KID ZONE |
by stepping stones.
“The kids can kind of hopscotch on these stepping stones from one plant to the other and just by physically interacting with the 26 stepping stones … They’ll be able to sort of inherently understand this incredible diversity that we have here in Indiana prairies,” she said.
Other highlights include the seed-to-table area that demonstrates how plants, composting, worms and chickens are all connected and the human gnomon sundial, in which the numbers of a clock and months of the year are put into the ground. Visitors stand on the appropriate month and their shadow tells the time.
“It teaches kids about the seasons,” Faust said.
Showcasing the steam era of trains, the Railway Garden is composed of 3,000 lineal feet of handlaid track, upon which seven trains (including a Thomas train) traverse mountains, bridges and tunnels through varied landscapes and vignettes depicting scenes from the 20th century. It all happens behind a replica of a 1920s train depot.
“I think there was the real desire to leech out some of the familiar history from a railroad perspective in the Midwest,” Faust said. “And to really help people have a new understanding of how the railroad changed American history and our country in general.”
To that end, historical vignettes cover the Civil War (it was the first time the military used trains in combat), Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train (the cars were the same in which he campaigned), the railroad’s construction and a lumber camp.
Some 850 tons of Missouri limestone were used to construct the display, which includes 4,000 miniature plants (500 varieties), 30 handmade bridges
taltree.org and six water features powered by a reclamation system. Garden pathways are lined with pervious concrete, which allows rain water to filter into a pond and get recycled through an irrigation system into the water landscapes.
The steam era display takes up about one acre of the 2.5-acre site, leaving room for expansion. Faust said the arboretum plans to add two more displays depicting other eras from railroad history sometime in the future.
Upcoming events at Taltree include Art in the Garden Sept. 29-30 and a haunted version of the Railway Garden for the month of October.
KIDDING AROUND
The Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, offers free general admission to Illinois residents every weekday in September beginning Sept. 4. Call (773) 684-1414 or visit
The Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox, hosts its second annual Shamrock Kids Club Ice Cream Social from 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 9. Cost is $5 per family; recommended for kids 12 and younger. Reservations are required by Sept. 6 to (773) 2827035; visit
for more information.
KELLY CLARKSON
The first “American Idol” winner made a name for herself but hasn’t lost the allure of interpreting other artists’ songs. On her current
ticketmaster.com.
CHICAGO, I LOVE YOU
This weekend launches a