Tippecanoe River State Park
Encyclopedia
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Tippecanoe River
Designation
State Park
Location
Indiana
USA
Nearest Cities
Winamac, Indiana
Coordinates
41°03′N 86°36′W
Area
2761 acres (11.2 km²)
Date of Establishment
1943
Governing Body
Indiana DNR
Tippecanoe River is a state park
in Pulaski County, Indiana
, USA. It is located 58 miles (93.3 km) south-southwest of South Bend, Indiana
. Noted for a grove of old-growth white pine
trees, the park also preserves more than 2 miles (3 km) of undisturbed wetland shoreline on the Tippecanoe River
. It was formed when in 1943 the National Park Service
gave to Indiana's Department of Conservation land to form a state park, with other land along the river becoming the Winamac Fish and Wildlife Area.
During the Great Depression
of the 1930s, the national government established the Recreational Demonstration Area
in the Department of the Interiors, National Park Service. The Park Service located low quality farmlands with high quality park potential. Along the Tippecanoe River, the Federal Government purchased 7353 acres (2,975.7 ha). The high sand content of the soil made this poor quality farm lands. The river way and forest made it quality parklands. Development of the Demonstration Area was undertaken by the Works Progress Administration
. In 1943, the property was transferred to the State of Indiana's Department of Conservation as a state park. ON January 1, 1959, 4592 acres (1,858.3 ha) were transferred to the Division ofFish and Wildlife as the Winamac Fish and Wildlife Area. The state park retains 2761 acres (1,117.3 ha) of the original development.
is very popular in the park, as the Tippecanoe River stretches seven miles (11 km) along the park's borders. A canoe-exclusive campsite has ten sites. It is also a River Otter
Release area. Bluegill
and bass
are commonly fished from the river. The river is too dangerous for swimming, so those camping in the park can go to the Bass Lake State Beach five miles (8 km) away.
Things to do
Tippecanoe River
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
Winamac, Indiana
Winamac is a town in Monroe Township, Pulaski County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,490 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Pulaski County.-Geography:Winamac is located at ....
Area
Area is a quantity that expresses the extent of a two-dimensional surface or shape in the plane. Area can be understood as the amount of material with a given thickness that would be necessary to fashion a model of the shape, or the amount of paint necessary to cover the surface with a single coat...
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the U.S. state of Indiana charged with maintaining natural areas such as state parks, state forests, recreation areas, etc...
Tippecanoe River is a state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
in Pulaski County, Indiana
Pulaski County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,755 people, 5,170 households, and 3,779 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 5,918 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
, USA. It is located 58 miles (93.3 km) south-southwest of South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
. Noted for a grove of old-growth white pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
trees, the park also preserves more than 2 miles (3 km) of undisturbed wetland shoreline on the Tippecanoe River
Tippecanoe River
The Tippecanoe River is a gentle, river in northern Indiana that flows from Big Lake in Noble County to the Wabash River near Battle Ground, about northeast of Lafayette. The name "Tippecanoe" comes from a Miami-Illinois word for buffalo fish, reconstructed as */kiteepihkwana/.The Tippecanoe...
. It was formed when in 1943 the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
gave to Indiana's Department of Conservation land to form a state park, with other land along the river becoming the Winamac Fish and Wildlife Area.
During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of the 1930s, the national government established the Recreational Demonstration Area
Recreational Demonstration Area
The Recreational Demonstration Area program was a National Park Service program during the 1930s and early 1940s that built forty-six public parks in twenty-four states on , chiefly near urban areas in the United States...
in the Department of the Interiors, National Park Service. The Park Service located low quality farmlands with high quality park potential. Along the Tippecanoe River, the Federal Government purchased 7353 acres (2,975.7 ha). The high sand content of the soil made this poor quality farm lands. The river way and forest made it quality parklands. Development of the Demonstration Area was undertaken by the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
. In 1943, the property was transferred to the State of Indiana's Department of Conservation as a state park. ON January 1, 1959, 4592 acres (1,858.3 ha) were transferred to the Division ofFish and Wildlife as the Winamac Fish and Wildlife Area. The state park retains 2761 acres (1,117.3 ha) of the original development.
The river
CanoeingCanoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
is very popular in the park, as the Tippecanoe River stretches seven miles (11 km) along the park's borders. A canoe-exclusive campsite has ten sites. It is also a River Otter
Northern River Otter
The North American river otter , also known as the northern river otter or the common otter, is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent, found in and along its waterways and coasts. An adult river otter can weigh between 5 and 14 kg...
Release area. Bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
and bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
are commonly fished from the river. The river is too dangerous for swimming, so those camping in the park can go to the Bass Lake State Beach five miles (8 km) away.
Enjoying the park
There are ten miles (16 km) of hiking trails and thirteen miles (20 km) of horseback trails. Cultural arts programs, and a seasonal naturalist is also available. Most visitors drive to the park, although pilots can land at the nearby Arens Airport and have a courtesy car take them to the park.Things to do
- Boating - the park has a small boat launch on the river
- Camping - There are five camping experiences to choose from.
- Family camping
- Potawatomi Group Camp
- Youth Tenting
- Rent-A-camp cabin
- Canoe camping from the river
- Fishing
- Horseback riding - trails and a primitive campground are available to horsemen and women. There are 14.5 miles (23.3 km) of shared hiking and horse trails in the park.
- Hiking - A total of 19.1 miles (30.7 km) of trails are located throughout the park.
Protected Areas
- Sand Hill Nature Preserve is located at the end of the park and is accessible on Trail #8, the Bluestem Trail.
- Tippecanoe River Nature Preserve is along the river near the center of the park. It is accessible on Trail #4, the Oxbow Trail.