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Step Back in Time with “A Walk Down Memory Lane”

Chautauqua Wawasee and the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum are teaming up once again to present the second annual “A Walk Down Memory Lane” event. This free program, open to all ages, takes place on July 20th from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM at the Oakwood Resort in Syracuse.

The event will feature screenings of historic films showcasing Syracuse and Lake Wawasee, including from the Teetor and Rodabaugh families, among others. These cinematic treasures offer a unique glimpse into the lives and landscapes of yesteryear, showcasing how our area has evolved over time.

In addition to the film screenings, attendees will have the opportunity to contribute their own oral histories. Those unable to share their stories at the event can arrange a separate time with the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum to record their recollections.

Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in local history, share your stories, and connect with fellow community members. Mark your calendars for July 20th and join us at the Oakwood Resort for an afternoon of nostalgia, laughter, and discovery.
Remember, admission is free, but the memories you’ll make are priceless!

Love nature? Love butterflies?

Love Nature?  Love butterflies? 

This is the topic to be explored at one session of the upcoming Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation’s Earth Day Festival on April 30.
WACF is organizing more than twenty educational, fun, hands-on programs, and activities to be held outdoors at WACF Education Center south
of Syracuse.
Plan to stop by the Chautauqua-Wawasee booth because they need your help to save the Monarch butterfly!
You will learn from the butterfly lady herself, Cindy Gackenheimer, Flutterby Gardens, Claypool, as she shares about the metamorphosis of a butterfly, the Monarch migration pattern this year, and practical steps you can take to help the Monarch.  The booth will provide a “kid-friendly” hands-on learning experience where participants can play a migration game. Also, a special craft is offered which involves stamping the butterfly life cycle on a take-home canvas bag, along with free pollinator seeds to plant which attracts butterflies to your garden or landscape for years to come.
Cost: Free
When: Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Where: Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, located at 11586 IN-13, south of Syracuse.
You may also visit our Facebook site for details or updates.  Or, as always, you may give us a call at 574-377-7543.
Native Americans of northeast Indiana

Chautauqua-Wawasee and Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum are collaborating to offer the third annual series of three programs that explore the history of Native Americans in northeastern Indiana.

The three programs are presented over a three-day period, September 2-4, with the first two one-hour programs held at the Syracuse Community Center; the third program will be held from 9:00 AM to noon on Saturday, September 4, at the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation Amphitheater. All programs are offered free of charge and open to the public. Each program features presenters with expert knowledge and provides an interactive environment for discussion and hands-on examination of artifacts.

This year’s programs are:

Thursday, September 2, 6:30 – 7:30 at the Syracuse Community Center

Dr. Jeff Pyle will discuss and display a portion of the renowned Fred Bartol Collection of Prehistoric Indian Artifacts. This is considered to be one of the finest collections of mid-west pre-historic Indian relics! It was compiled by Warsaw’s Fred Bartol, who began collecting at a young age and collected his entire life. Upon his death in 1972, the collection was packed up and put away until Dr. Jeff Pyle acquired it in 2019.

Friday, September 3, 6:30 – 7:30 at the Syracuse Community Center

Notre Dame professors and researchers, Dr. Mark Schurr and Dr. Madeleine McLeester, will be speaking about what archaeologists know about northern Indiana from the very first humans to settle here over 10,000 years ago through the historic occupations of the Potawatomi and Miami, with a special focus on Kosciusko County. The speakers will also present some new results from their ongoing research, the Kankakee Protohistory Project, which investigates how past societies used the Kankakee Marsh environment as well as changes to the marsh itself through time. Join us for an evening filled with everything from woolly mammoths to sprawling mound centers, and uncover Indiana’s unique and rich archaeological past.

Saturday, September 4, 9:00 – Noon at the Wawasee Area Conservancy Ruddell Pavilion

Five individual programs are being offered:

Myaamia (Miami Native American) Plant Traditions 9:00 – 10:30

Led by Dani Tippmann at WACF Amphitheater

Follow Myaamia history as we look at the lives of the plants who accompany us on our journey through time. [See insert for more details]

French Influence in the area 10:30 – Noon

Led by Joe Zdziebko

Joe Zdziebko, dressed as a 1750s French Marine will display and discuss his equipment, uniform, musket, furs, maps, etc. He will also talk about old sayings that are still used today. [See insert for more details]

Flintknapping Hands-on 10:30 – Noon

Led by Jeff Mesaros

Want to know how native American artifacts were made by hand? Jeff Mesaros will show you how. And here’s your chance to try making one!

Kayak Display 10:30 – Noon

Led by Mike Smith

Mike will display and describe his hand-built 17-foot sea kayak.

Archaeological Dig for Children 10:30 – Noon

Led by Jamie Clemons

Through this hands-on activity, students will “dig” for artifacts, documenting findings through drawings and notes.

The ChautauquaWawasee website and Facebook have more details, as does the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum and their website. Please call with questions at 574-377-7543.

www.chautauquawawasee.org

www.facebook.com/ChautauquaWawasee

www.syracusemuseum.org

Based in Syracuse, Chautauqua-Wawasee is a non-profit organization that provides life-enriching programs for the northern Indiana region.

Family Film Festival

The Chautauqua Fun Film Festival is this Saturday, August 7, at 10am at the Pickwick Theater in Syracuse.  Attendance is free.  The Festival consists of video clips shot by Syracuse-area residents of fun family times around the lake or home.  Over fifty clips were submitted by area residents showing dogs having fun in the water, kids doing silly things, bouncing and flipping tubes, fireworks, biking and other family fun times.  The videos were collected and submitted over the last 45-days, orchestrated by Chautauqua-Wawasee, and produced into a fast-paced film by Ryan Snider and Matt Wuthrich, recent Wawasee High School graduates.   Following the viewing, awards will be presented in five categories:  Fun with pets, kids’ fun, biking, tubing and a wildcard category.  The public is invited to this one-time community event 10:00am – 10:30am.  We certainly hope to see everyone there!

Fine Arts Festival

This Festival brings together 30 local and regional artists from around the northern Indiana area.

The outdoor setting provides a family-friendly environment. Food vendors are onsite for snacks and lunch, with outside seating available. Also, the Pier and Back Porch at Oakwood offers a full menu with both indoor and outdoor lakefront dining overlooking beautiful Lake Wawasee. Children’s activities and playground are available. Attendance is free. Stop by our booth for a giveaway.

 

What: Oakwood Fine Art Festival

When: June 12, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Where: Oakwood Resort, Syracuse, Indiana

Free to attend. Registration requested, but not required

 

Please follow this link to register

Don’t forget to stop by the Chautauqua tent for a giveaway!