Take a Trip Through Time at Indiana's Conner Prairie

Just north of Indianapolis, there's a place that will take you back to the "good old days" - back to 19th-century Indiana. Conner Prairie, in Fishers, Ind., is a living history museum, concert venue and learning center.

Open April through mid-November, Conner Prairie's historic area is divided into four distinct outdoor sections. We started our journey at the Lenape (Delaware) Indian Camp. My children ducked inside a wigwam and sniffed smoke from the indoor fire as it drifted through the roof's vent hole. They stroked pelts from local animals to find out which was softest. We talked with a fur trader and learned how he traveled through the wilderness, preparing his furs for eventual sale in the East.

Next we wandered over to Prairietown, which showcases life in 1836 Indiana. The schoolmaster hailed my son and daughter, asking why they weren't at school and inviting them inside the schoolhouse. He quizzed them on "reading, writing and ciphering," and showed them how to use a slate. We had to drag our menfolk out of the blacksmith shop by force. There's something about all that dirt and smoke and pounding that attracts boys of all ages to the blacksmith's steamy workplace.

Continuing our journey through Indiana history, we paid a call at the Zimmerman Farm in Liberty Corner. This 1886 village includes a Quaker meeting house and a covered bridge. My daughter's favorite part was playing jumprope with the Zimmerman children. She was amazed to learn that 19th-century girls liked to jump rope.

Touring the Conner Homestead was the highlight of my day. I love old homes and I especially enjoy learning how people lived long ago. I was fascinated by the demonstration of herb and spice use. My daughter learned to grind spices with a mortar and pestle; now she grinds spices for me at home when I make Indian food.

Conner Prairie presents special programs throughout the year, even when the outdoor historical areas are closed. Summer visitors can listen to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's concert series, Marsh Symphony on the Prairie, held on the Conner Prairie lawn. Fall programs include harvest activities and a special Halloween program featuring the Headless Horseman. Throughout the spring, summer and fall, Conner Prairie's special events bring visitors back to the 19th century through baseball games (it was called "base ball" then), a Fourth of July extravaganza, and themed programs such as H-CSI - Historic Crime Scene Investigations.

Young visitors to Conner Prairie now have a special area all their own. The indoor Discovery Station opened this year, although I still recommend taking toddlers to the animal exhibit areas. Almost every child loves to pet farm animals, and Conner Prairie has plenty to choose from.

If you fall in love with Indiana's past - and it's hard not to - you can take a class. Learn how to operate a blacksmith's bellows, create a clay cup or weave a scarf. If you don't have time to make something yourself, check out the gift shop, where you can buy items made on-site.

Whether you live near Indianapolis or are just passing through, stop at Conner Prairie and discover Indiana's pioneer past.