMP WILL BE CLOSED), Sept. 3-4, Oct. 8-9 and 22-23
To read letters from early travelers click here Woodland Indian Camp at Buckley - letters from history
“I
went to the village, where I bought a little Indian corn and a piece of venison;
and then Godefroi and I rode on till it was dark, in hopes of reaching Detroit
the next day; and finding water, made a fire near it, and passed the night
there, having left our fellow-travelers to sleep with the (Potawatamis) . . .”
Journal of Captain Thomas Morris, 1764
Captain
Morris would have done well had he visited the Woodland Camp at the Buckley
Homestead; corn and venison are plentiful, and a warm fire always greets
travelers at the 18th century Native village. Visitors will always
find many aspects of daily life being interpreted on those weekends that the
village is occupied, but additional themes will be emphasized on certain dates:
Buckley admission or special event fees are charged on some of these weekends
Watch the Historic Cobe Cub Drive
Saturday,
May 26, 2012 (To be confirmed by sponsors Crossroads
and the Lowell
Chambers of Commerce)
Noon - 5 p.m.
FREE Admission
-
Visitor Center, Main House and Pioneer Log House are open
-
Watch the historic Cobe Cup from the front yard of historical Buckley Homestead
-
Bring a picnic and enjoy lunch while vintage cars parade by. We will supply the
popcorn.
-
Make the afternoon an old-fashioned family experience.
The Cobe Cup Drive is an annual summertime delight for both those who showcase
their vintage cars and for others who view them along the historic route.
Cars leave the Crown Point Fairgrounds at 1 p.m. and drive by Buckley
about an hour later. Arrive early to
see the farm and participate in activities for kids and their dolls.
Buckley’s own 1916 Model T will be on display.
Owners who want to drive in the cruise should contact the Crown Point
Chamber of Commerce at 219-663-1800.
The Cobe Cup was the name of the trophy given to the winner of the original race held June 19, 1909. The first (and only) 25-mile Cope Cup was an enormous financial flop. Promoters anticipated an onslaught of race fans, all eager to buy tickets and flock to waiting stores to purchase souvenirs. What happened, however, was quite the opposite: the Cope Cup had a grand total of one paying ticket holder. More frugal race fans opted for lawn chair seating along the race route, as opposed to the ticket-charging grandstand. What was once a financial flop has become a sentimental success.
The re-creation is now a friendly cruise consisting of some of the finest vintage cars in the region, following a route through scenic south Lake County. Owners who want to drive in the cruise should contact the Crown Point Chamber of Commerce at 219-663-1800.
Experienced
teacher, Julie Duttlinger, has been leading basket workshops at Buckley
Homestead for 21 years. Join her for
her 22nd year.
You are guaranteed a finished basket by the end of the class.
Two classes are offered for each basket.
Reservations and prepayment are required and may be made by calling
219-769-PARK M-F 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Participants
should bring a 3+ gallon bucket, 8+ clip clothes pins, old scissors, a pencil,
tape measure or ruler, awl or small flat screwdriver or knitting needle and an
old towel. Baskets are made under
the shade of the Buckley Homestead trees. Come
in your work clothes. The class will
last through lunch so bring a sack lunch and a cold drink.
SUMMER
TOTE BASKET
Thursday,
June 9 or Saturday, June 11
9 a. m. - 1 p. m.
$28 (includes materials)
Minimum (7) Maximum (18)
Description: 6”
x 10” closed bottom, rectangular basket with wooden swing handle and a
colored-reed diamond design (4-H Level A, B)
FRIENDSHIP BASKET
Thursday, June 23 or Saturday, June 25
9 a.m. – 1 p. m.
$28
(includes materials)
Minimum (7) Maximum (18)
Description: oval, wooden bottom, refined looking basket, which is 10” x
5” x 3” deep and has a 10” square handle (4-H Level C, D)
Preparing for Winter on Buckley Homestead
October 22 & 23, 2011
Noon. - 5 p.m.
$2 for adults, $1 children under 12 and seniors over 60
Educators will be at the historic sites on the farm working
on preparing for the coming winter months.
Historic Group Tours - Indiana History from 1850-1917
Dates available: Weekdays in May, June, September
& October Tour Description: This tour is designed to enhance Indiana history taught in the 4th
grade. It can be adjusted to fit the needs of younger grades, but is not
recommended for Kindergarten or Pre-school groups. Students will divided into groups of not more than 30 students each. (Schools
with larger groups can be accommodated if chaperones remain outside of
buildings.) Students will visit each of three different sites; the 1910s farm,
the 1900 one-room schoolhouse, and the 1850 log cabin. Interpreters are dressed
in historically accurate clothing to add to the visual comprehension. On the farm, the interpreter asks, "What do you see and why is
it here?" From the animals, to the buildings, to the pastures and gardens,
there is much to see and understand about subsistence living. Animals on the
farm include chickens, geese, rabbits, sheep, cows, pigs, horses, and cats. In the schoolhouse, children will learn what a school day was like at
the turn of the 20th century. They will be asked to compare and
contrast their school with Buckley’s. They will notice similarities and
differences in the building, the teacher, and the curriculum. Many things have
changed, and yet, some things we do today are derived from our early agrarian
days. At the cabin, children will be asked to imagine moving here before
the Civil War. What did they need to survive? What was their priority once they
got here? Students will be asked to compare and contrast living in their modern
home with living in the 1850 Buckley cabin. Additional Information The path is just under one mile of gravel and bark chip trail. Students will
be outside much of the time and should dress for the weather. If a teacher has a
student in a wheelchair or other special needs, it should be disclosed at the
time of the reservation. Arrangements will be made to make the tour as
accessible as possible. Picnic shelters are available for
lunch.
