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In her township by township series, Jean Gernand relates the following:“Old settlers recalled stories of a huge wild pigeon roost on the present 400 East just south of SR 114. The weight of the birds was so heavy it would cause the side limbs of the trees to break. It was said that by the 1920s these birds were extinct, so it could be assumed that they were passenger pigeons.”Passenger pigeons went extinct because they were overhunted as adults, their nests were disturbed, and their young were also collected. (Pigeons were advertised as cheap and tasty food.) Their extinction made national news and had such a public reaction that the beginnings of the modern wildlife conservation movement are attributed to it by at least some sources.

Painting of Male and Female Passenger Pigeons

Passenger pigeon historical range for nesting (orange) and breeding (red)

Illustration of a Passenger Pigeon Shoot during Migration

A project done by professionals and amateurs to honor the legacy and lessons of the passenger pigeon.

More Info

An article written on the 100th anniversary of the passenger pigeon's extinction

At one time there were billions of passenger pigeons in the U.S. Flocks were so large that migrations would take over twelve hours to pass overhead. Stories indicate that the birds had a roost in this area. It is unknown if this was a nesting place or a resting place. Either was possible in this part of Indiana. The last passenger pigeon known to have been hunted in Indiana was in 1902 in far southeastern Franklin County. The last known pigeon died in captivity in 1914.

Passenger Pigeon Roost

The sites on this tour relate the natural history of Huntington County by exploring sites where nature and man connected, as well as places you can visit to explore or be educated about nature.

Natural Huntington

From travelling along the canal to the railroad, interurban, and a short-lived paddlewheel "taxi," Huntington County has provided a number of ways to transport people to their personal adventures. Locations of pigeon roosts, wolf chases, bear swamps, elephant captures, legends of lost silver, amusement parks, road and water racing events have drawn groups of residents for entertainment, excitement, and/or hunting adventures.

Adventures of Yesteryear in Huntington County

Huntington County has had libraries almost since its founding. One of the earliest was established by the “Working Men’s Institute” and founded in 1855. The HCTPL traces its roots to this library which, in turn, provided the foundational materials to a subscription library founded in 1874 called the Public School Library. In 1889 the library was reorganized under state law to become a “free” library supported by a tax levy. The new name was “City Free Library.” From 1889 until a building completed with funds from Andrew Carnegie opened in 1903, the library was housed in the city high school.The library changed names in 1971 to the Huntington Public Library when it separated from the school library. It changed again in 1975 when the service area was expanded to include Huntington Township. Since then, it has been the Huntington City-Township Public Library even though in 2003 the service area expanded with the merger of the Markle Library.The 1903 Carnegie Library building still stands at 44 E. Park and is now the location of TCB Games. The current building opened in 1987 and was expanded twice: in 1996 and 2010. A major remodeling was completed in 2019. The main length of the building was designed to resemble a canal boat with the prow rising above the entrance. The entrance even sits on top of the former route of the Wabash &amp; Erie Canal.

The Huntington City-Township Public Library (HCTPL) serves the people of both the city and township of Huntington as well as the town of Markle. Teachers and students in the county schools, another primary/secondary school with a presence in the service area, or Huntington University are also eligible for library cards. It has a large room dedicated as the B. Joan Keefer Genealogy and Local History Center in the main branch, and a small History Room in the Markle branch.

Huntington City-Township Public Library

For overnight guests, check in is at 3p and check out at 12p, extensions needed by 10a. Visitors must register and pay any appropriate fees. Day visitors must leave by 11p.Overnight guests can be in tents, RVs, or cabins. There is an onsite store, bath and shower building, and laundry. Boats for fishing may be brought in (trolling motor only) or rented.

Timber Lake offers a variety of outdoor activities either for the day or overnight when staying at their campgrounds. Swimming, hiking, zip lining, fishing, and boating are among the usual activities. There is a charge for all activities, but some fees are reduced or eliminated for overnight guests.

