Old Settlers' Days - October 5th & 6th 2024

On the grounds of the John Hay Center

About Old Settlers' Days

Old Settlers’ Days is an annual, free to the public festival, first established and held for the community in 1875, to commemorate and honor the pioneers who settled the wilderness lands of the Indiana Territory that would eventually become Washington County.

Remembrance of the Heritage of Old Settlers' Days

The Old Settlers’ meeting at Hobbs’ Grove, last Wednesday, was the first one ever held in the county. It was well attended and the best of good feeling prevailed.  Lewis J. Reyman was made President of the Meeting.  The call for the old settlers was made by townships, and commencing with the earlies settlers, who came forward and made short statements of early scenes in this county.

George Beck was the earliest settler, having come in 1807, Beck, John C. Thompson, James L. Thompson, Carey Thompson, J. L. Menaugh, Arch. Johnson, James M. Hodges, Cad. W. Jones, Eli Stucker, Joseph Denny, and others made short speeches. Some old relics of early times were exhibited. Take it altogether, the meeting was a success. They hold another one next year, when we expect to see a large crowd.

Published
New Albany Daily Ledger Standard
October 01, 1875

 

 

Photo of John Milton HayWho was John Hay?

Statesman, Author, Ambassador

John Hay was a great American statesman, diplomat, author and poet, whose political career spanned over 50 years.  He was born in a small brick home in Salem, Indiana, on October 8, 1838.

After John displayed considerable potential in his schooling, his Uncle Milton Hay, who was a practicing lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, took a special interest and sent him to Brown University, where he graduated in 1858. 

In 1860, when John Hay’s childhood friend, John Nicolay, was appointed Abraham Lincoln’s presidential campaign secretary, he was brought on board to assist with the enormous amount of correspondence. 

Hay grew to adore President Lincoln for his goodness, patience, understanding, sense of humor, humility, magnanimity, healthy skepticism, sense of justice, resilience and power, love of the common man and mystical patriotism. Many later noted that Lincoln too, loved Hay as a son and was very attached to him.

In 1903, after years of negotiating treaties, Hay successfully passed legislation that afforded the United States the opportunity to start construction on the Panama Canal. 

Brown University’s John Hay Library was named in his honor, as was the John Hay Air Base, in the Philippines and both his birth home, in Salem, Indiana and his summer estate, The Fells, in New Hampshire, have been historically conserved. 

John Hay Center Hours of Operation

Thursdays - 10:00am – 5:00pm
Fridays - 10:00am – 5:00pm
Saturdays - 10:00am – 5:00pm

Tour Pricing

Self-Guided Tours

Adult (Age 18+) - Donation
Child (Age 6-17) - Donation

Guided Tours

Complete Comprehensive Tour
(Museum,Pioneer Village, The Depot)
Adult (Age 18+) - Tour Price  $20.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - Tour Price $10.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

Steven's Museum Guided Tour
(Approximate 2 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) -  Tour Price $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - Tour Price $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

Pioneer Village
(Approximate 1 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) - Tour Price $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

The Depot Railroad Museum
(Approximate 1 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) - $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

School Tours

Private & Public School Tours: $3.00 per student/parent (Teachers free & 10 student minimum)

Private Tours

Scheduled Private Tours (More than 5 Guests) (Minimum $50)

Additional Information

*All regular tours are free for Life Members
*Children under 5 are free

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