Hunters lunch at Salamonie Reservoir, Nov. 17

Hungry hunters who will be frequenting the Salamonie Reservoir area Nov. 17 will be able to refuel at a lunch offered by Upper Wabash Interpretive Services at the Interpretive Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pancakes, sausage and a cup of coffee will be offered, as well as an opportunity to sit and share stories with friends and other hunters.

All are welcome. Donations are accepted. If hunters know they are coming ahead of time, they should call ahead, (260) 468-2127.

The Salamonie Interpretive Center is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. The center features seasonally changing exhibits, floor-to-ceiling windows in the wildlife viewing area, and staff to answer questions. The building also houses the Otter Run Tradin' Post gift shop. The center is located in Lost Bridge West Recreation Area on Highway 105 in western Huntington County.

Visit www.in.gov/dnr/uwis/ for more information about other programs or call the number listed above. 

Enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner with Abraham and Mary Lincoln at Spring Mill State Park

On Sunday, Nov. 18, Spring Mill State Park invites you to join Abraham and Mary Lincoln for an authentic 1863 dinner served inside the Gristmill in the park's Pioneer Village. Seated in the unique ambience of a 190-year-old gristmill, guests will enjoy a meal of sliced roast pork with gravy, chicken and noodles, three vegetable side dishes, bread, and pumpkin pie.

President Lincoln and his wife will join the table to partake in this Thanksgiving meal. Following dinner, the President will discuss his 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation. Demonstrations and crafts presented by Pioneer Village heritage interpreters will follow the presentation, and the Lincolns will be available for photographs and conversation.

"Thanksgiving in the Village" will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude at 8:30 p.m. The cost is $30 per person and is limited to 30 people. Pre-registration is required. To register, call the Spring Mill Inn at 812-849-4081 by Nov. 14.

Rooms are available at the Spring Mill Inn for Nov. 17 and 18; call the Inn for reservations.
Jill Vance, Spring Mill State Park's Interpretive Naturalist, notes that "This is an opportunity to spend an evening enjoying some of the tastes, people, and activities of 1863. 'Thanksgiving in the Village' will be a relaxing prelude to the busy holiday season presented in a unique, historic setting."
Visitors who wish to expand their celebration of Thanksgiving at Spring Mill are also invited to make a set of Thanksgiving crafts in the Pioneer Village on Nov. 17. For more information on "Thanksgiving Crafts Day," call the Nature Center at 812-849-4129.

Admission to the park after 5 p.m. on Sunday is free. Prior to 5 p.m., admission is $5 per vehicle for Indiana residents or $7 per vehicle for non-Indiana residents.

DNR to continue Hoosier Prairie management program

The Department of Natural Resources plans to complete this fall's routine controlled burn of Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve on a day in November or December.

The DNR's Division of Nature Preserves will set a date for controlled burning when weather conditions are suitable and will notify area news media of the activity the morning of the event.
Because smoke from the controlled burning can create a visual hazard for motorists, local officials will close Main Street between Wiggs Street and Kennedy Avenue during parts of the operation.

Hoosier Prairie is a large tract maintained by the nature preserves division. It contains prairie, oak savanna and marsh habitats on both sides of Main Street in Griffith, Schereville and Highland.

The DNR conducts the controlled burn each spring and fall in order to preserve the area's rare prairie/savanna habitat, which requires sunny, open conditions. Without the fires, trees and plants common to other areas eventually would crowd out and eliminate rare prairie and savanna plants.

Legal scholar to speak about state's role in 19th century slavery question

Slavery, the courts and the Underground Railroad will be the subjects when preeminent legal scholar Paul Finkelman speaks during two free public appearances in Indianapolis, Nov. 15.
Finkelman will present in the Indiana Supreme Court at 3 p.m., then in the 2nd floor History Reference Room of the Indiana State Library and Historical Building at 7 p.m.

The speaker will review how Hoosiers responded to the slavery issue with debate, violence, and sacrifice. Some helped escaping slaves; others helped slave owners. Each acted within his or her own moral, spiritual and civic perspectives. The criminal and civil court cases of this period provide fascinating evidence on the volatile subject matter.

Finkelman's talk is expected to debunk many Underground Railroad myths and explain the complexity of the fight for and against slavery in Indiana and the United States in the 19th century.

The talk is made possible through the Indiana University's Cornelius O'Brien Lecture Series Concerning Historic Preservation and the Commission for Continuing Legal Education.  This session is offered as a part of the Spirit & Place Festival: A Civic Collaboration of the Arts, Religion, & Humanities.

The talk is presented by a partnership of the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, the Indiana Historical Bureau, the Indiana Supreme Court, the Indiana State Library, and Indiana Freedom Trails, Inc.

For more information, contact (317) 232-2535 or ihb@statelib.lib.in.us.