Potato Creek State Park is an Indiana state park located in north-central part of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

of Indiana about southwest of

South Bend South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total of 103,453 residents and is the fourt ...

. Potato Creek is open year-round and supports various activities and facilities, including fishing, hiking, camping and mountain biking. Natural habitats include the 327-acre (1.3 km²) Worster Lake, old fields, mature

woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the ''plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (se ...

s, restored

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

s, and diverse restored

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...

s. Each offers different opportunities for plant and wildlife observation. The northeast corner has been designated "Swamp Rose Nature Preserve"; now about 1 square mile is either wetlands or in Worster Lake. Potato Creek receives about 570,000 visitors annually.

History

Native Americans hunted and fished in the area, as well as collected tubers known as "wild potatoes" from the creek banks. In the 1830s, after the

Indian Removal Act of 1830 The Indian Removal Act was signed into law on May 28, 1830, by United States President Andrew Jackson. The law, as described by Congress, provided "for an exchange of lands with the Indians residing in any of the states or territories, and for ...

and various treaties as well as forced migrations, settlers cut the forests and wetlands and turned them into agricultural fields. Several dams were constructed on Potato Creek in order to power mills. Some early settlers are buried at the Porter Cemetery near the modern park's center. The area also had an African American settlement before and after the American Civil War. About a century after the area was converted into farmland (and as many fields were becoming less productive), Darcy Worster began re-creating natural areas, as well as lobbying to dam the creek to create a reservoir for fishing and recreation activities. He often sent hand-crafted insects to "bug" state legislators. Although his efforts were interrupted by World War II, the reservoir was created in 1977 and the resulting lake is named after him. Indiana Governor Otis R. Bowen dedicated six square miles as Potato Creek Recreation Area on June 6, 1977. Dairy farmer and 32-year state Representative Dick Mangus helped oversee the upgrade to state park status in 1983. Mangus had begun his political career when part of his family's long time dairy farm was taken during expansion of U.S. Route 31; the section adjoining the park was later renamed in his honor.Bill Friend, "Searching for a solution on property taxes" Logansport Pharos Tribune February 14, 2008 In 2006, the area was internationally designated as an important bird area, due to the migratory birds which visit, as well as native resident birds including osprey and wild turkey as well as songbirds. , some have advocated building a lodge within the park to supplement the campground store, similar to the lodges in seven other (but older) Indiana state parks.

Facilities

* Paved Bicycle Trail - * Mountain Bike Trail - *

Hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

Trails * Nature Center * Wildlife Observation Area * Cultural Arts Programs * Picnicking * Playground Equipment *

Swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...

Beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc sh ...

Fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

* Fish Cleaning Station * Shelter Reservations *

Boat A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically found on inl ...

Launch Ramps * Boat (only Electric

trolling In slang, a troll is a person who posts or makes inflammatory, insincere, digressive, extraneous, or off-topic messages online (such as in social media, a newsgroup, a forum, a chat room, a online video game), or in real life, with the i ...

motors) * Bridle Trails * Cabins / 17 *

Camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more na ...

- Reservations recommended ** Class A - 287 sites ** Horsemen's Class A - 70 sites ** Youth Tent Areas * Camp Store * Dumping Station * Winter Activities ** Tubing Hill ** Cross-country skiing **

Ice fishing Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice fishers may fish in the open or in heated enclosures, some with bunks and amenities. Shelters Longe ...

Equipment rentals

* Bicycle * Paddleboat * Rowboat * Kayak * Canoe * Recreation Building

References

External links

Indiana Department of Natural Resources' official Web page
{{authority control Protected areas established in 1969 State parks of Indiana Protected areas of St. Joseph County, Indiana Nature centers in Indiana