Bloomington in Monroe County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Industry and Environment

— Switchyard Park —

Photographed By McGhiever, April 7, 2024

1. Industry and Environment Marker

Inscription.

The more than 150 years of use as a railyard resulted in environmental degradation.

For more than a century, coal-fired steam engines left behind coal ash and cinders. This material was often used as fill to raise the ground level above Clear Creek flooding.

Photo courtesy of the Monon Railroad Historical-Technical Society

The result was up to eight feet of fill with coal ash and cinders (CA&C) covering the original ground surface.

To ensure protection of the public and enhance the park experience, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management endorsed a remediation work plan to be part of the park's construction.

Remediation included:
Removal of contaminated "hotspots"
Pavement or clean soil cover over CA&C fill

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Parks & Recreational Areas • Railroads & Streetcars.

Location. 39° 8.854′ N, 86° 32.184′ W. Marker is in Bloomington, Indiana, in Monroe County. Marker is on the B-Line Trail, on the left when traveling north. The marker is in Switchyard Park, just north of the main plaza. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1601 S Rogers Street, Bloomington IN 47403, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least

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8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Bringing Light to a Stream (within shouting distance of this marker); From Cabinets to Radios to Televisions (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Railroad: Bringing Life to Bloomington (approx. ¼ mile away); State Seminary of Indiana (approx. one mile away); Captain Kathryn Janeway (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Monon Railroad (approx. 1.3 miles away); Inns and Taverns Cater to New Travelers (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Mobley-Buskirk-Hill Building (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bloomington.

Industry and Environment Marker just north of the plaza in Switchyard Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed By McGhiever, April 7, 2024

2. Industry and Environment Marker just north of the plaza in Switchyard Park

Credits. This page was last revised on April 14, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 14, 2024, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 56 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 14, 2024, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.