2018 Number 2

Contact UsNature Center: 812.829.4344Email: info@friendsmccormickscreek.orgFaceboook: Facebook.com/FMCCSPWebsite: www.friendsmccormickscreek.org

PresidentDavid Gohndgohn@bluemarble.net

Vice PresidentDennis Goengoend@att.net

SecretaryJudy Mizemapa19191@gmail.comTreasurerBarbara Filtritreasurer@friendsmccormickscreek.org

Board Members

Park LiaisonSam ArthurSArthur@dnr.IN.gov

EditorCrystal Corpecrystallize6@hotmail.com

Friends of McCormick’s Creek State Park

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CANYON COURIER

By McGhiever

On a recent afternoon I caught up with Valeka Turner, Canyon Inn Sales and Events Coordinator. Scattered on her desk were cut-outs of furry yellow mustaches and eyebrows. She was preparing for an upcoming event at the Inn called Dr. Seuss weekend! This event is one of many crafts, projects, and activities that she is responsible for. Valeka said a more accurate description of her job might read “Recreational Activities Coordinator”.

Valeka joined the staff at the Canyon Inn in May of 2017. Since then, she’s created and executed weekly activities such as kite making, book readings, and lawn games for children. For adult Inn guests she’s coordinated events like wine & beer tastings, musical

entertainment, comedy acts, as well as the Inns traditional events which are held each year on New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day. When asked for a one word description of her job, she replied without hesitation…”FUN”. The challenging part of her job would be working within a budget. However her love of Pinterest gives her plenty of ideas to make economical decisions for projects

keeping Inn guests from ages 2 to 92 engaged during their stay at the Canyon Inn.Be sure to check out weekly schedules of activities at the Inn’s front desk or call the Inn directly.

Canyon Inn Sales & Events Coordinator

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OFF TO THE RACES!Saturday was the perfect combination of crisp air and sunshine to make the YMCA/Friends of McCormick’s Creek Run/Walk a success. 125 5K runners and 81 5K walkers crossed the finish line, many with personal best times. The race loop started at the pool and wound through McCormick’s Creek State Park on paved roads returning to finish only a few feet from the start line. This was a Magnificent 7 Series race. Many were competing for series points and many were there just to support two great causes, Owen County Family YMCA and Friends of McCormick’s Creek, and have fun with friends and family.

Justin Graham, last year’s second place overall winner, finished first in the run with a time of 19:08. 10 year-old Caleb Winders came in just 4 seconds behind Graham. 16 year-old Emma Macdonald was the first female runner with a time of 21:18. Jill Vance trailed Macdonald coming across the line with a time of 21:59.

This year’s race had a record number of walkers. 81 walkers finished the course. Dan Leach placed first overall with a time of 33:59. 2017 women’s walk winner Joanne Allee was the first female walker. She completed the course with a time of 39:07, only 5 seconds over last year’s time. The largest team to participate was recognized again this year. Green Dental’s team boasted 21 racers and won the competition. Other teams vying for best participation included Brown-Forman Cooperage and Salt Creek Brewery. Green Dental will be awarded a special photo plaque for their outstanding team participation.

A special thanks goes out to all the race sponsors: Green Dental, Brown-Forman Cooperage, Smith’s Shoe Center, Canyon Inn, Commercial Service, Edwards Farm Supply, Owen County State Bank, Farm Bureau Insurance, West & Co. Realtors, RE/MAX Select Associates, Our Community Bank, Home Team Properties, Trippin with Michelle, McDonalds, Sweet Owen Convention & Visitors Bureau, Casey’s General Store, Racetrackers, Mag 7 Race Series, and McCormick’s Creek State Park. Appreciation is also extended to all the volunteers from the Friends of McCormick’s Creek, the YMCA, and Owen County Amateur Radio Association. Without dedicated sponsors and volunteers this event would not be possible.

The YMCA and Friends of McCormick’s Creek also partner to host an autumn run/walk on park trails. This race is scheduled for Sunday, September 30, at 2:00pm. Anyone wishing to sponsor or volunteer is encouraged to contact Program Director Laura Gentry at the Owen County Family YMCA, <programs@owencountyymca.org>. Runners and walkers may register for the fall race now at the Owen County Family YMCA or online at www.friendsmccormickscreek.org/ymcarace/form.php.

