Richard Lieber was instrumental in the foundation of the Indiana State Park system. The first state park in Indiana was
McCormick's Creek State Park, in
Owen County in 1916, followed in the same year by
Turkey Run State Park in
Parke County. The number of state parks rose steadily in the 1920s, mostly by donations of land from local authorities to the state government. Of the initial twelve parks, only
Muscatatuck State Park is no longer a state park, having been given back to
Jennings County in 1968.[3] It was during the
Great Depression of the 1930s that much infrastructure was built within the parks, constructed by
New Deal agencies such as the
Civilian Conservation Corps and the
Works Progress Administration, with the majority of this Depression-era construction still in use in the 21st century. This delay in infrastructure was due in part to Richard Lieber's belief that the parks should be kept as natural as possible.[4]
Initially, the state parks were intended to feature natural environments in Indiana. The establishment of
Mounds State Park for its historical nature and
Shakamak State Park (an abandoned strip mine) purely for recreational purposes represented changes from the initial purposes of the Indiana state park system.[5]
While Indiana does not have as many state parks as some other states, it has avoided obtaining too many smaller properties that would be hard to manage. A goal of having at least one state park within an hour's drive for every Hoosier was met when
Prophetstown State Park was established in 2004.[6]
It is possible to view the Milky Way at 3 of the 24 Indiana State Parks,[7] which are Shades State Park, Tippecanoe River State Park, and Turkey Run State Park.
Richard Lieber was instrumental in the foundation of the Indiana State Park system. The first state park in Indiana was
McCormick's Creek State Park, in
Owen County in 1916, followed in the same year by
Turkey Run State Park in
Parke County. The number of state parks rose steadily in the 1920s, mostly by donations of land from local authorities to the state government. Of the initial twelve parks, only
Muscatatuck State Park is no longer a state park, having been given back to
Jennings County in 1968.[3] It was during the
Great Depression of the 1930s that much infrastructure was built within the parks, constructed by
New Deal agencies such as the
Civilian Conservation Corps and the
Works Progress Administration, with the majority of this Depression-era construction still in use in the 21st century. This delay in infrastructure was due in part to Richard Lieber's belief that the parks should be kept as natural as possible.[4]
Initially, the state parks were intended to feature natural environments in Indiana. The establishment of
Mounds State Park for its historical nature and
Shakamak State Park (an abandoned strip mine) purely for recreational purposes represented changes from the initial purposes of the Indiana state park system.[5]
While Indiana does not have as many state parks as some other states, it has avoided obtaining too many smaller properties that would be hard to manage. A goal of having at least one state park within an hour's drive for every Hoosier was met when
Prophetstown State Park was established in 2004.[6]
It is possible to view the Milky Way at 3 of the 24 Indiana State Parks,[7] which are Shades State Park, Tippecanoe River State Park, and Turkey Run State Park.