Potato Creek State Park has been many things to many people for hundreds of years, and there is so much to discover! You’ll learn about how bugs helped this park come to life, hear stories of an integrated community pre-Civil War, and find out about the diverse activities and events the park offers.
Potato Creek is a park full of powerful history, all centered on an important place. To Native Americans, the creek was a source of food, and it's where we got the name of the park. To free African-Americans before the Civil War, the land brought safety, community, and acceptance. To their neighboring white settlers, it was a way to subvert the system, celebrating our shared humanity by disregarding, even rebelling against the racist systems around them, to worship and socialize together. For later settlers, the creek and land were a place to put down roots, figuratively and literally, through farming.
Today, Potato Creek State Park is still a place where wildlife and natural resources flourish, and where people find community and make memories together. I’m grateful I was able to explore the question, “What is the creek?” and learn what people have loved about this place for hundreds of years.
IN the Podcast Episode
In the episode, I share several interviews with staff members to learn the park’s history and the future plans for the upcoming lodge. While hiking at the park, I ran into Mary Shupert, whose family was the last to leave the land before the state bought the park under eminent domain. Her honest conversation with me was really moving, and I was able to share it in the episode. I also interviewed Clark Richardes from the Northern Indiana Mountain Bike Association (NIMBA), the local mountain biking group, about their considerable contributions to the park.
Listen to “Potato Creek State Park: The Power of a Place” on Apple or Spotify.
Park Features
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Potato Creek is another park full of year-round activities. First, Worster Lake, which is 327 acres, has a great beach area and several fishing areas surrounding it. There are also canoe and kayak rentals, and there's a boat ramp for trolling motors only. There are 70 campsites in the horseman's campground which offers several trails for riding. The traditional campgrounds have 287 electric sites, and there are 17 cabins that hold eight people. They're fully furnished and have heat, so are still a great option in the winter.