DEEP RIVER COUNTY PARK NEWS

• Wood's Mill
• Maple Syrup Time at Deep River 2009
• Children's Summer Programs
• Pre School in the Park
• School Group Tours
• Photography Club and Deep River Artists
• Horticulture Programs
• Quilting at Woods Mill
• Deep River Grinders Vintage Base Ball
• Non Reserved Hayrides
• Campfire Chillers

Visitor Center and Wood’s Historic Grist Mill open for 2009 season on May 2

Hours are Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed Fridays, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day.  Buildings close for season October 31.

Visitors to the Mill will see demonstrations of the corn-grinding process, learn how the mill was originally powered, and be able to purchase stone-ground cornmeal processed in the Mill daily.  Admission to the Mill is by donation.

• First floor exhibits include quilts and artifacts from the Wood family. 

• The second floor hosts a replica one-room school, a general store setting, and a typical bedroom of the 1800's.

• Displays in Wood’s Mill Gallery on third floor where milling operations used to be housed are photographs May & June and paintings September & October.

The Visitor Center, housed in a 1904 church building that was outgrown by its congregation, is now home to the gift shop, meeting room and information center.  Here visitors may purchase Deep River’s own pure maple syrup, Amish-made apple butter, ice-cold sarsaparilla, jams, jellies, condiments, cookbooks, toys, nature guides, paintings, photographs, pioneer bonnets and aprons, rag dolls and much more.

Exhibit in Wood’s Mill Gallery

Wood’s Historic Grist Mill at Deep River County Park

May – June     10 a.m. - 3:45 Monday - Thursday and 10 a.m. - 4:45 Saturday & Sunday

Members of the Lake County Park’s Photography Club proudly show their works.  The exhibit, a favorite of visitors to Wood’s Mill Gallery, may feature framed photos of landscapes, buildings, still life, travels around the words, people or activities.  Most are offered for sale. 

Children's Summer Programs

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• Deep River County Park           

• Thursdays in May, September and October 2009

• 10:30 -11:30 a.m. OR 1-2 p.m.

• Ages 3 & 4 - Preschool                        

• Fee: $1 per child

• No registration needed  

• Meet at the Visitor Center

While older brothers and sisters are in school, bring the preschoolers to Deep River County Park for a program designed just for them.  Children may hear stories, play games, make a craft, sing songs, do finger plays, and take home a treat or coloring page.  Make lasting memories by having fun alongside your preschooler.  Everyone is invited to bring a brown bag lunch and picnic and hike in the Park on your own before or after the program.  Meet at the Visitor Center to begin your program.  

 Preschool Program for Day Care Groups

The same topics listed above are available to day-care groups on Wednesday of the same week at 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m. or 1:30 p.m.  The one-hour programs are by reservation only for a fee of $25.00 per program for a group of 20 or less, payable in advance.  You may picnic or hike in the Park on your own before or after your program.  Call 219-769-PARK to make your reservation.

School Groups May Choose Their Own Topic for Historical Tour

• Deep River County Park
• Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays in September and October
• Fee: $1 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.
• Vintage Base Ball - Gather on Grinder Field to learn about America's game of base ball guided by the rules of 1858. Learn how they differ from today's rules
• Homemade Treasures - Quilts: their history, their use and how they were made. Students will view some of the collection at Wood's Mill.
• Deep River - Where does it begin? Where does it go? Learn why it was so important to settlers in Lake County Indiana.

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.

• Deep River County Park Visitor’s Center Meeting Room 
• Second Wednesday each month (except December)
• Doors open 6 p.m. Program begins 7 p.m.
• No dues or obligations

Adults interested in any aspect of photography are welcome to attend the monthly meetings of the Lake County Parks Photography Club. Meetings include announcements of area shows, contests and exhibits. Members receive a monthly newsletter, enjoy outings together, and exhibit their works locally. They may show works at a Show and Tell session at the monthly meetings where they help each other improve skills. Film and digital photography users are accepted. There are no dues or obligations to attend the meetings. Doors open at 6 p.m. for those who wish to come early and socialize. For more information, call 219-947-1958 or contact the club via the Internet at

Doors open at 6 p.m. for those who wish to come early and socialize. For more information, call 219-947-1958 or contact the club via the Internet at LCParksPhotoClub@aol.com

The Lake County Parks Department Photography Club is open to all interested adults of all skill levels. No dues are required for membership and there is no obligation to attend all meetings.  

