LAPORTE, Ind. – He grew up in southern Indiana but his legacy with farmers and visitors to a popular 1800s-type village was built in the northern part of the state.

Dick Reel, known as the father of Pioneer Land at the La Porte County fairgrounds, died Feb. 13. The retired Purdue University Extension agent was 74.

Matt Schafer, a corn and soybean grower from LaCrosse, called Reel “an institution.”

He said it’s going to be very strange not seeing the likeable Reel in his 1800s clothing at Pioneer Land during this year’s fair.

Schafer said it was always a treat to see Reel bringing out a team of oxen to show at Pioneer Land and simply talk to the man who made people feel welcome.

“When the community loses somebody like that it’s never the same,” Schafer said. “We’re all going to miss him.”

Reel grew up in the Vincennes area.

He started his Extension career in Kosciusko County in 1970, then later worked in Noble County before arriving in La Porte County n 1976, according to his obituary.

He was involved in 4-H for most of his career and spent his final years with Extension in leadership programs. He retired in 2003.

“His involvement in the community over the years was unbelievable,” said Carl Schultz, a volunteer at Pioneer Land and good friend of Reel’s.

Reel was a driving force in the creation of Pioneer Land in 1995. He was also the key figure in growing it to more than a dozen 1800s-style buildings like a blacksmith shop, one-room school house and general store, and maintaining what became a very popular attraction.

The village comes to life when people dressed in clothing from the period work in the buildings during the fair. The site also offers school tours and Christmas at Pioneer Land every first weekend in December.

Reel helped to construct the buildings and led fundraising drives to pay for new structures. He also helped with the upkeep of the facilities.

He used his skills at wood working to make bowls and benches that often sold for hundreds of dollars apiece in yearly fundraising auctions for the village. Reel provided wooden toys like stilts at Pioneer Land that drew the attention of many children.

Schultz said Reel’s commitment to never having an admission fee and always having enough volunteers to work the grounds each year were also amazing.

“Without him, there would be no Pioneer Land. He’s been our boss, mentor and leader for all of those years,” he said.

Reel maintained a longtime presence at the Indiana State Fair too, where he showed off his wood working skills in the Pioneer Village. 

Farmer Vern Schafer, of LaCrosse, said Reel’s idea for Pioneer Land came from the state fair and makes the LaPorte County Fair unique from all of the other county fairs in the area that don’t have such a place.

He said many people come to the fair just for Pioneer Land and leave with memories but not knowing who the catalyst was for such a special place.

“He touched people lives that he didn’t even know,” Schafer said.

About five months ago, Schultz said Reel appointed Dana Hayes to replace him as the person in charge at Pioneer Land when the time came that he could no longer serve in that capacity.

Schultz said Hayes has been a Pioneer Land volunteer for the past several years.

“She’ll do a good job and all of us at Pioneer Land will help her. It’s a big task, all of the stuff people don’t realize Dick has to do throughout the year to make sure Pioneer Land stays afloat and is there for the community. But, we’ll be fine,” Schultz said.

Suzanne Miller, a volunteer in the blacksmith shop and treasurer of the La Porte County Fair Management and Events Corporation, was also optimistic about the future of Pioneer Land despite such big shoes to fill.

“We’ll come through it all. We got a lot of good people out there,” she said.

Schultz said Reel will be honored in some way during the fair, which runs July 9-16. “We’ll work that out in the coming months,” he said.