Liberty Township near North Liberty in St. Joseph County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Indiana State Parks: the First 100 Years 1916-2016

— Potato Creek State Park —

Photographed by Daniel Barriball, September 12, 2026

1. Indiana State Parks: the First 100 Years 1916-2016 Marker

Inscription.

…our parks and preserves are not mere picnicking places. They are rich storehouses of memories and reveries. They are a solace to the aged and an inspiration to the young.
Richard Lieber, Founder
Indiana State Parks

Setting the Stage
Alarm over the nation's disappearing natural landscape gave birth to the parks movement. Richard Lieber and others advocated for the creation of a state park system as Indiana's 1916 centennial gift.

First Parks
Land for Turkey Run came up for sale at an auction, but was lost to a higher bidder. McCormick's Creek was purchased in time for the State's centennial celebration. Within the year, however, Lieber's group purchased Turkey Run. By 1932, ten parks dotted the state.

State Park Inns
Inns provided accommodations for early park visitors. Many early visitors would stay for over a week.

Gatehouses
Indiana State Parks was a leader in implementing a "User Pays" model to support operating costs.

Nature Guides
Almost from the beginning, Indiana State Parks provided nature guides to interpret the natural and cultural stories of the parks.

Civilian Conservation Corps
During

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the Great Depression, the CCC put jobless young men to work. They constructed buildings, trail systems and infrastructure in the parks.

Post-World War II
Following the war, many veterans earned college degrees, entered the work force and started families. Increased income led to more travel and a demand for parks.

Reservoirs
Beginning in the 1950s, the US Army Corps of Engineers constructed dams for flood control. Land was managed for camping, hunting and fishing by the Division of Reservoir Management (later merging with State Parks).

Conserving Resources
The 1960s brought new understanding and concern for the environment. State Parks began management practices to conserve and maintain valuable ecosystems.

The Next 100 Years
We continue to be a leader in state park conservation and management. We hope you and future generations will continue to use and support Indiana State Parks. Make your own memories!

1. 1916 – McCormick's Creek
2. 1916 – Turkey Run
3. 1920 – Clifty Falls
4. 1925 – Pokagon
5. 1925 – Indiana Dunes
6. 1927 – Spring Mill
7. 1929 – Brown County
8. 1929 –Shakamak
9. 1930 – Mounds
10. 1932
Photographed by Daniel Barriball, September 12, 2026

2. Centennial Plaque at Potato Creek State Park
– Lincoln
11. 1943 – Tippecanoe River
12. 1943 – Versailles
13. 1947 – Shades
14. 1949 – Whitewater Mem.
15. 1953 – Lieber SRA
16. 1960 – Chain O' Lakes
17. 1960 – Raccoon Lake
18. 1962 – Ouabache
19. 1966 – Harmonie
20. 1966 – Monroe Lake
21. 1967 – Salmonie Lake
22. 1968 – Mississinewa Lake
23. 1969 – Potato Creek
24. 1973 – Hardy Lake
25. 1975 – Brookville Lake
26. 1980 – Patoka Lake
27. 1988 – Summit Lake
28. 1990 – Falls of the Ohio
29. 1996 – Charlestown
30. 1996 – Fort Harrison
31. 2004 – O'Bannon Woods
32. 2004 – Prophetstown
33. 2007 – Trine SRA

Erected 2016 by Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana State Parks.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1916.

Location. 41° 32.119′ N, 86° 21.693′ W. Marker is near North Liberty, Indiana, in St. Joseph County. It is in Liberty Township. It is on Indiana 4 near Primrose Road, on the right when traveling west. This marker stands at the entrance to Potato Creek State Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address:

Indiana State Parks: the First 100 Years 1916-2016 Marker in context image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Daniel Barriball, September 12, 2026

3. Indiana State Parks: the First 100 Years 1916-2016 Marker in context

The centennial plaque is on the stone to the left of the marker.

25601 IN-4, North Liberty IN 46554, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana

and in Greater South Bend.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A Champion of Farmland to Parkland (within shouting distance of this marker); People Make the Difference (within shouting distance of this marker); Porter (Rea) Cemetery (approx. one mile away); Farming Potato Creek (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Naragon Barn (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Springhouse (approx. 1.4 miles away); Shuppert/Shupert Family (approx. 1.6 miles away); Huggart Settlement (approx. 2.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in North Liberty.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Farm Equipment (was approx. 1.3 miles away but has been permanently

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removed).

More about this marker. Duplicates of this marker were placed at every Indiana state park and reservoir during the centennial year of 2016.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 13, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 13, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.