April 8                         Unusual Houses

May 13                        Fire and/or Ice

June 10                        Table-top Photos

July 8                           Wheels and Things That Have Them

DEEP RIVER ARTISTS

• Deep River County Park Visitor Center         

• Mondays, April 27, June 22, July 27, 2009          

• 6:30 p.m.         

• Free  

  Artists in all mediums are invited to attend the meetings of Deep River Artists at the Visitor Center, Deep River County Park.  Artists enjoy demonstrations, learn new techniques, present exhibits in Wood’s Mill Gallery, learn of area classes and exhibits and offer classes to members.  They also meet in the Park to paint together amid the Gazebo gardens and Wood’s Historic Grist Mill.  Some members’ works may be seen in the Visitor Center (May - October) and are offered for sale.  Artists are asked to bring to the meetings examples of their work to show and talk about.  It may be in the form of a photo or the actual artwork.  For more information, call the Park at 219-947-1958. 

For more information, call the Park at 219-947-1958 or visit www.deepriverartists.org

• Deep River County Park Second Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m.
• Greenhouse located at 8305 Randolph Street, behind the Park Operations/Park Services building NEW LOCATION
• Free

Attend monthly meetings to learn about gardening – trees, shrubs, flowers, herbs, and the lawn.  Led by Lake County Parks Horticulturist, Bryan McKay, members will hear lectures, see demonstrations, receive tips and techniques, and have their gardening questions answered.  Members have access to the Park Department’s greenhouses and volunteer in the gardens at Deep River County Park, Deep River Waterpark, Turkey Creek Golf Course, Stoney Run Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial and other park facilities.

Members receive a monthly newsletter and may enjoy outings to area gardens.  For information, call 219-947-7275.

Spring Perennial Plant Swap

• Deep River County Park                     

• Monday, April 20, 2009                       

• 10 a.m.                        

• Free

• Meet in the parking lot behind Visitor Center           

Fall is a great time to increase or change plant varieties in your garden.  One way to do this is to swap perennials.  So pot your perennials, identify them and bring them to the Plant Swap to exchange for others.  Gardening staff will be on hand to give information on planting and care of your new varieties.  Also, bring empty containers for plants that may be divided and exchanged.  Don’t be late....plants go fast!

Quilting Bees

• Deep River County Park in Wood’s Historic Grist Mill

• Fourth Sunday in 2009:  May 24, June 28, July 26, August, September, October, 2009        

• 1-4 p.m.        

• Free  

  Volunteer quilters meet each month to demonstrate their talents. Lively conversation, greeting of old friends, and exchange of information accompanies the quilting.  This season quilters will be working on “Lotsa Potsa Flowers”, the latest quilt to be assembled from blocks donated by many friends. 

  On exhibit will be the recently-completed Indiana Puzzle quilt, which was done in traditional red and white.  Many other quilts completed at the park since 1979 will also be displayed.  Stop by to meet these talented volunteers and join them in quilting?  You will have an enjoyable time and help us complete our quilt.

  New quilt block:  We are asking for blocks for the next quilt, “Friendship Star”, as suggested by volunteer quilter, Jeanne Coleman of Merrillville.  Patterns are available at the monthly quilting bee or request a pattern anytime the Mill is open. The deadline to return one or more completed blocks is Sunday, October 25 at 4 p.m.

All quilts made at the Quilting Bees remain in the collection at the park and are periodically put on exhibit. Stop by during a Quilting Bee, sit a spell and put your own stitches into the quilt or just visit with the volunteer quilters as they continue their craft. 

Since 1979, volunteers at Deep River County Park have been making quilts at Wood’s Mill and we thank them for their valuable service.  

BASE BALL!  When the first warm days of spring arrive, the players are eager to meet on Grinder Field at Deep River County Park for practices. Then the games begin, both at home and away. The team travels to Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and throughout Indiana playing their special game of vintage base ball. Other teams from around the Midwest meet the Grinders on their home field.

What is so special about this game? That's easy. It's the gentlemanly behavior of the players and the rules they play by. The men portray players of the mid-1800s, when courtesy prevailed on and off the playing field. There is no swearing, no spitting and no ungentlemanly behavior anywhere during the games. Rules written in 1858 govern the play.