Two-hour tours
Morning tours may be booked to start at 9 a.m. or 9:30 a.m.
Afternoon tours may be booked to start at 11:30 a.m. or noon
$1 per person, including teachers and chaperones; $20 minimum per group
Reservations and pre-payment required at least ten days in advance by calling
219-769-7275
Non Reserved Hayrides in 2011
Buckley Homestead
-
For individuals and
families -- No groups, please
Deep River - Take a ride over the river and through the woods along the trails of Deep River. Individuals and families may ride on a first-come, first-serve basis on Saturdays and Sundays, October 1 - 23, 2011 at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. for only $2 per person. Groups may reserve evening hayrides by calling the business office at 219-769-PARK.
BUCKLEY 5 MILER WALK AND RUN
Saturday,
July 23, 2011 (To be confirmed)
Inspiration at Buckley Homestead Labyrinth
Located east of the Visitor Center
The labyrinth is not a maze, but instead an elliptical winding path in the form of the Classical 7-Circuit pattern. The two-foot pathway goes into the center and back out so there are no dead ends and no decisions to be made. When you walk the labyrinth, you meander back and forth, turning 180 degrees each time you enter a different section.
Why walk a labyrinth? Many people use the labyrinth for reflection, meditation, inspiration, and comfort. Some use the walk for clearing the mind. Others enter with a question or concern. Each person's walk is a personal experience. But, the experience should be free and open. Don't be afraid to dance, skip, run, walk very slowly, or even stop. School children during their daytime tours may experience the labyrinth joyfully. Other visitors may choose the quiet dawn and late afternoon hours to experience a calming effect.
Labyrinths have been around for more than 4,000 years and have been found in just about every major culture around the world. The Hopi called the labyrinth the symbol for "mother earth." The Buckley labyrinth, located just east of the visitor center, is a path designed from two levels of grass covering about 60 feet in diameter. There is no cost to walk the labyrinth which is available spring through fall or when ground cover permits.
Pioneer Day Hands-On
Experience 2012
This
daylong experiential educational program is guaranteed to create memories for
years to come. Students learn about
life during the early settlement period of southern Lake County.
They learn about chores, recreation, school work, and challenges of life
during 19th century. Students
prepare their own dinner, recite lessons, learn spelling words and
tongue-twisters bake biscuits, and help prepare the gardens for the coming
season. They also make a craft item
to take home. Available
Dates April
2*, 4, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20 or 23, 2012 Time 9:30 a.m. to 2
p.m. (please arrive at 9:15 a.m.). It
is important that groups are on time.
Age Designed
for 4th and/or 5th graders. Not
appropriate for younger than 3rd grade. Capacity 100 students (do
not include adult chaperones in this count).
Minimum number per individual school or group is 30 students.
Groups are combined to fill to the capacity.
Groups are further divided into four activity areas and rotated
throughout the day. Cost $6.00 per person
(include students, chaperones, & teachers) Reservations Taken beginning
December 1 and open until filled or March 10. Call
the Lake County Parks at 219-769-PARK (7275). Payment/Deposit Staff and
volunteers are assigned after reservations are processed.
Without advance payment, assignments cannot be made. *April
2 is devoted to small groups of 3rd – 5th grade students of
at least ten that cannot meet the minimum number above.
All groups will be combined to meet the capacity number. We
recommend schools arrange for PLENTY of chaperones and remind everyone to dress
according to weather conditions. We
will be prepared to continue with the program rain or shine, except during major
thunderstorms. Schools are required
to furnish certain supplies. A list
of instructions, activities, and a schedule will be mailed to the school upon
registration. Volunteer and Part-time Opportunities
Part time staff and volunteers wanted for Buckley Homestead
Those interested should call 219-947-7275 and ask for
$50 deposit required at time of reservation, balance due in full at the
park site.
The Gatsby Summer
Afternoon “In the Spirit of Historic
Preservation”
Proceeds
go to restoration efforts: The
Lake County Parks is attempting to secure funds for repairs to the main house
and the 1916 barn. When
Dennis and Catherine Buckley fled Ireland during the Potato Famine and settled
in the United States they likely never thought that the land they developed and
the homestead they built would one day represent a vanishing lifestyle – or
that anyone would care. They were a
typical farm family in south Lake County. Maybe
Rose Buckley Pearce had an idea when she donated her great-grandparent’s farm
to the public trust through the Lake County Parks and Recreation Department in
1977 that independent family farmland would soon be but a memory here in Lake
County Indiana.
Buckley Homestead County Park is 620 acres,
a major portion of which functions as a living history site serving thousands of
visitors each year. The
original farmstead was established in 1849 when the Buckley family purchased the
original 80 acres of farmland to create a home for their four children. The home
and its accompanying agriculture buildings remained in the Buckley Family until
1977 when 160 acres were donated with the purpose of preserving the farming
heritage for the public. Upon her
death, Mrs. Pearce left the remaining homestead to the park system.
The Buckley Homestead is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places.
In the Spirit of Historic Preservation you
can help in these efforts and enjoy a leisurely afternoon at the same time.
Page updated June 23, 2011