Field Trips

Historic Group Tours at Buckley Homestead - Indiana History from 1850-1917

Dates available: Weekdays in May, June, September & October
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
$2 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

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.

Pioneer Hands On Experiences

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.

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Gibson Woods Nature Preserve and Environmental Awareness Center

The Outdoor education staff at Gibson Woods Environmental Awareness Center offers a variety of reserve group programs. All programs include an indoor presentation and outdoor activity, so groups should dress weather appropriate.

Reserved programs are tailored to suit the age, experience and grade curriculum of individual groups. All programs include an indoor presentation and an outdoor activity. Dress for the weather.

All programs are $2 per person including adults with a $20 minimum per group. Pre-school programs are 1 hour with a 20-student maximum. Groups K-12 programs are 1½ hours with a 40-student maximum. Registration and deposit are required at least 10 days in advance by calling 219-769-PARK. For program content information call Gibson Woods Nature Preserve at 219-844-3188.

Program	Into the Woods	Aquatic Ecology	Tree Identification
Season	All Year	Spring	Fall
Grades	All	3 and up	3 and up
Description	Provides an overview of the Gibson Woods Nature Preserve. Emphasizes endangered animals, habitat, and conservation. A chance to meet some live animals and hike in the woods.	Go beyond fish and frogs to search for all organisms hidden in the water. Learn about food webs and the importance of aquatic organisms.	It takes more than a leaf to identify a tree. Learn the essentials of tree identification that will turn tree I.D. from impossible to easy.

School Groups May Choose Their Own Topic for Historical Tour at Deep River County Park and Wood's Historic Grist Mill

Deep River County Park
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays in May, September and October
Fee: $2 per student or adult with a $20 minimum fee.
Grades 3 and up
Reservation and $20 deposit must be received at least one week prior to the tour.
Time: 1 ½ to 2 hours, depending on age

Students will tour Wood's Historic Grist Mill and learn about the earliest industry in Lake County and why it was important to the early settlers in the area. They may also select one of the following topics:

Can You Dig This? - Students will be able to dig for artifacts, then identify and talk about their finds and how the items were used in an earlier community. What will they find? Depending where they dig, they may find beads, bones, buttons, shards of pottery, shells and more (Note: This option is not offered in the spring).
Letters from Home - Students will read aloud excerpts from letters written about life in the community of Deep River.
Homemade Treasures - Quilts: their history, their use and how they were made. Students will view some of the collection at Wood's Mill.

Time for shopping for souvenirs in the Visitor Center Gift Shop will also be included in the field trip. Groups may stay in the Park after their tour to picnic and/or play.

Call the Lake County Parks Business Office at 219-945-0543 to make a reservation for your school class or home school group.

For reservations and more information about the Lake County Parks Call 219-769-PARK
Mon-Fri 8:30am to 4:30pm Central Time (Chicago Time)

Lake County Parks and Recreation Department Corporate Office
8411 East Lincoln Highway, Crown Point, Indiana 46307
Just west of Deep River WaterparK 4.5 miles east of I-65 on Route 30