We are happy to announce that our booking calendar for 2025 shelter rentals are now available on our website! Visit our rentals page to make your reservations today.
Hawthorn Closed
Update: Due to technical issues we will be stopping work on the left side of the park (Dogwood Shelter side) and will be closed on Monday instead.
Good morning everyone, today only all roads in Hawthorn Park will be closed. You will not be able to access the park through the main entrance. You can still park at J.I. Case and enter through there. The park will reopen tomorrow morning at it’s normal time. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this maintenance!
Hawthorn Closures
Attention VCPRD patrons: beginning today there will be construction equipment moving in to Hawthorn Park as we begin road work throughout the park tomorrow. We will be completing some much needed road maintenance and during this time there will be sections of the park that are closed to all visitors over the coming weeks to months. As such, shelter rentals will be unavailable until further notice. We will post updates here as we move to different sections of the park and close those sections. While work is being completed in an area we do ask that you please DO NOT enter the area. We thank you for you patience and understanding.
Pioneer Days Parking
Pioneer Days is approaching this weekend, parking will be in the field across from the Pioneer Village as it has been in the past. Due to the high level of pedestrian traffic crossing Bono Rd into the village, the @Vigo County Commissioners have once again allowed us to close Bono Rd from Oregon Church Rd to Harlan Dr to make it a one-way entrance into our parking area for everyone’s safety. Please enter from Oregon Church Rd (south) and exit North towards Harlan Dr.
Please make sure you follow the signs to park in the right field so that you are parking in the correct area. Pioneer Days will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday, the parking lot WILL NOT open until 9:30! Parking is still $5 per car, but admission is free! We can’t wait to see you all this weekend.
Tour of the Vigo County Parks- Markle Mill Park
Today is the last day of July and the last day of National Parks and Recreation Month. We’ve hoped you’ve enjoyed your tour with us as we take our tour to our newest acquired park and make our final stop. Today’s stop on our Tour of Vigo County Parks is… Markle Mill Park! This site is rich in history, one that you can read on our new signs that went up this spring. In 1816 Colonel Abraham Markle constructed a dam over Otter Creek in order to build a gristmill. While the mill burnt down in 1938, though you can still see remains of the foundation today. Due to safety the dam was removed and parts of the cement from the dam line the parking lot. The timbers from the original dam to be preserved in hopes of being used in the future. We will continue to preserve the old mill foundation and continue to make the park a beautiful space for people to visit.
While we have been caretakers of the park for many years, we took ownership in the fall of 2023. Now the park features a gazebo, picnic areas, a playground and sculptures. For those who love fishing, the creek now offers a little beach area and has wonderful aquatic life. Be sure to check out our final stop on your next adventure!
Tour of the Vigo County Parks- Hawthorn Park
Today’s stop on our Tour of the Vigo County Park is… Hawthorn Park! It was named because of its abundance of Hawthorn trees throughout the property. This park is a favorite for runners and hosts several different runs throughout the year. It features access to the Heritage Trail which is great for students at nearby Rose Hulman to visit the park or for visitors to hop onto the trail to go towards town. Inside the park there are several different trails perfect for hiking.
For those who enjoy other activities you can visit the playgrounds, play soccer at the soccer goals, picnic in one of the shelters, visit the archery range, relax in the labyrinth or even enjoy the views at the amphitheater. The lake is stocked and has great fishing with several places to fish off the bank or at the fish dock. You also can use the boat launch or kayak launch to get out onto the water!
For those who love to camp it has 10 primitive sites and 51 electric sites, 11 of which also have direct water hook up.
Hawthorn is also home to our J.I. Case Wetland Wildlife Refuge, which we featured last week. Next time you’re out be sure to visit this peaceful park!
Tour of the Vigo County Parks- J.I. Case Wetlands
We are almost done with our tour of the Vigo County Parks and today’s stop is going to look a little different again. Today, we’re going to look at a piece of a larger park and that is our very own J.I. Case Wetlands in Hawthorn Park because we want to highlight the importance of wetlands! The levee for J.I. Case was built in 1984 and the lake was filled in 1985 and while its purpose of serving as a wetland is important it also serves an important role in waterfowl management. The 50.3 acre lake attracts migratory birds in the fall and the 23.5 acres across from the J.I. Case remains in its natural state to serve as a wildlife nesting area.
J.I. Case Wetlands, and our Wabashiki Wetlands, are just a fraction of Indiana’s 800,000 remaining acres of wetlands, which is less than 20% of it’s original wetland acreage. You might be thinking what are wetlands? When you think of them you might imagine a swamp like the Everglades and while that is a type of wetland, there are actually several different types! Wetlands are areas in the landscape that contain standing water at or near the soil surface for part or all of the year and are defined by their vegetation, hydrology and soil. An area is considered a wetland if more than 50% of its vegetation occurs in a wetland, there is water present at or above the soil level at some point during the year and that water causes the soil to be limited in oxygen. The four types of wetlands are marshes, swamps, bogs and fens. Some wetlands, like at Dewey Point, are not wet year-round!
Wetlands are important because they can help absorb floodwaters and rainwater along with absorb excess nutrients, sediment and other pollutants before they reach rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. Wetlands can be constructed to be water treatment to remove chemicals and other harmful pollutants from water. They also help lessen climate change by protecting coastal regions from storms, provide water during droughts, store carbon and create a cooling effect by absorbing heat. Healthy wetlands even reduce mosquito populations.
Next time you’re out on an adventure be sure to participate in the Indiana Wetlands Challenge by visiting J.I. Case!
Tour of the Vigo County Parks- Lee Fields Park
Today’s stop on our tour of Vigo County Parks is… Lee Fields Park! This park had once been the playground of the old Concannon High School and was deeded to the Park Board in April, 1975 by the Vigo County School Corporation. The park was named Lee Fields in honor of a West Terre Haute businessman and Rotarian who had spent many years developing recreational facilities and programs for young people in the area.
The park has a small playground, a multipurpose court with basketball goals, a softball field with a back stop, an open field, a picnic shelter, and a wooded area. As no rest rooms are available in this park, a stone water fountain was installed especially for those individuals participating in sports. This spring it featured our end of the school year Movie in the Park! Be sure to visit this quiet park next time you’re out exploring!
Tour of the Vigo County Parks- Bicentennial Park!
Today’s stop on our Tour of Vigo County Parks is… Bicentennial Park which includes Dewey Point and the Wabashiki Trail! In 2009 we partnered with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to purchase over 800 acres of Wabash River bottomland to create part of the 3600-acre Wabashiki Fish and Wildlife Area. The purchase of this land was to provide recreational opportunities for the citizens of Vigo County and to preserve natural wetland habitat for native and migratory wildlife. In the spring visitors can kayak at Dewey Point from the kayak launch, especially at events like our Earth Day celebration. Year-round you can hike or bike on the Wabashiki trial as the property offers beautiful scenery and wildlife viewing opportunities. The Wabashiki Trail is a favorite for our Black Friday ride after Thanksgiving and Christmas lights ride! We are continuing to develop this beautiful park and look forward to sharing future projects with you all.
Park and Recreation Professionals Day!
Today doesn’t get a stop in our tour of Vigo County Parks because it’s a very special day. Today is Park and Recreation Professionals Day and we want to celebrate all of the dedicated people who make our parks possible and build a strong community through the power of parks and recreation. We are grateful to have a staff who strive to create high-quality experiences and opportunities for the residents and visitors of Vigo County while also making our parks clean, safe and welcoming. If you’re out today and see any of our amazing VCPRD employees be sure to thank them today!