~Laura Gentry

The cooler than usual temps caused this weekend event to be postponed once. Even the new date was questionable but we still had a good time with plenty of warm sun. The Friday night hike didn’t turn up much. Only a few Redback salamanders were found. Thanks to Angela Thomas for leading the evening hike. After the kids herp triathlon Saturday, everyone gathered in the program room at the nature center for the Amphibian Conservation talk by yours truly.

The room was getting full, then a group of high school students poured in. Now we had capacity! Following the talk, attendees took photos andasked plenty of questions about our live display of native frogs, toads, and salamanders.

Then it was off to the afternoon hikes.Dale Shoentrup led the hike to the creek and falls area. They found a few Redback and Longtail salamanders but not much more. The rest of us helped Barbara Filtri with the Flatwoods Vernal pool hike. Here we found Four-toed salamanders with eggs. Lifting fallen logs, would reveal both lead phase and normal Redbacks and Zigzag salamanders. On our way back to the trail we found an Eastern Garter snake. It was one of two in the same area. Only the one was examined for photos. Garter snakes are one of the first snakes to emerge for thespring season. This snake was basking in the sunshine at 38 degrees!

After a break, we watched attendees carefully assembling frog bead crafts and meticulouslyfilling in black and white frog and salamander pages with colored pencils. Then it was back to a hike to the Vernal pool a second time for another look. Most of the usual suspects were found but I unearthed a nice Jeffersons’Salamander and we all took photos before placing it back to its original position under a decaying log.

We followed a delicious dinner at the Inn with a trip to the campground Vernal pool. The cool temps and lack of humidity kept all anurans from calling. Many of the early spring breeders had already visited this pond. Tiny tadpoles of wood frogs were swimming in large numbers. Redback salamanders were again found along the border beneath logs.

Editors note:The annual Amphibian Outing is a favorite event! Thanks to Barbara Filtri, the Friends of McCormick’s Creek State Park, Jim Horton and members of the HHS for making it successful!

AMPHIBIAN OUTINGby Jim Horton from the H.H.S. 2018 April newsletter

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Owen County Wildflower Weekend

April 13-18

People we’d like to thank for the OCWW: Carol, Mary & Gaylord Henry, Bianca Hause and family, John Shelton and Mark Anderson for the native plants donations, Marc Evans and Andrea Oeding, Director of the Owen County Soil and Water Conservation District, for organizing and leading hikes, Natalie Marinova, Nursery Manager and Field Botanist at Eco Logic for the keynote talk on Friday evening, Tom Swinford, David Mow, local botanist and Master Gardener, Ralph Unversaw, DNR District Forester, and Barbara Filtri, Park interpretive naturalist, for leading hikes and activities, Eco Logic for sponsoring the event by providing native plants and giving us part of the sales proceeds as a donation.

The Owen County Wildflower Weekend was packed full of activities, hikes, and presentations. This year’s collaborations with McCormick’s Creek Park, Friends of McCormick’s Creek, The Owen County Soil and Water Conservation District, the IDNR Division Of Forestry, The IDNR Division of Nature Preserves, South Central Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society, and Marc Evans of Evans Media HD made for a busy and exciting weekend.

The Owen County Wildflower Weekend is highly anticipated and looked upon as the harbinger of Spring for many of us who are tired of the cold and drab of winter. Presentations and hikes in and outside ofthe park made for a different event than previous years. The response from attendees and visitorswere positive and we were delighted to be able to provide a wide variety of topics to choose from.

Programs Presented: Plant Diversity Swinford’s Wildflower Hike Invasive Plant Awareness Restoration Tree Planting Time Pollinators and the Native Plants They Depend On Canyon Rim and Creek Bottoms Green’s Bluff Nature Preserve

Our Native Plant Sale is always anticipated and is a wonderful fund-raising event for the FOMC. Members of the Friends and Eco Logic Nursery work hard to provide us with a large assortment of native species for sale to the public.

