Abstract:
This thesis covers one chapter in a collaborative work by several Ball State Honors College students. The entire work will be a comprehensive history of Indiana’s state forests and several state recreation areas. This specific chapter covers the history of Salmonie River State Forest and two of the associated state recreation areas, Dora-New Holland and Lost Bridge. The story includes the formation and establishment of the forest and construction of facilities like Hominy Ridge by CCC laborers. Additionally, it describes the transformation of the land into a site for both timber usage as well as recreational usage. The construction of Salamonie Reservoir by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as its success in flood control and resulting controversy from inundation and relocation of towns. The chapter concludes with the importance of Salamonie River State Forest to both the state forest system as well as citizens of Indiana.
