National Park Service
A Study of the Park and Recreation Problem of the United States 		NPS Logo

INDIANA

MORE THAN HALF of the population is urban, and the major concentrations lie in the north and northwestern part of the State extending from Elkhart through South Bend to Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago. Another belt of comparatively dense population lies in a northeast-southwest belt extending from Fort Wayne through Indianapolis to Terre Haute. Evansville is the principal center in the southern section. The smaller communities and rural population are fairly evenly distributed. There has been a decrease in population in the southern part of the State except in the Evansville and Louisville regions.

The sand dunes and frontage on Lake Michigan, scattered small lakes in the north, the wooded hill country south to the Ohio River, and the many rivers and streams constitute the principal recreational resources. Indiana's splendid system of State parks has been developed over the last 20 years. Since the parks have been established primarily to preserve areas of outstanding scenic attraction, most of them, as well as the State and National forests, are located in the southern hill country. Local day-use needs are met partially by some 50 local park systems.

Additional State recreation areas are needed in the northern half of the State in order that the system may be geared more closely to population pattern. The need for recreational facilities is particularly acute in the northwest section, which is included within and adjacent to the Chicago metropolitan region. More local recreation areas should be provided to meet the needs of the urban centers and the rural population not covered by the existing facilities.

Consideration should be given to the acquisition of submarginal lands and tax-delinquent lands in the southern section suitable for forest, wildlife, and recreational purposes.

map
(click on image for an enlargement in a new window)



FEDERAL

Recreational demonstration areas:
23. Winamac6,233
54. Versailles5,371
     Total
11,604

National forest purchase units:
30. Potoka6,408
35. Pleasant Run7,692
72. Lost River7,413
73. Lafayette12,696
     Total
134,209

Soil Conservation Service land development projects:
25. Martin County231,131
38. Bean Blossom318,478
     Total
449,609


STATE
State parks:
8. Turkey Run1,302
9. Shakamak1,022
14. Lincoln1,756
19. Indiana Dunes2,221
22. Bass Lake Beach10
24. McCormick's Creek Canyon622
33. Spring Mill1,294
37. Brown County3,822
45. Mounds252
46. Muscatatuck204
52. Clifty Falls650
61. Pokagon938
     Total
14,093

Recommended State park or forest recreation areas:
4.10 areas


State monuments:
2. General Rogers Clark Memorial and
Site of old Fort Sackville		2.12
15. Nancy Hanks Lincoln Memorial.40
16. Tippecanoe Battlefield16.69
32. Corydon State House2.50
51. Pigeon Roost Memorial3.79
53. James F. D. Lanier Memorial2.50
57. Dean Oak.42
     Total
28.42

State forests:
10. Greene County1,358
11. Pike County6,030
13. Scales Lake480
26. Martin County2,234
29. Ferdinand958
31. Harrison County7,140
39. Morgan-Monroe12,987
43. Salamonie River690
47. Jackson County3,604
48. Clark County5,439
     Total
40,920

State wildlife areas:
18. Jasper Pulaski State Game Preserve4,966
20. La Porte County Game and Demonstration Area3,250
21. Kankakee State Game Preserve2,302
36. Brown County Game Preserve11,480
56. Wells County State Game Preserve and Forest911,98
     Total
22,829,98

Recommended parkways:
3. Wabash River

7. Kankakee River

12. Lincoln Memorial

17. Tippecanoe

34. Southern Hills

49. Ohio River

59. Anthony Wayne



LOCAL

County parks:
40. Morgan County

55. Henry County181
60. Steuben County


Municipal parks:
5. Terre Haute (2 areas)320
24. Crawfordsville (1 area)69
25. Bloomington (2 areas)170
42. Indianapolis (1 area)25
44. Mishawaka (1 area)44
48. Peru (2 areas)214
58. Connersville (1 area)108
60. Decatur (1 area)43
67. Evansville (5 areas)846
68. Linton (1 area)16
69. Michigan City (1 area)30
70. La Porte (2 areas)182
71. Huntington (2 areas)8
     Total
2,075

Recommended metropolitan park systems:
1. Evansville

6. Gary

41. Indianapolis

43. Elkhart-South Bend

46. Muncie

53. Louisville

63. Fort Wayne

1 Area under Federal administration June 1938.

2 1,177 acres being developed for recreation—remainder forest and wildlife.

3 20 acres being developed for recreation—remainder forest and wildlife.

4 March 1939.


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park-recreation-problem/indiana.htm
Last Updated: 18-May-2016