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The 13th annual Arts In The Park festival was held at McCormick’s Creek Saturday, June 9th.

This special event continues to grow in popularity and this year we added three new events sponsored by the Indiana Arts commission: a Watercolor workshop (with Tamara Brown),Old-Time Dance and Music workshop (with Tamara Lowenthal and Jamie Gans holding the fiddle workshop), and a Natural Dye exhibit (with Kate Ellis).

Dispite the threat of rain, 20 artists, food vendors, and musicians set up early in anticipation of a good crowd. Attentance numbers were indeed larger than last year and everyone is looking forward to next year’s festival. Thank you to organizers and volunteers for making this 13th year a success!

The 13th Annual Arts In The Park

Live Music Performers this year~ Brady Stogdill & the Gentlemen~ Jason & Ginger~ Craig Brenner~ Soneros de la Caliza

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Thanks to the successful fund raising campaign, we are on the path to renovation of MCC’s Fire Tower! The gravel access road is ready and work will begin. Fire towers were part of a vast network that once protected Indiana. In 1930, Indiana began constructing a series of fire towers with the goal of having no visibility gap. By 1952, Indiana had 33 towers, most of them in the southern half of the state.

Tools of the TradeFire towers were generally equipped withCommunication equipment (radio and telephone),Psychrometer to measure humidity and determine fire danger,and an Alidade to determine the exact location of a fire.

Osborne Fire Finder: pinpointing a fireAn alidade, sometimes referred to as an Osborne Fire Finder, consisted of an oriented topographic map on a circular disk. Moveable sighting apertures were opposite each other on the disk. The fire lookout lined the apertures on a plume of smoke and determined the line on which the fire was located. Another fire tower lookout did the same process. The fire was located where their two lines crossed.

Fire LookoutsMany Indiana lookouts were local farmers, recruited when the fire danger was high. Sometimes a wife or other family member would serve as lookout. Lookout duties included; watching for smoke, locating and reporting suspicious smoke plumes, taking weather readings, and communicating with fire crews during a fire.

Job requirementsRecording fires, keeping the area around the tower mowed and keeping the outhouse clean werea few of the job requirements for the Lookout. Lookouts had to pass a vision test and be able to climb the tower several times. During WWII, many of Indiana’s lookouts were women.

In 1964 Friend’s Vice-President, Dennis Goen was a proud lookout for the Indiana fire tower system. When the danger level was at high for fire (level 2-3) he would man a tower. At one point in theseason, he was staffing the tower every day for six weeks. You can see a short video conducted byOutdoor Indiana Magazine featuring Dennis by pasting this link into your browser... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPjfT9pMAuM.

Preserving the PastBy the 1970s, planes replaced fire towers as the means of locating fires and today fires are reported by local residents. Unfortuneately only a few fire towers remain standing in Indiana (14 as of 2003). The Friends of McCormick’s Creek, fund contributors, and all of our supporters realize the importance of saving and preserving Indiana’s early sentinels. As Dennis says “Just like old barns...when they’re gone, they’re gone”.

McCormick’s Creek Fire Tower

Source: HMdb.org, Outdoor Indiana

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The Civilian Conservation Corps was an important part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” programs. It was one of the most ambitious programs ever attempted by government in America. It was also the closest to Roosevelt’s heart!

The specified goal of the CCC was to put a quarter million men, unmarried, unemployed between the ages of 18 to 25, to work within a few months. The program promised to

have the most immediate impact on unemployment during the Great Depression by putting thousands of young men to work on environmental conservation projects.

The legislation and mobilization of the program occurred quite swiftly. Roosevelt made his request to Congress on March 21, 1933; the legislation was submitted to Congress the same day; Congress passed it by voice vote on March 31; Roosevelt signed it the same day. From FDR's inauguration on March 4, 1933 to the induction of the first CCC enrollee, only 37 days had elapsed.

