Summer Sunday Series at Colonel Palmer Continues on July 14 with “Prairie Life: It’s People, Plants and Purpose”

The Summer 2013 Summer Sunday Series at Colonel Palmer House continues on Sunday, July 14, 1-4 pm with “Prairie Life: It’s People, Plants and Purpose”. This FREE program takes place on the grounds of the beautiful historic Colonel Palmer house, 660 East Terra Cotta Ave (Route 176) in Crystal Lake. Summer Sunday programs are free and open to people of all ages.

This month's theme “Prairie Life: It’s People, Plants and Purpose” showcases the people who lived and relied on the prairie before the settlers arrived from the east in the 1830’s. Members of the La Compagnie du Pays d’Illinois, a group of living history interpreters join us to portray the French and Early British period fur trade as well as French-Potawatomi Métis life ways. Hands on demonstrations include, food ways and preparation, as well as plant uses in medicines, dyes, and ceremonial purposes. Crystal Lake Park District Nature Center Manager, John Fiorina will discuss the restoration of the native prairie based on the 1820 survey of Illinois, and share with attendees which plants are native to our prairie and how the prairie has changed over time. Children will enjoy creating their own Potawatomi head band with the assistance of National Honor Society students from Jacobs High School.

During the Summer Sunday Series, Colonel Palmer House will be open to visitors. Exhibits inside the home include, Native American artifacts on loan from living history interpreter Jean-Claude St. Martin and the McHenry County Historical Society. Palmer family and house history of the Federal and Greek Revival style home built in 1858 will be presented. Visitors are invited to Mrs. Palmer’s kitchen to enjoy refreshments provided by the Crystal Lake Historical Society.

For further information contact Mary Ott at (815) 477-5873, or via email palmerhouse@crystallakeparks.org.