Conner Prairie

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Conner Prairie
Established	1930s
Location	Fishers, Indiana
Type	Living History Museum
Website	Official website

Conner Prairie is a living history museum in Fishers, Indiana, USA, that preserves the William Conner home, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and recreates part of life in Indiana in the 19th century on the White River.

Contents 1 History and Development 2 Layout and concept 3 Attractions 3.1 William Conner House 3.2 1886 Liberty Corner 3.3 1836 Prairietown 3.4 Conner Homestead 3.5 Lenape Camp 3.6 1859 Balloon Voyage 4 Other events 5 Spirit of the Prairie Awards 6 Gallery 7 References 8 External links

[edit] History and Development

Conner Prairie was founded by pharmaceutical executive Eli Lilly in the 1930s. In 1964, Lilly transferred the William Conner house, which he had restored, and related outbuildings to a public charitable trust of which Earlham College, a Quaker liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana, was named as trustee. Lilly also transferred about 1,400 acres (5.7 km²) of surrounding farmland to the college with the expectation that Earlham would sell that land and use the proceeds to provide an endowment for the museum. Instead, Earlham elected to retain the farmland and expand the museum, constructing an 1836 village, Prairietown, using funds that Lilly provided for this purpose. The museum grew in scope and popularity. In 1992 Earlham created a wholly-owned subsidiary to run the museum and appointed a local volunteer board of directors, while retaining financial control over the museum's operations. Beginning in 1999, tension began to develop between the board of directors and Earlham regarding the museum's governance and the college's financial policies. The dispute culminated in Earlham's dismissal of the board of directors and president of the museum in June 2003. The Indiana Attorney General intervened and, after a lengthy and contentious dispute, a settlement was reached under which Earlham resigned as trustee of the public charitable trust, the Lilly endowment was allocated between Conner Prairie and the college and the museum became completely independent. Conner Prairie now has its own board of directors and maintains its own finances and endowment fund.

[edit] Layout and concept

The museum grounds are divided into several sections, where different eras in history are recreated to create a kind of living timeline. Staff in period costumes demonstrate the way early inhabitants in the area lived. They explain their lifestyles in character while performing chores such as cooking, chopping wood, making pottery, and tending to animals. Patrons are often invited to join in the activities.

The museum's main building, called the Museum Center, contains the entrance lobby, ticket sales counter, restaurant, banquet hall, and gift shop. The gift shop sells pottery made by the museum's costumed staff as well as more conventional souvenirs.

[edit] Attractions

Conner Prairie features several permanent attractions and numerous semi-regular events, including "Mystery on the Prairie" murder mystery evenings, the Headless Horseman ride in the autumn, candlelight tours, and country fair. It also hosts American Civil War reenactments, the annual Spirit of the Prairie Awards, and Christmas holiday events and dinners.

[edit] William Conner House

William Conner House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Conner's House in Fishers, Indiana
Location:	Fishers, Indiana
Coordinates:	39°59′3.5″N 86°1′52.8″W / 39.984306°N 86.031333°W / 39.984306; -86.031333
Built/Founded:	1823
Added to NRHP:	February 8, 1980[1]

Built in 1823, the William Conner House is a two-story Federal style brick house on the terrace edge of the West Fork of the White River. The house is believed to be one of the first brick buildings built in central Indiana. Seven of William and Elizabeth Conner's ten children were born in the home. Conner's house was used as the meeting place for the County Commissioners, Circuit Court, and served as a post office in the early days of Hamilton County. Although Conner lived in the house until only 1837, his sons and their families are believed to have continued to reside in the house until 1874.^[2] In the 1860s, Conner's Delaware children unsuccessfully attempted to gain title to the land.

The house continued to be used as a residence by various owners until 1935, when Conner's house was purchased by Eli Lilly, who was at that time president of the Indiana Historical Society. Lilly restored the house and turned it into a museum.^[2]

In 1964, Lilly set up an endowment and donated Conner's house and the surrounding land to Earlham College. From the early 1970s to 2005, Earlham College used the house as a house museum and as part of the outdoor exhibit of Conner Prairie.^[2] In 2005, the museum became completely independent from the college and the Conner Prairie Foundation was formed to manage the endowment assets.

In 1980, the William Conner House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The genuine Conner brick house and barn are preserved as a museum. Visitors can hear about how early Hoosiers cooked, spun and dyed thread and yarn, and cared for their animals and crops. The house is believed to be one of the first brick buildings built in central Indiana.

[edit] 1886 Liberty Corner

Liberty Corner recreates a rural community in 1886, with a schoolhouse, Quaker meeting house, authentic covered bridge, and farm (Victorian home and three-bay bank barn). Visitors might even catch a vintage base ball game.

[edit] 1836 Prairietown

Prairietown recreates a pioneer community in 1836, with a blacksmith shop, pottery shop, inn, doctor's office, schoolhouse, and several residences. Visitors arriving early in the day might help with morning chores.

[edit] Conner Homestead

Conner Homestead recreates central Indiana's first brick home where William Conner lived with his family from 1823 to 1837. Visitors can also see animals in a large timber-frame barn and see what's simmering in the Loom House.

[edit] Lenape Camp

Lenape Camp recreates bark and cattail mat wigwams and a fur trade camp with a log cabin. Visitors can learn how the Lenape (Delaware Indians) lived in Indiana and hunted and trapped animals to trade with white fur traders.

[edit] 1859 Balloon Voyage

On June 6, 2009 Conner Prairie opened the 1859 Balloon Voyage. Visitors can take 15-minute rides 350 feet (110 m) above Fishers in a tethered balloon. It is filled with 210,000 cubic feet of helium and is 105 feet (32 m) tall, making it the largest tethered gas passenger balloon in the world.^[3] The gondola carries about twenty people, and the balloon can lift up to 45 tons. The ballon was manufactured by the French company Aerophile. It is based on the August 17, 1859 trip of John Wise, who made the first airmail flight in the United States 25 miles from Lafayette, Indiana to Crawfordsville, Indiana carrying 123 letters and 23 circulars.^[4][5] The balloon ride is open through October 31, 2009.

[edit] Other events

Conner Prairie serves as the summer home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The Friday/Saturday Symphony on the Prairie concert series, sponsored by Marsh Supermarkets, attracts some 90,000+ concert goers each year, a substantial percentage of Conner Prairie's annual visitor count.

[edit] Spirit of the Prairie Awards

The Spirit of the Prairie Awards began in 1998. The event honors individuals who demonstrate "excellence in achievement, courage, innovation and vision," all of which are characteristics shown by those establishing the United States. The awards are Conner Prairie Museum's highest honors.

[edit] Gallery

Spinning wheel demonstration in the Conner loom house, producing yarn from wool

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Conner Prairie

• Conner Prairie website