Considered to be one of the most successful of Roosevelt’s New Deal programs, the CCC planted more than three billion trees and constructed trails, shelters, restrooms, gatehouses, and bridges in more than 800 parks nationwide during its nine years of existence. CCC employees fought forest fires, cleared land and maintained access roads, re-seeded grazing lands, and implemented soil-erosion controls. Additionally, they built wildlife refuges, fish-rearing facilities, water storage basins and animal shelters.

CCC Company 589 was assigned at McCormick’s Creek beginning in November of 1933. Hoosiers were hired to work and live in camps on the property. Each worker received $30 pay per month for his services in addition to room and board. The men were required to send $22-$25 of their earnings home to support their families. For the family at home, not only was there additional money, but also one less mouth to feed. The men also received classroom instruction on mechanical drawing, typing, foreign languages, and art. A typical day for an enrollee began with a quick shower or splash, followed by calisthenics and other exercise. Breakfast was served at seven and consisted of substantial proportions. Roll call and inspection followed breakfast and by eight the men were off to job sites. At noon they broke for lunch and work resumed until 4pm. The hour before dinner was free time for the young men. An early measure of theprogram’s success was the improved physical condition of the men. The average enrollee arrived weighing 147 lbs. which was below the norm for healthy men of that era and reflected the poverty most enrollees had experienced during adolescence. Statistics say after one or two months, the typical corpsman had gained 10-12 lbs. All day the men wore work clothes. However for dinner they donned uniforms. Eventually, Roosevelt designed a uniform specifically for the CCC (forest green shirt and slacks).

The CCC had a significant impact on the local community. Besides purchasing local materials unique to the region, enrollees spent some of their discretionary income in nearby communities. They were encouraged to buy personal necessities locally. The men from the company quite often played baseball, hosted dances locally and occasionally dated girls nearby.

A passage from the book “Our Mark on This Land” by Ren and Helen Davis’s (2011).“William “Otis” Hickman recalled working in a CCC camp at McCormick’s Creek State Park, southwest of Indianapolis. The park and its camp were located near the town of Spencer, Hickman wrote of walking into town for ice cream and a movie during the year he spent as a CCC enrollee there”.

The Civilian Conservation Corps

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The CCC constructed McCormick’s Creek’s park gatehouse in 1934 and began work on the recreation hall and other basic facilities and infrastructures needed within the park. The Fire Tower was constructed in 1935. Other tasks included creating hiking trails, installing water lines, erecting buildings and bridges including the significant Stone Arch Bridge. The Stone Arch Bridge is considered a masterwork of stone masonry for its time. It features the use of a center keystone that compresses the bridge’sarchway, holding the structure together.

With a 50-foot span, the bridge’s highest point stands 25 feet over the creek below. It remains, today, as theonly self-supporting bridge built by the CCC in Indiana. Over all, nearly 64,000 Indiana men were given employment in connection to the CCC, including junior enrollees, veterans and camp personnel.

In 1942, Congress discontinued funding for the CCC, diverting desperately needed resources to the effort to win World War ll. During the nine year span of the program it improved the quality of life for millions of Americans. More than 700 new state parks were established and the CCC companies contributed to an impressive number of state and national park structures that visitors can still enjoy today.

Resources: “Traitor To His Class”, H.W. Brands, “The Complete Guide To Indiana State Parks”, Nathan D. Strange, cccresourcepage

Camps: National & State Forest, State Park, Soil Conservation, Agricultural Engineering, Military Reservation

By McGhiever

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I’m sure many of us have heard stories from our parents and grandparents about the struggles during the Great Depression. Many in my family were hard workers during the hopelessness of that time period. Theywere dedicated to family and willing to work for meager pay to keep the family clothed and fed. My father’s side of the family set up a booth outside of their home along a busy dirt road in southern Indiana. They sold essentials to weary travelers both day and night. I have one photo of the booth and a phototaken after the depression worries eased of them opening a store front. On my mother’s side, I’ve heard of my relatives less than glamourous occupation. They were called “Honey Dippers”. And no, they were not selling honey…they cleaned outhouses for just pennies! However, that unpretentious job kept the family in shoes. My Great Grandmother worked in a local saw mill as a cook. The mill supplied lumber to the CCC camps in Indiana. The saw mill camps were much like the CCC camps. Men of all ages lived and worked at the camp, rarely traveling home. Most of their hard earned pay was sent back home to their family. My Great Grandmother, Ida Brown, cooked three meals a day seven days a week for these men.

