Upcoming Events at the John Hay Center

 

23
Mar
2024

Monon Technical Society Mini Convention and Yard Sale

03-23-2024 9:00 am -4:00 pm

The Monon Railroad Historical-Technical Society will host the 3rd Annual Monon Mini Convention on March 23rd at The Depot in Salem. Presentations, train displays, door prizes and yard sale. Admission $1 under 12 free. Event begins at 9:00am

05
Apr
2024

Solar Eclipse Campsites Available

04-05-2024 5:00 pm

Campsites are available around the John Hay Center campus and parking lot from Friday April 5th to after the eclipse on Monday April 8th.

06
Apr
2024

Solar Eclipse Campsites Available

04-06-2024 9:00 am

Campsites are available around the John Hay Center campus and parking lot from Friday April 5th to after the eclipse on Monday April 8th.

06
Apr
2024

2024 Total Solar Eclipse Guest Speaker

04-06-2024 3:00 pm

Join us at the Depot for an exciting talk from Retired Brig. General David Vesper on the process and significance of solar eclipses.

06
Apr
2024

Movie Night at The Amphitheatre - Little Shop of Horrors

04-06-2024 7:00 pm -9:00 pm

Join us for “Little Shop of Horrors” our final film of our solar eclipse celebration films! Film will be free to the public, donations are appreciated. The film is set to begin at 7PM at the Amphitheater. If weather does not permit, the film will be shown in The Depot.

07
Apr
2024

Solar Eclipse Campsites Available

04-07-2024 9:00 am

Campsites are available around the John Hay Center campus and parking lot from Friday April 5th to after the eclipse on Monday April 8th.

07
Apr
2024

Campfire Stories - Wiener Roast and S’Mores in the Pioneer Village

04-07-2024 5:00 pm -8:00 pm

Join us on April 5th for an evening of Campfire Stories - Wiener Roast and S’mores - Event to be held 5-8PM in the Pioneer Village Common Area. Details TBA.

07
Apr
2024

Eclipse Party

04-07-2024 7:00 pm

Join us for a Solar Eclipse Celebration at The John Hay Center! The party is set to begin at 7PM. Details TBA. 

The John Hay Center will have primitive and mobile RV campsites available to rent for the weekend, three nights Friday through Monday, with checkout by 4PM Monday April 8, 2023.

08
Apr
2024

Solar Eclipse Campsites Available

04-08-2024 9:00 am -4:00 pm

Campsites are available around the John Hay Center campus and parking lot from Friday April 5th to after the eclipse on Monday April 8th.

08
Apr
2024

Solar Eclipse Day

04-08-2024 2:00 pm -4:00 pm

Join us for Solar Eclipse Day and experience a total Solar Eclipse across North America, where Salem will be included in the path of totality! A variety of events, an exhibit, camping, and more will be available leading up to the eclipse. With a viewing available via The John Hay Center grounds during the time of the eclipse which is set to happen here around 2:00 - 3:00PM.

The John Hay Center will have primitive and mobile RV campsites available to rent for the weekend, three nights Friday through Monday, with checkout by 4PM Monday April 8, 2023. Contact us for more information.

18
May
2024

Outdoor Youth Day at the John Hay Center

05-18-2024 1:00 pm -4:00 pm

The John Hay Center invites you to our Outdoor Youth Day which will be an afternoon for kids to come out, explore the grounds, and have some outdoors fun ahead of summer vacation.

We will feature a variety of activities including archery, air rifles, a visit from the raptor birds of prey from Hardy Lake, and more. This event is currently set for 1:00 to 4:00PM.

07
Sep
2024

Author's Afternoon

09-07-2024 2:00 pm

September 7th will be our Author's Afternoon featuring special guest speaker Ray Boomhower.

Beginning at 2PM we will have an author's fair featuring many local Hoosier authors who will be selling their books, then we will have a sort introduction by Jeremy Elliott before Hoosier author Ray Boomhower will give a talk on one of his recent books.

05
Oct
2024

Old Settlers Days

10-05-2024 9:00 am

Old Settlers Days for 2024 will be held on October 5th and 6th. More Information to come.

06
Oct
2024

Old Settlers Days

10-06-2024 10:00 am

Old Settlers Days for 2024 will be held on October 5th and 6th. More Information to come.

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

Sorry, this website uses features that your browser doesn’t support. Upgrade to a newer version of Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Edge and you’ll be all set.