BUCKLEY HOMESTEAD NEWS

• Weekend Hours and Fees
• 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
• Sheep Shearing at Buckley
• Basket Workshops
• Carriages on Display
• Hooking in the Shade - Rug Hooking Workshop
• Preparing for Winter
• Historic Tours -- Indiana History from 1850-1917
• Non Reserved Hayrides
• Buckley Five Miler walk and run
• Legend of Sleepy Hollow
• Fall Fest
• Buckley Labyrinth
• Pioneer Day Hands-On Experience
• Volunteer Costume Sewing Days in January and February
• Volunteers Wanted

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  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 August, 2010

  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 4 - October 31, 2010

  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 9 & 10.

  Check special event weekends for exceptions to these times. 

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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.  See descriptions below.

• July 31 & August 1                 A day in the life of a hunting camp  

• October 9 & 10                      Fall Festival

• October 23 & 24                     Winter preparations

“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 18^th 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:

Weweni wijii’idig.
"Go with each other respectfully"

Visit www.GreatLakesWoodlandAlliance.tk

and www.Theatiki.tk

Buckley admission or special event fees are charged on some of these weekends

Our favorite biscuit recipe

• 2 cups all purpose flour, stirred before measuring
• 2 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• A pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.  Cut in chilled or melted shortening and butter until you have pieces the size of small peas.  Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, pour in buttermilk.  With a wooden spoon, gently blend dry ingredients into the buttermilk, just until mixture is clumping together.  If necessary, add a few more teaspoons of buttermilk.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured board.  Pat out in a circle about 8 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick.  Using a 2 & 1/2 to 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut out and place on un-greased baking sheet.  Bake on center oven rack for about 10 to 12 minutes, until tops are browned.  Makes 10 to 12 biscuits, depending on the size of the cutter.

At Buckley Homestead biscuits are made in the wood burning stoves so it's a bit more tricky.

Watch the Historic Cobe Cub Drive  

Saturday, May 28, 2011 (to be confirmed by sponsors: Crown Point and 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.  

Sheep Shearing “From sheep to sweater”

Buckley Homestead                      2011 dates to be determined      Noon - 4 p.m.        

Enjoy an afternoon on the farm and learn about the Buckley sheep, from Andy to Waldo.  Not only will you see their wool being sheared, but you will get to clean it.  Then visit with volunteers from around the county who bring their 4-H animals to show.  Learn about their care and feeding and the practical uses animals have.  Visitors are encouraged to ask questions and pet the animals.  These activities are great for the whole family and free.

Basket Workshops

Experienced teacher, Julie Duttlinger, has been leading basket workshops at Buckley Homestead for 20 years.  Join her for her 21^st year when she brings back some favorites.  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.

For registration please call 219-769-PARK  

“Apple Basket”

Thursday, June 3 or Saturday, June 5                         9 a. m. - 1 p. m.

$27 (includes materials)                                              Minimum (7) Maximum (18)

Reservation and payment deadline: May 28              Call 219-769-PARK

Description: 8” square x 10” with notched wooden handle and colored reed; a great beginner’s basket.  This is the first basket Julie taught at Buckley Homestead 21 years ago and remains her all-time favorite (4-H Level B,C,D). 

“Flag Basket”

Thursday, June 17 or Saturday, June 19                     9 a.m. – 1 p. m.

$20 (includes materials)                                              Minimum (7) Maximum (18)

Reservation and payment deadlines: June 11             Call 219-769-PARK

Description: 6” x 2” x 5” with self-made handle, red-white-blue colored reed.  Get ready for July 4^th.  Julie taught this class 20 years ago on the hottest day of the year!  (4-H Level B,C,D)

“Pie Basket”

Thursday, July 8 or Saturday, July 10                        9 a. m. – 1 p. m.

$32 (includes materials)                                              Minimum (7) Maximum (18)

Reservation and payment deadlines: July 2                Call 219-769-PARK

Description: 11” diameter x 6” with notched wooden handle and wooden base. (4-H Level C,D)

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Carriages on Display

Sunday, May 23, 2010            Noon - 4 p.m.         FREE

Visitor Center and Main House are open

Join in a Sunday afternoon of fun when the Carriage and Sleigh Association takes their afternoon drive at Buckley Homestead Living History Farm.  Sorry, but rides are not available to the public.  Talk with the drivers, see the costumes, and learn about the beautiful animals that pull the carriages.

Rug Hooking Workshop - This isn't the current form of hooking rugs.  It's a vintage art.

• Rug Hooking Workshop at Buckley Homestead                  

• Thursday, June 17 and Thursday, June 24, 2010 (a two day class)             9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

• Cost: $40 (Includes materials)                                    Student minimum (5) maximum (12)

• Registration and payment deadline: May 28, 2010

• For registration call 219-769-PARK.  For questions call 219-947-7275.