We have three recipes that we attribute to her days as camp cook. My Grandmother and Mother often prepared them for us and to this day I use two of them often and my Daughters do as well. They were simplerecipes using staples that were available to them at the time. They were intended to stretch ingredients yet fill the bellies of hungry hard working men. We are always reminded of Ida when we serve them up.

Fried Bread:Equal parts flour and sugarAdd water to form a loose pasteTsp of vanillaSlices of BreadCoat each slice of bread on both sides with the paste and fry in butter until golden brown on both sides.

Cracker Sausage:Take a pound of sausage and mix with a ½ sleeve of crushed saltine crackers.Make patties and cook until browned

The third recipe was Vinegar Pie. My Grandmother loved to make pies when she visited us. We loved her pies except for the Vinegar Pie! When she yelled “The vinegar pie is ready” my siblings and I would conveniently find someplace we needed to be or something we needed to do besides eating the Vinegar Pie!

Yuck...Vinegar PieEditor’s comments

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Events ~ Happenings ~ Meetings ~ Updates

For complete details and information on annual events please visit our facebook page and website

AprilA video presentation on “Wildflowers in the Park” by Marc Evans. MayGuest speaker, Ken Cote (Nursery Inspector & Compliance Officer), spoke to the group on invasive insects.

JuneThe featured program was entitled “Karst in the Park” presented by Jenny Fansler.

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FOMCC Meeting NotesFriends Meeting highlights

July 28 - Wild About Wildlife

September 8 - 10th Annual BBQ & Blues Festival

September 30 - Trail Run and Walk

October 26 - 27 - Fall-o-Ween Festival Theme: Witches-Warlocks and the Supernatural

Cute little Chickadees in one of our Bluebird boxes.Volunteers are still needed to help monitor the nests.Contact the Nature Center if you can help!

The Friends of McCormicks Creek would like to thank Jennifer and Maura Musick for updating the Friend’s bulletin board at the Nature Center. Great Job!

Be sure to check out daily activities and events at McCormick’s

Creek Nature Center!

Thank you to all

our presenters!

We are ordering another batch of official polo shirts.These are available to current member and their families.Please contact Barbara as soon as possible with sizes and colors. infor@friendsmccormickscreek.org.

Volunteers

needed!

Updates

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Centennial Cabin The wheels have moved slowly towards the completion of the Centennial Cabin. Howeverwe are turning the corner and the finishing touches are taking place. We are working ona dedication date and we’ll update you on our website and facebook page when the date is announced. Thank you for your patience!

McCormick’ Creek State Park Fire Tower

Attention: Preliminary work on the tower has reached a stage in which it is unsafe to climb. The tower is now closed to the public until completion of the project.

This 86’ steel tower with 7’x7’ metal cab was constructed in 1935 by CCC Company #589. The Fire Tower was activeuntil 1967.

Photo by Marc Evans

P.0. Box 483, Spencer, IN 47460

Friends of McCormick’s Creek State Park

CANYON COURIER

General MeetingsPlease join us on the 2nd Tuesday of eachmonth at the Nature Center 6pm for ourmonthly meeting. Enjoy a pot-luck styledinner, snacks and fellowship. Monthlyspecial guest speaker or activities are planned.We hope to see you there!

Board MeetingsBoard meetings are open to all members. These meetings are held at the Canyon Inn, in the lobby, at 6pm every 1st Thursday ofthe month.

It’s now easier to donate to the Friends of McCormmick’s Creek through Amazon!Go to smile.amazon.com/ch/35-2004784

FOMC will receive a donation proportional to your qualifiying purchases!

The mission of the Friends of McCormick’s Creek State Park is to develop and support projects and events that help preserve, restore, manage and interpret the natural and cultural heritage and recreational opportunities of McCormick’s Creek State Park.

MISSION STATEMENT