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In 1933, Herb & Dee Sweet, just out of Butler University, started Little Acorn Camp. In 1935 they acquired 40
acres of property along Cool Creek, two miles north of what was then the small farm town of Carmel, and two miles south of
another small town, Westfield.
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| Campers playing basketball, ca 1950 |
The private day camp operated here every summer through 1977. In the
"off season," Herb taught at Orchard School, and later wrote (with Dee's help) and illustrated a syndicated
activity column, called Try It. Herb's column inspired a local children's TV show that came to be called
Sweet Time. The show, which aired at first on WFBM and later on WISH-TV, is said to have been Indianapolis'
first live audience-participation program. In 45 summers over 10,000 young folks, mostly
from Indianapolis' north side, attended camp here. Campers enjoyed swimming, riding ponies,
taking nature hikes, making crafts, cooking in the out-of-doors, playing baseball and capture the flag, and crawdad fishing.
Many of the camp buildings can still be seen on the grounds. Acorn Farm Country Store now
occupies a house (a standard single-family design) built for use as an antique shop. Herb & Dee operated Acorn Farm Antiques
here from around 1961 until early 1995. Later that year, when the Sweets retired, their daughter,
Jill, and son-in-law, Mic Mead, purchased the old campgrounds and reopened the shop as Acorn Farm Country Store, featuring
13 rooms furnished with antiques and complimentary accessories.
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