HUNTINGTON COUNTY — Many seek economic development in industry, business, investment and financial success.
One opportunity overlooked is the natural surroundings of the Salamonie River Corridor, said outdoor enthusiast Kevin Lee Smith of Warren when he recently addressed the Huntington County Commissioners.
For barely little money Salamonie Reservoir could be converted from a state forest to a state park, benefiting people and entrepreneurs all around the area.
“We have great towns around here,” Smith said later in an interview. “Wabash … Huntington is a really good town, there’s a lot coming up in Huntington.” A man on a mission, Smith added that Huntington County and surrounding counties such as Wabash have several assets that could be lifted up and be noticed by turning the Salamonie River State Forest into Salamonie State Park. Everybody can benefit from it as an economic renaissance between Salamonie and Roush lakes.
State forest vs. state park
The difference between a state park and state forest is the forest is managed for the good of all in the state and some practice forestry. A state park would provide recreation for Indiana to generate money for the local economy, according to the video on YouTube proposing the venture.
Things that could occur as a state park designation are even more recreation opportunities already in place around and among Salamonie, Mississinewa and Raush reservoirs and the Wabash, Mississinewa and Salamonie rivers are camping, food and restaurants, cottages, golfing, boating, golfing and water skiing.
Some already do many of these things here form boating, fishing, water skiing, hiking and biking. The Salamonie Forest last year completed an 18-hole tournament, professional disc golf course.
History impacting the area
Smith admits that grudges have and exist among those impacted by the reservoir history when the government took people’s farmland and three towns, bulldozing them to build dams and create reservoirs for water control, relocating families and cemeteries.
The Salamonie river towns known as Dora, New Holland and Monument City were demolished. No one will forget, yet the community has learned to love the reservoirs, rivers and the bluffs drawing people and bald eagles.
Years ago, he shared, his grandfather would not take him fishing in any of the reservoirs and nearby rivers because of the hurt that the state’s land acquisition caused many families to lose homes and farms. Years later his father did take him fishing at Salamonie Lake.
“We sacrificed our farms and our homes,” he said. “That’s done and over with. We have an asset here.”
After three generations, Smith believes it is time to make the area a state park so many people could benefit from its recreational opportunities and the environment, such as building cottages, vendors along the trails, more horseback riding, and in the lakes and river bringing in water sports, skiing, fishing, paddle boats, river cruises and winter actives. The opportunities are endless, he said.
As an entrepreneur, Smith was born and raised in Huntington County in Warren. He owns and operates Rustic River Outfitters at the Ole Saw Mill in Mt. Etna, a river canoe/kayak outfit with a bar and grill, offering entertainment, a menu of his own recipes, an ample display of wines and craft beers. He employed nearly two dozen part-time workers. He also rents the facility for events. It sits on three acres of land, the site of the former sawmill. He’s purchased, improved, restored and rehabbed buildings in the community.
With meetings at Rustic River Outfitters he described his proposal bringing in several from Huntington and Wabash counties who are interested in economic development showcasing the Salamonie Corridor Project. Lagro is booming, he said. This would be a change not just for Huntington County but also Wabash County, bringing 10 percent of revenue from tourism, outdoor enthusiasts.
For some reason, Huntington County questions change, obviously hurt by its past – healing could come from this kind of economic development.
“We have to have some kind of growth,” he said of the area. “This is a plan … a direction.”
Write a letter
Smith showed county commissioners a letter about how community members can help. He suggests writing a letter to the statehouse requesting support to convert the Salamonie River Corridor into a state park, because it is currently under used as a state forest designation.
“We need everybody to work on this,” he said, suggesting others write too.
Smith provided thess addresses, Mary Martin, Regional Director for Governor Mike Braun, marymartin@gov.in.gov or Jerry Alexander, East Central Indiana Regional Director for the Office of Governor Mike Braun at jerralexander@gov.in.gov.
He suggests these key points be addressed in such letters: Support the designation of Salamonie State Forest as a State Park to increase area tourism, investment and recreational opportunities; reopen or allow the privatization of the Lost Bridge East campground to expand water access and tourism; encourage the U.S. Army Corps of engineers and federal partners to modernize their stabilization and maintenance of water levels to increase annual usage of the Corridor; champion the revitalization of the corridor as an investment in rural Indiana’s future.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Holly Lawson, communications director for Indiana Department of Natural Resources, said in an email that a change from state forest to state park has been studied. The Indiana Natural Resources Commission in 2019 concluded it’s best managed as a state forest.
“Salamonie River State Forest has a long history of responsible management as a state forest, following science-based principles to support a healthy forest ecosystem and robust recreational activities,” Lawson stated. “In fact, through the dedicated work of the Indiana DNR, the forested land on this property has grown from just 23 percent in 1941 to more than 90 percent forested today.
“To provide additional context, there are several properties throughout the immediate region that are managed for different purposes. For example, Salamonie and Mississinewa Lakes are owned by the U.S. Army Corps, but they are managed for recreation by the DNR Division of State Parks. Similarly, J.E. Roush Lake Fish & Wildlife Area is managed by the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife for support of healthy wildlife populations,” she stated.
Areas of possibilities
Ultimately, Smith continues to make his case for the Salamonie Corridor.
According to his numbers, Salamonie Lake ranks 13 in the state for tourism. As of 2022-23 latest figures show 562,587 annual visitors.
As of 2022-23 Mississinewa Lake ranks 15 in the state with 497,911 visitors.
“I’m a big environmentalist,” he said, noting there are 565 campsites within six miles of the village of Mt. Etna. He has put his blood, sweat and tears into the area urging others to see the possibilities of a Salamonie Corridor Project that can be tweaked along the way. He estimates that communities and Indiana can earn roughly $11 million in a first year of activity if conversion to a state park happened.
J.E. Roush Lake aka Huntington Lake provides quality outdoor recreational opportunities while maintaining 7,347 acres of land, 900 acres of lake, and 350 acres of impoundments. The property is a 15-mile long narrow band along the Wabash River.
Salamonie Lake offers scenic trails, wildlife and bird watching, hunting and camping at this 2,665-acre lake property, constructed for flood control by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, contributing to diverse wildlife and recreational opportunities. DNR manages properties on the lake, such as the Lost Bridge East State Recreation Area.
Mississinewa Lake, one of the three Upper Wabash flood-control reservoirs, offers fishing, hunting and boating opportunities in the heart of north-central Indiana, according to the DNR, and viewing opportunities for hikers, bird watchers and touring bicyclists.