It's my 50th episode! Hooray! To celebrate, we're hearing from Brandt Baughman, the Indiana State Parks Director. Brandt grew up going to Spring Mill and spent time working there, at Ouabache, and at Indiana Dunes before moving into management roles. After 36 years, he's now the director of all Indiana state parks.
Listen to “Brandt Baughman, Indiana State Parks Director: The State of the State Parks” on Apple or Spotify.
I loved learning about his deep family connections to Spring Mill, what he's excited about next for Indiana’s state parks, and what his favorite things are. (Is Brandt on Team Cave or Team Fire Tower? And what animal would he still love to see in Indiana?)
This interview has been edited less than my typical episodes, but has still been edited for clarity. We also talked a while about the Indiana State Fair, but I did not include it as it didn’t fit within the larger flow of the episode. However, I learned this year’s theme is baseball and the DNR building will still be a fun spot for families and park lovers!
You are going to learn about:
Brandt’s connections to Spring Mill State Park’s creation
His favorite memories from the parks where he worked
When the upcoming state parks projects will be completed
What exciting updates are coming to Indiana state parks


