Visitors lounge in rustic chairs on the great lawn behind Potawatomi Inn and
Conference Center as they enjoy a tranquil view of Lake James' lower basin.
Visitors lounge in rustic chairs on the great lawn behind Potawatomi Inn and
Conference Center as they enjoy a tranquil view of Lake James' lower basin.
"In most cases, the facilities and programs that provide today's fun
are based on traces of natural and human history."
Pokagon State Park
At Indiana’s state parks and reservoirs, old stories and new facilities merge seamlessly to provide memorable experiences for thousands and thousands of visitors every year.
Nowhere is this heritage more evident than at Pokagon, Fort Harrison and O’Bannon Woods state parks. There are lots of things to do and lots of resources to enjoy in each location.
In most cases, the facilities and programs that provide today’s fun are based on traces of natural and human history.
Pokagon State Park, nestled in the northeastern corner of Indiana, is a stone’s throw from I-69 and the Hoosier state’s borders with Michigan and Ohio. The past blends with the present at the Potawatomi Inn, where guests can choose the “new” or the “old” for a good night’s stay.
Comfortable lodging is available in the renovated section of the lodge, complete with state-of-the-art conference facilities. Or, families can relax in a room in the historic section, built in 1927, but furnished with modern furniture and amenities.
Almost everywhere you look at Pokagon, you’ll find evidence of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC provided valuable work in a structured setting for young men during the Great Depression of the 1930s and early ’40s.
So many of the CCC structures are intact, that 1,040 acres of Pokagon State Park are listed on the U.S. Department of Interior’s National Register of Historic Areas. Several shelters and cabins, the beach house, saddle barn, gatehouse, office building, and the group camp all feature the fine work of these men.
A bridge built in the park by the CCC in 1936 was recently restored to its original splendor. The site of the camp, where the “CCC boys” lived, has been researched, and information about its location is available at the park interpretive center.
