On The Trail
Pioneer Days 2019
Summer Day Camp
Kids ages 7 to 12
Session 1: May 29, 30, 31 (WThF) Registration Deadline Extended!
Session 2: June 3, 4, 5 (MTW) Registration Deadline Extended!
Session 3: June 11, 12, 13 (TWTh)
$45 per child for non-FCHS members; $40 per child for FCHS members
Take a trip back in time…
and learn what it was like to be a pioneer on the trail. Make decisions about what to pack and try your hand at loading a wagon! You’ll even build your own miniature wagon to keep. You’ll also learn about the travelers who passed by the Dietrich’s cabin on the Humboldt Trail and what it was like to help one another along the way.
Day 1: On the Trail
We’re taking a field trip to the Ivan Boyd Prairie Reserve near Baldwin City to walk in real Santa Fe Trail wagon ruts, learn about life on the trail, and identify native plants travelers would have seen on their journey. We’ll sample some trail food and wear bonnets and straw hats just like the ones worn by travelers on the trail. Families are invited to join us at the Ivan Boyd Prairie Reserve!
Day 2: Surviving On the Trail
Trail travelers faced disease, starvation, flooding rivers, and rattle snakes. On Day 2, we’ll play our own Pioneer Trail Game to test our strength, speed, and quick-thinking against these trail challenges. (Don’t worry, parents—the only real dangers will be bugs and sunburn.) We’ll supply plenty of water and snacks to get through the day.
Day 3: The End of the Trail
The journey is over and we’ve reached our destination! On Day 3, we’ll celebrate reaching the end of the trail by dressing up in our best duds and gather for some square dancing, fiddle playing, and watermelon and pioneer cake.
Dressing For the Journey
Although we’re not walking hundreds of miles, we want to be comfortable during our adventure! We’ll be walking and running and painting and writing in journals with homemade ink. Comfortable clothes and comfortable shoes that protect our feet are important. We also recommend using sunscreen and bug spray each day.
Camp Details
All children between the ages of 7 and 12 are welcome!
3-Day Camp Costs:
- $40 per camper for Franklin County Historical Society members
- $45 per camper for non-FCHS members
Registration Deadlines:
May 15, 2019May 19, 2019—Last day to register for Session 1 (May 29, 30, 31)May 19, 2019 May 22, 2019May 26, 2019—Last day to register for Session 2 (June 3, 4, 5)May 26, 2019—Last day to register for Session 3 (June 11, 12, 13)
A medical release treatment authorization form must be completed prior to camp attendance.
No more than 15 children may register for each session. We cannot accommodate unregistered guests (except for during the family-friendly field trip on Day 1). Campers should arrive between 8:55 a.m. and 9 a.m. and be picked up promptly at noon.
Campers will be permitted to travel to and from the Ivan Boyd Prairie Reserve with their families. Otherwise, transportation will be provided for the camper only. Campers under 8 years of age must bring their booster seat.
Campers who demonstrate extremely disruptive or dangerous behavior will forfeit the rest of their camp experience.
Please be aware that most of our activities will be done in a historic trail park with uneven ground and around a 160-year-old cabin that is not wheelchair accessible.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Bequi Hicks, Education Coordinator.
Reserve your space today!
There are two ways to sign up:
- Mail this form and your check made payable to the Franklin County Historical Society to FCHS, Attn: Pioneer Days, PO BOX 145, Ottawa, KS, 66067.
- Hand-deliver this form and payment to the Old Depot Museum, 135 West Tecumseh, Ottawa, KS. The museum can accept cash, check, or credit card payments. The Old Depot Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
