Avoca Park
{{Infobox protected area | name = Avoca Park | map = USA Indiana | map_ width = 300 | map_caption = Map of the U.S. state of Indiana showing the location of Avoca Park | nearest_town = Avoca, Indiana
| coordinates = 38°54′25.79″N 86°32′31.19″W / 38.9071639°N 86.5419972°WCoordinates: 38°54′25.79″N 86°32′31.19″W / 38.9071639°N 86.5419972°W
| area_acre = 43 | established = 2020 | address = 3178 Avoca-Eureka Road, Avoca, Indiana 47420 | prior_name = Avoca State Fish Hatchery | governing_body = Avoca Park and Recreation of Marshall Township | alt_name=Previously known as Avoca State Fish Hatchery
| photo=Avoca park 1828 house.jpg|photo_width=300|photo_caption=1823 House | photo2=Avoca park WPA abridge.jpg|photo_width=300|photo_caption=WPA bridge
Avoca Park is a recreation area in Lawrence County, Indiana, that includes walking and hiking trails, and picnic areas. It is open year-round, from dawn until dusk.
The park consists of approximately 43 acres of land, including forests, 13 ponds, 3 buildings, and a Civil War-era cemetery.
The property features 13 earthen ponds fed by a natural spring. Grass levees circle each of the ponds, providing a winding path around all the ponds. Wooded hiking paths allow access to the Civil War cemetery and a WPA stone overlook. A gravel path along a Works Progress Administration (WPA) built stone wall will take you to the shelter house that overlooks the ponds.
A two-story colonial-style house sits near the spring. Stone structures, walls, and a stone overlook, built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), give hikers a view of the old hatchery grounds.
History
In 1819, a grist mill was constructed by a man named Fitzpatrick and was later purchased by the Hamer brothers, two of the first settlers in Avoca, Indiana. Thomas Hamer [1] and his four sons were pioneer settlers in the area, including Spring Mill State Park [2], located 30 miles south of Avoca, where they lived and operated a still working grist mill. The mill was made possible by a spring-fed turbine water-wheel fitted with three sets of buhr stones to grind wheat, corn, and chop feed. In 1823, they built a two-story house on the property. The house later became an inn, stagecoach way station, post office, grocery store, and finally the DNR property manager’s residence. It was last renovated in 1923.
In 1919, the property was purchased by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) from Hayden Bridwell, and construction of fish hatchery ponds began in 1923. A service building was built in 1924.
The National Youth Administration was stationed at Avoca Fish Hatchery from 1935 – 1942. During that period, the improvements to Avoca Fish Hatchery were one of the longest National Youth Administration projects. [3] The National Youth Administration built the shelter house with limestone walls and a limestone fireplace.
The hatchery stocked Indiana’s waters with largemouth bass, bluegill, red-eared sunfish, and black crappie for years until Indiana DNR began the process of decommissioning in 2013, and it fell into disrepair [4]. Avoca State Fish Hatchery was officially decommissioned in 2016 [5]. During operation, the Hatchery produced 500,000 to 1 million fish [6].
In 2014, Bedford, Indiana Mayor Shawna Girgis tasked Bedford Park Director, Barry Jeskewich [7], to find a solution to save this historical property for the town of Avoca and Lawrence County, Indiana. Barry Jeskewich partnered with James Farmer, Indiana University, to obtain a $125,000 grant to preserve this beloved green space for the surrounding community. Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag.
The citizens of Avoca established a park board to receive the property from the State of Indiana in 2020. Thanks to the grant and volunteers, Avoca Park has become Lawrence County’s first public park featuring a 1.5-mile loop trail, picnic tables, green space, rentable shelter house, and event spaces.
Avoca State Fish Hatchery was renamed Avoca Park and is now in the hands of the Avoca Park and Recreation of Marshall Township [8].
Gallery=
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Avoca Park 1823 house built by the Hamer brothers -
Avoca Park Civil War Cemetery -
Avoca Park National Youth Administration built stone shelter house -
Avoca Park 1823 house
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Avoca Park Creek and Falls
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Avoca Park WPA built bridge
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Avoca Park Earthern pond once used as fish hatchery
References:
- ↑ "Collection: Spring Mill State Park collection | ArchivesSpace Public Interface". archives.isl.lib.in.us. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ↑ Parks, State (2021-01-29). "Spring Mill State Park". State Parks. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ↑ "Avoca State Fish Hatchery Shelter House and Stone Works - Avoca IN". Living New Deal. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ↑ "Avoca Fish Hatchery to close". The Times-Mail. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ↑ Staff, Indiana Public Media News. "DNR Phasing Out Avoca Fish Hatchery". news-2013 - Indiana Public Media. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ↑ Tribune-Star, Howard Greninger /. "State brings thousands of Indiana-raised fish to Maple Ave. park". Terre Haute Tribune-Star. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ↑ Raines, Bill (2019-07-11). "Acquistion of Avoca Fish Hatchery Still In Progress | WBIW". Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ↑ Raines, Bill (2020-11-09). "Ham & Bean Supper Raised Funds To Support Marshall Township Park & Picnic Area | WBIW". Retrieved 2021-09-27.
External Links:
“Gov Love Podcast..Educational Local Government Partnership with Barry Jeskewich and Jane Rogan”Discussion on how local government and educational institutions worked together to fund the new Avoca Park.
“Indiana State Fishery System”
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