Buckley Homestead transforms into ‘Sleepy Hollow’
Area park hosts annual re-creation of Irving’s classic tale
While reading “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” to her young children, Cindy Horgash was impressed with this classic tale of Ichabod Crane and the headless horseman.
“I really enjoyed reading how Washington Irving was inspired to write the story. He learned of the Hessian soldier’s fate and often walked the haunted hollows near the Hudson River to revisit the place where the headless horseman made his nightly rides looking for his severed head,” the St. John mom said. “He also used names and descriptions of the people he knew. For instance, the Von Tassel family found the soldier and buried him on their property. He liked their daughter Katrina and asked to use her name and likeness in his story. His fictional story was written from historical events.”
Fast-forward a few decades and the opportunity arose for Horgash to appear in a live version of the story.
An idea to bring the story to life in northwest Indiana popped into her mind while she was running a Girl Scout event at Buckley Homestead in 1997.
“I suggested to the staff at Buckley Homestead (in particular, Becky Crabb and Carrie Blink) that Buckley was the perfect location to tell the story of ‘Sleepy Hollow,’ ” she said. “Lake County Parks contacted me in January of 1998 and asked me to elaborate on the idea.”
That she did.
With much experience in her background — she worked as recreation director for Schererville Parks Department for 17 years — she got working.
Writing a script, working on costuming and decorations, and offering herself as a tour guide were the first step to developing an annual event that has continued for 20 years.
The idea was born in 1997 and the first “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” program was performed October 1998.
And Horgash has been there every step of the way.
Her instincts were that Buckley Homestead’s ambiance was a perfect setting for retelling of the classic story.
Among the specifics, the 1800s barn is historically correct for the Von Tassel’s fall frolic, the campfire stories with Doffue Martling, and the one-room schoolhouse where the schoolmaster Ichabod Crane teaches were all available.
Over the past 20 years, Lake County Parks has tweaked the program, making some small changes.
“They moved it from October to September and added a few more stops/interactions along the tour,” Horgash said. “They also added a second weekend of tours, increasing the number of people who can attend.”
The original cast has changed over the years along with the director, she added. Currently, Lake County Parks Department employee Dawn Robertson is the director and is actively involved in every detail from decorations, path lighting, costumes and ticket sales to enlisting actors and guides.
“We have many dedicated volunteers working with us,” Robertson said. “This year, we have 60 volunteers, with some coming from Kokomo, Ind., to perform all four nights.”
Many guests return year after year for the two-weekend, fourday affair that averages 1,200 paid guests.
Jill and Bill Crocilla of Crown Point are among them.
“We first went to ‘Sleepy Hollow’ in 1999 when we were dating and have been going ever since,” Bill said. “We love it so much that we have brought our kids since they were babies. It has become a family tradition that we look forward to each year.”
Jim Horgash has jumped on the volunteer bandwagon with his wife, Cindy.
He served for 18 years as the Gravedigger and helping with the hay wagon. He also has assisted with building some of the sets and props.
Cindy Horgash continues her role as tour guide and is thankful that Lake County Parks and their staff decided to experiment with the idea of bringing the story of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” to life.
“I’m sure Washington Irving is equally pleased that we continue to share his story today in such a unique way,” she added. “It has been a very successful, long-running community event that has also won Indiana Parks and Recreation awards and accolades.”
Currently working part time as event coordinator in Crete, Ill., Horgash belongs to the Northwest IN Storytelling Guild, something she’s done in the community for more than 32 years.
She considers herself partially retired and is following a dream of writing children’s books.
Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.