Pokagon State Park
N 41° 42.459 W 085° 01.362
16T E 664506 N 4619206
Pokagon State Park, located near I-69, just off exit 154, is a magnificent park. Managed by the Indiana DNR, they have recently added 2 large parcels of land to their holdings by donations from the citizens of Indiana.
Waymark Code: WM1NH2
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 06/09/2007
Views: 68
Pokagon State Park was constructed largely by the Civilian Conservation Corps, Company 556. The "Boys" that built Pokagon made many gorgeous buildings using nothing but wood, mortar and fieldstone, shaping the stones carefully to fit together and hold through time.
Several of these structures are listed in the Waymarking Category "Civilian Conservation Corps".
They did not restrict their construction efforts to merely the buildings they were required to erect; they also put their creative efforts to work in the "having fun" category! Pokagon State Park features one of the 3 refrigerated toboggan slides in the Midwest - and it was started by the "Boys" of the CCC for their own toboggan fun.
One of their most cherished finds while building Pokagon State Park was the Artesian Well. When they discovered the Artesian Spring, they tapped it and put in piping to make it an Artesian Well. They also built a small shelter next to it, now known as Pokagon's "Spring Shelter". Many people still come here specifically for the cool, clear water that still bubbles up through the pipeline.
They also constructed more than buildings - they built the BEACH at Pokagon as well! They would take sand (displaced from other building sites in the park), haul it out onto the ice of frozen Lake James in the middle of winter, and wait for the spring thaw. Even now, that almost perfectly square "pad" of sand can be seen from overhead.
They were so enthusiastic in their construction efforts that they even inadvertently went OFF State property with some of their structures! They built a series of erosion-prevention Dams that they THOUGHT were on park property, but unfortunately were not.
For decades, these dams existed on privately-owned property, but thanks to private donations and license-plate fundraisers, the property was purchased by the State for Pokagon State Park, and the CCC's hard work finally belonged to the park they'd been intended for all along.
Another donation in 2006 gave another piece of property, known as "Oak Hill", to the park. It is currently closed to the public and the DNR is in the process of renovating it.
This park also is the site of some excellent views - and a "Devilish Location", called Hell's Point. It's the highest location in the park. (Stairs are provided, not only to make the hill climb easier, but primarily for erosion prevention! Major portions of these hills are loose, sandy soil, and it would rapidly erode if it had to withstand any amount of heavy foot traffic.)
We extend our gratitude to Brad Bumgardner, Amber Edwards, and the Interpretive Staff of Pokagon State Park, especially Fred Wooley, for their extensive assistance with the research of the history and nature of this park.
Street address:
450 Lane 100 Lake James
Angola, IN USA
46703
County / Borough / Parish: Steuben County, Indiana
Year listed: 1996
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event
Periods of significance: 1925-1949
Historic function: Landscape, Recreation And Culture
Current function: Landscape, Recreation And Culture
Privately owned?: no
Season start / Season finish: From: 05/15/2012 To: 10/15/2012
Hours of operation: From: 8:00 AM To: 6:00 AM
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.