Some differences in the rules of today that cranks (fans) might notice are: no bunting, no sliding into bases, no leading off and no mitts or other protective gear. Players are called hurlers (pitchers), behinds (catchers) and rovers (shortstops). Nine players at a time take the field and substitutions are made freely. Strikers (batters) are encouraged to strike the ball and "Leg it" to first base 90-feet away. Then if the runner is lucky enough to cross home plate safely, he is to proceed to the tally table where he asks that his ace be tallied for his team. He is then instructed to ring the tally bell, letting players and cranks know his score has counted.

Since this game was originally played for exercise instead of competition, friendly banter can be heard between the teams. Phrases such as "Hit a daisy cutter, Sir," and "Well done," are often shouted to opposing team members. Come enjoy this vintage sport, sip an ice cold sarsaparilla, munch a hotdog and join in shouting "Huzzah" for both teams.

Indiana’s premier vintage base ball Club Nine, the Deep River Grinders, continue their 16^th season of play under the original 1858 rules. If you’ve see a match, you know that they play barehanded and follow the maxims of gentlemanly behavior – no spitting, arguing, cursing, or wagering. It is commonplace for members of both teams to encourage and applaud the good play of each other. Games are played, as they were in baseball’s infancy, more as recreation and exercise than competition. The Deep River Grinders truly play for the love of the game, using leather-covered hand-sewn hard balls, hand-turned bats, and homemade bases. Nine-inning games are played on ninety-foot base paths. Cranks (you, the fans) can enjoy an ice cold sarsaparilla, the official drink of the Deep River Grinders, and indulge in a hot dogs, both for sale at home games.

The Grinders, playing since 1991, are charter members of the Vintage Baseball Association, a national organization formed to preserve, promote, and perpetuate the game of baseball as it was played in its formative years in the mid-nineteenth century. For more information on our beloved Deep River Grinders, or to join the team, contact the Visitor’s Center at 219-947-1958. The Deep River Grinders may also be contacted via email at DRGrinders@aol.com   or see their web page at www.geocities.com/deeprivergrinders

Click here for 2009 Deep River Grinders Schedule

If you are interested in becoming a Grinders, call 219-947-1958 and say "I want to be a Grinder." Leave your name and number and you will be contacted.

For individuals and families -- no groups, please.  

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 20 through October 31, 2009 (except October 3 & 4) during the Fall Festival) at 1 and 2 p.m. for only $3 per person. Remember: Groups may reserve evening hayrides by calling the business office at 219-945-0543.

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 3 - 25, 2009 at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. for only $3 per person. Groups may reserve evening hayrides by calling the business office at 219-945-0543.

• Deep River County Park            
• October 21, 2009             
• 6:30 p.m.- 7:45 p.m.             
• Free

Meet in the meadow across Deep River - Just look for the campfire

Who doesn't love sitting around a crackling campfire, telling scary stories and watching the flames dance in the dark? Your family can experience this during our annual Campfire Chillers.

Master Storyteller Karen Slager, a member of Northwest Indiana Storytellers Guild, will lead the stories, telling many of her favorites. But she also invites students to stand up and tell their own short tale. While you may experience the proverbial "chill down your spine" from time to time, this program is suitable for the entire family, but you know your child the best.

Bring your own lawn chairs, marshmallows and roasting sticks to use AFTER the storytelling. Be prepared for the weather. Dress warmly. The program will be held rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, the program will be held inside Wood's Historic Grist Mill.

Be prepared to get goose bumps! BOO! Gotcha!

• An all-indoor program for groups and individuals
• March 10, 2009
• Fee to be determined
• Call 219-769-7275 (beginning January 8, 2009)

Seniors! Break out of your cabin fever and join others in an enjoyable afternoon of fun as you learn about the making of pure maple syrup right here in Northwest Indiana.

Call in your reservation, then join us for fun, a video, cake and coffee. You may taste the sweet syrup made right here at Deep River County Park. Bottles of syrup are available in the gift shop after the program. This program takes place entirely indoors where it is heated and you can be seated. No walking! We bring the information to you. So sit back, enjoy the afternoon and have fun. Be sure to register.

The workshop will be conducted again in 2010.  Watch for dates later.  Ask about supplies in the Visitor Center.

You will be able to make your own pure maple syrup if you have access to large maple trees, a few supplies, and a little instruction. Learn how and when to tap the trees, how to collect and preserve the sap, and how to produce your own pure maple syrup. You may already have a drill, some buckets, a camp stove or grill, bottles and pans. Other items, such as spiles, filters and sap buckets may be purchased at the workshop.

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Page updated February 7, 2009