Timber Lake

According to the 1849 Indiana Gazetteer Huntington “with the exception of a few small prairie, the whole county was originally a dense forest.” This meant that the county was full of wildlife associated with a mid-latitude forest. Among the top predators were the gray and red wolves (Canis lupus and Canis rufus). As European Americans terraformed the area, cutting down trees, draining swamps, and doing other things to make the land farmable, there were inevitably contacts between wolves and humans.According to the 1984 Centennial Map, one such incident took place near here. The following was related in a 1928 article where F.S. Bash interviewed Mrs. Farmer, daughter of Henry Shutt, Sr., an early settler:“There used to be plenty of wolves in some localities. My cousin, William Stallsmith, told of coming along the road on horseback one night and right about where the Will Steel farm is now located, a dozen wolves started after him. They frightened his horse and it ran at top speed for several miles. The wolves gave up the chase and disappeared. But if that would have thrown him off the horse, the wolves would have torn him to pieces.”By 1908, wolves had been eradicated from all of Indiana.

You wouldn't believe it looking around the corner of 300 W and 8000 N now, but in the mid-1800s this was a forested wilderness. Near this very intersection a Wills Stallsmith and his horse were chased home by a pack of wolves.

Wolf Chase

In a story from Township by Township.“An area in the western part of the township was known as Bear Swamp. It contained the largest bear population in the county. Harrowing tales are told of people getting lost in the swamp and livestock getting mired down in the mud.Driving west of Bippus it is still possible to see how the Erie Railroad tracks were elevated because of the swamp. Another story tells of an early church service that was interrupted by a bare-chested John Abbott, who announced, ‘I’ve treed a bare!”At this point, all male parishioners promptly left the service went home to get their rifles and surrounded the tree. Abbott had tied his shirt and vest around the tree to keep the bear from climbing down. Upon his command the men took aim, fired and the unfortunate bruin came tumbling down.”The characteristics that made the swampy land appealing to bears also resulted in land appealing to farmers. Swampy land is good farmland – if it can be drained – because of the deep deposits of biomass that turns into rich soil. Beginning in 1873, a series of state laws made drainage associations legal and defined how ditches could be paid for (ultimately by the people through whose land the ditch passed).In his 1914 history of the county, Bash has this to say about the swamps:“Old settlers can remember when certain portions of Huntington County were too wet for agricultural purposes, especially in the early spring when the snows melted, to which were frequently added heavy rains. These low, wet lands were the last to be settled and in their original state they were the source of much of the fever and ague with which the pioneers had to contend. Drainage has improved the land and brought it under cultivation, increasing the profits of the owner many fold. While the advantages to the owner of the swamp land may be reckoned in a pecuniary sense, the drainage of these lands has conferred a lasting benefit upon all the adjacent territory by improving the sanitary conditions, thus stamping out malaria and enhancing the general health of the inhabitants.”So, Bear Swamp was drained by area farmers when they installed tile from the many nearby tile factories to feed the ditches they dug as common improvements. There may be more tile under Warren Township than any other due to its original character.

Much of western Warren Township was originally swampy land. Now, there are just pockets here and there. The swamps probably drew bears for a couple of reasons: good fishing and few people. Carroll Ditch is part of the system of ditches and drains that were installed to make the land arable (farmable).

Bear Swamp

Salamonie Lake was created in 1967 when a flood control dam was built in Wabash County on the Salamonie River. The biggest impact in creating the dam was the loss of an entire community – Monument City. But, it has had its desired effect on downstream flooding which used to occur seasonally. Built by the Army Corps of Engineers and managed by it (the dam) and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the lake and its surrounding park are now a haven for wildlife and provide many outdoor recreational activities.

The Salamonie Interpretive and Nature Center is the headquarters for visiting the state parks at both Salamonie Lake and Mississinewa Lake. There are trails for every ability level and many different conveyances (foot, bike, horse, snowmobile). The building and nearby grounds include: a wildlife viewing area, interactive reservoir exhibits, natural &amp; cultural history displays, a children's room, and the Salamonie Raptor Center (which rehabilitates live birds of prey).