Students will learn the basics of rug hooking with a little of its history from instructor Jean Kolberg.  They will hook their own 6½ x 8 inch flower mat to complete in a two day session. Complete instructions for the piece will be provided and demonstrated in class.  A student hooking frame will be provided for use in class and if desired may be purchased from the instructor.  Rugs are made under the shade of the Buckley Homestead trees. This finished rug qualifies as a 4-H project under needle craft other, punched needle work. Come in your work clothes and bring scissors, notebook, and pen (handouts will be supplied).  The class will last through lunch so bring a sack lunch and a cold drink.

Preparing for Winter on Buckley Homestead

October 23 & 24, 2010          Noon. - 5 p.m.

Buckley Homestead - Enjoy the quiet, steady pace of the horses as they pull the hay wagon around the back 80 acre trail. Look for pheasant, deer, and coyote as you travel through the wooded areas and open fields past the pioneer log cabin. Individuals and families may ride on a first-come, first-serve basis on Saturdays and Sundays, September 26 through October 31, 2010 (except October 9 & 10 during the Fall Festival) at 1 and 2 p.m. for only $2 per person. Remember: Groups may reserve evening hayrides by calling the business office at 219-769-PARK.

Bring the family and friends to a day of fun, great food and some of the best entertainment in all of Northwest Indiana. 

Entertainment for all --

• Always a pleasure, the good Dr. and Mrs. Quackenbush return with their quick wit and slight-of- hand.

• The ever popular Coles County Regulators Cowboys roam the countryside looking for bad guys and host the Pony Express riders.  Hey kids, want to be a rider?  Check it out.

• Susan and Gary Brown entertain with old-fashioned music and dancing at the pioneer farm. 

• Bill Wilkie and the Oxcart Ramblers will play foot-tapping music   

• Are you feeling especially smart?  Maybe you’ll be able to figure out who’s lying and who is telling the truth on the “Liars Bench.” Every vote counts.

Traditional Crafts and Demonstrations -- Wood crafters, china painters, spinners, quilters, weavers, and a broom maker, along with others, will demonstrate their skills and sell their wares. The farmers will be in the west pasture and Lake County Master Gardeners will be in the garden.

Old-fashioned fun for young and old -- Sheep Toss, Frying Pan Toss and Rolling Pin Toss.  Hands-on activities for the kids like rope-making, candle dipping, and more.  Save your memories of your Buckley visit when you get your photo taken in historic costumes.

Games for children - sticks, cat & mouse, bone dice and more.

Great Treats -- Come hungry and eat often. We have ham & bean soup, chicken noodles, steak sandwiches, baked potatoes with everything, apple dumplings, kettle corn, Indian fry bread, and more.

Lots More – Take a hayride ($1 per person for the hayride shuttle around the farm), make a candle or a piece of rope, walk on stilts, jump in a straw pile, visit the museum, learn about the root cellar, and more. The barnyard is filled with activity and most of the animals are in the pasture. Farmers take the opportunity to get the thresher and corn binding machine working. Taste a sample of freshly baked cornbread cooked in the wood-burning stove at the hired hands house. Watch as soap is made in the carriage house or take the hayride shuttle around the historic areas of the park for only $1 per person. Get off the wagon at the pioneer farm and schoolhouse and catch the next shuttle back to the barnyard.

Historical Buildings – Buckley Homestead Museum; Pioneer Log House; One-room schoolhouse; Hired Hands Quarters; Buckley Barn

Please note that pets, including dogs, are not permitted at this special event or in the corn maze. 

For more information, please call 219-769-PARK 

Old Time and Traditional Craftsmen should call Megan at 219-947-7275 if interested in a booth. 

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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 2011

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 19^th century.

*April 1 is devoted to home school and smaller groups 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. 

Gatsby Summer Afternoon Picnic and Vintage Automobiles

Buckley Homestead                Saturday, July 17          Noon – 4 p.m.           Free

• Afternoon attire from 1913-1940 (or reasonable facsimile) is required by registered participants (not visitors).

• Visitor Center and Main House are open

• The public is welcome to come out at watch this most unusual picnic

If you own a vintage auto built between 1913 and 1942 you can take part in one of the most exciting events of the summer.  Art Deco enthusiasts will prepare an extravaganza of a picnic on the grounds of Buckley Homestead Living History Farm, where everyone dresses in period style. Setting the stage is the grand display of vintage automobiles from working vehicles, like Buckley’s vintage Model T Ford, to family autos and the most elegant of touring cars. Swells and belles stroll about, surrounded by vintage picnic ensembles.  For information call 219-769-7275.