The opportunity for northern Indiana residents to have their prehistoric artifacts (arrowheads, Indian stones, etc.) and historic Native American artifacts (bead work, pottery, etc.) identified, authenticated and evaluated will take place from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29, at the Syracuse Community Center, 1013 N. Long Drive.

A portion of the Bickel Collection will be on display at this time. Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum is sponsoring the event.

Michelle Edington, Syracuse, and Jim Bickel, Huntington, will host the event. Edington is a sixth-grade teacher at West Noble Middle School.

“The area around Lake Wawasee and northeastern Kosciusko County was populated by prehistoric man some 12,000 years ago,” Edington said. “Many of the finest Native American artifacts have been found near here.”

“This is an opportunity to see some of these prized relics. According to some, they would be called ‘farm fresh’,” Bickel said.

Eloise Kuhn, curator of the museum, will be on hand from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. to guide visitors and answer questions. Many prehistoric and historic artifacts from the museum can be seen this evening.

Anyone interested in archeology is welcome to come to the program. You don’t have to bring an artifact. Most people have an interest in archeology and prehistoric artifacts.

According to Edington, school-aged children will receive a special gift. The event is free and open to the public. A raffle will be offered, with significant prizes awarded. A donation jar will be available with all proceeds from the event going to the Syracuse-Wawasee Museums’s operating fund.

Light refreshments will be served after the program. For more information, contact curator Kuhn at (574) 457-3599.