Salamonie Interpretive and Nature Center

Pirates Cove Marina is a full service marina and boat rental business located on Salamonie Lake near the Interpretive Center. Most rental boats are pontoons, but fishing boats, kayaks and paddle boats are also available. Some boats are available at an hourly rate, others for a day rate or both.

Pirates Cove Marina

Modoc the elephant spent her third night of freedom in the woods to the north. Somewhere near here a group of men surrounded her trying to aid in her capture. When she broke through the circle Kenneth Kindley and Modoc ran into each other. Kenneth was left with a spinal injury which had him walking with the aid of a pair of crutches for the rest of his life.Her journey began on Wednesday, November 11th, 1942, when she and her sister pachyderms were waiting to enter the gymnasium at the Wabash high school for a fund raiser. A pack of dogs began barking and running through the elephant’s legs. All three elephants left the scene. Empress and Judy didn’t go far and were soon back under control, but not before making a mess in nearby basement. Modoc ran further. Far enough that she caught the enticing smell of roasting peanuts in the Bradley Drug Store at the corner of South Miami and Market Streets. Entering the store, she did considerable damage, but made away with a belly full of fresh-roasted peanuts. From there she was off to IN-13. That night she crossed the Wabash. Thursday, she made it past Lagro then had a rest in a thicket. Friday morning, she was near the Salamonie and had an encounter with a female reporter that escaped by climbing a nearby tree. Modoc continued her escape, crossing either the Wabash or Salamonie Rivers as necessary to elude her pursuit. By Friday morning she was on the J. R. McDaniel home, and/or a little ways away in an extensive thicket that was on a farm belonging to Glenn Barnett and where a man named Kenneth Kindley lived. Police and well-meaning locals surrounded the area. Somehow, Modoc was scared further and in making her escape “rolled” on Mr. Kindley, injuring him so badly the papers gave him only a 50-50 chance of surviving. After her escape, she started towards Monument City putting a panic into the townsfolk who immediately hid or left the area. She circumvented the town and wound up in another copse of trees on the farm of Lloyd and Claude Krieg. (See tour stop Modoc Capture.) One more cold night and then she was captured as the sun set Sunday evening.Today, Bradley’s Drug Store is called Modoc’s Market in memory of her escapades there. Kenneth Kindley survived and was given the nickname “Modoc Man.” Unfortunately, his encounter with the elephant left him permanently disabled; he was only able to walk with the aid of two crutches.

Modoc the elephant spent her third night of freedom in the woods to the north. Somewhere near here, Kenneth Kindley and Modoc ran into each other. Kenneth was left with a spinal injury which had him walking with the aid of a pair of crutches for the rest of his life.

Modoc Overnight

Rustic River Outfitters provides canoe and kayak rental on the Salamonie River. It also provides a performance and event venue, and a wine bar with food. Trips are also available on the Wabash River by reservation. It is locally famous for its taco nights (watch for them on Facebook).

Rustic River Outfitters provides canoe and kayak rental on the Salamonie River. It also provides a performance and event venue, wine bar with food. Trips are also available on the Wabash River by reservation. It is locally famous for its taco nights (watch for them on Facebook).

Rustic River Outfitters

In 1942 this farm was owned by Lloyd Krieg and his brother Claude. In the woods on the farm, possibly the clump still in existence, Modoc made her last stand. After several more hours and about 30 loaves of fresh bread, the frightened animal was enticed to leave and rejoin her circus sisters, Judy and Empress. She was dehydrated and had lost approximately 800 of her 1900 pounds. But, other than that and a slight cold (for which she was given six quarts of whiskey), she was in good shape. By Christmas, she had gained most of the weight back. She went on to continue her circus career for many more years.Her journey began four days earlier, on Wednesday, November 11th, 1942, when she and her sister pachyderms were waiting to enter the gymnasium at the Wabash high school for a fund raiser. A pack of dogs began barking and running through the elephant’s legs. All three elephants left the scene. Empress and Judy didn’t go far and were soon back under control, but not before making a mess in nearby basement. Modoc ran further. Far enough that she caught the enticing smell of roasting peanuts in the Bradley Drug Store at the corner of South Miami and Market Streets. Entering the store, she did considerable damage, but made away with a belly full of fresh-roasted peanuts. From there she was off to IN-13. That night she crossed the Wabash. Thursday, she made it past Lagro then had a rest in a thicket. Friday morning, she was near the Salamonie and had an encounter with a female reporter that escaped by climbing a nearby tree. Modoc continued her escape, crossing either the Wabash or Salamonie Rivers as necessary to elude her pursuit. By Friday morning she was on the J. R. McDaniel home, and/or a little ways away in an extensive thicket that was on a farm belonging to Glenn Barnett and where a man named Kenneth Kindley lived. (See tour stop PO-001 Modoc Overnight.) Police and well-meaning locals surrounded the area. Somehow, Modoc was scared further and in making her escape “rolled” on Mr. Kindley, injuring him so badly the papers gave him only a 50-50 chance of surviving. After her escape, she started towards Monument City putting a panic into the townsfolk who immediately hid or left the area. She circumvented the town and wound up in another copse of trees on the farm of Lloyd and Claude Krieg. One more cold night and then she was captured as the sun set Sunday evening.Today, Bradley’s Drug Store is called Modoc’s Market in memory of her escapades there. Kenneth Kindley survived and was given the nickname “Modoc Man.” Unfortunately, his encounter with the elephant left him permanently disabled; he was only able to walk with the aid of two crutches.

Modoc the circus elephant was captured just to the southeast of this spot in 1942. After five days on the run, she could rest, recuperate, and rejoin her sister pachyderms.

Modoc Capture

This is a membership organization. Contact the club by e-mail, chieflafontaine@gmail.com, or on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/222294454533888 for more information about this club.

Established in 1941, “the object of this club is to create and maintain interest in horses and equine activities in and around Huntington, Indiana; to maintain and improve the current club property in such a way to serve the equine community; to foster social activities and good fellowship, and to work together for the common advantage of all who participate in equine activities.”

Chief LaFontaine Saddle Club

In addition to the activities mentioned in the overview, trapping and both an archery and a shooting range are available on the property. Dog training is allowed in an area on the south side of the lake off of 300 W (inquire at the park office on IN-5 for rules).John Edward Roush was the U.S. Congressman from the area (4th District) from 1959 to 1969 and again from 1971 to 1977. In addition to the three dams, he was the major force behind implementing nationwide 911 service. Huntington was the first city in the nation to have the service provided by AT&amp;T.

J. E. Roush Lake was originally named Huntington Lake and was formed in 1967 by damming of the Wabash River for flood control. It was later renamed after the local congressman who was instrumental in getting the flood control projects for the Wabash, Salamonie, and Mississinewa River basins. Co-managed by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the lake and surrounding park provide hunting, fishing, camping, and wildlife-watching opportunities. Day passes are required, and self-service kiosks are provided near the main office on IN-5, at the entrance to the Kil-So-Quah Recreation Area and several other places throughout the park.

Roush Lake and Kil-So-Quah Recreation Area

ACRES Land Trust is a membership-based land conservation and protection society focused on northeastern Indiana and surrounding portions of southern Michigan and northwest Ohio. Trail systems are developed and maintained by volunteers in most preserves and are available for free public use. The preserves managed by the trust are allowed to evolve naturally after some assistance in restoration. The trails are well-kept, but unimproved (not paved), so conditions will vary with recent weather. There are a couple of steeper sections of trail with at least rudimentary steps.

Part of the Acres Land Trust, the Tel-Hy Nature Preserve provides a single 1.1 mile walking trail which takes you through gently rolling forest and along a bluff over the Wabash River. There are a couple of small side-loops.

Tel-Hy Nature Preserve

The Sheets Wildlife Museum was founded as a way to honor Sumner Sheet who had a passion for hunting. The more than 90 animal and more than 80 fish specimens that were on display were collected around the world. Their preservation and display served as an educational opportunity for area residents, especially children. Some of the animals and fish were not available at nearby zoos.

The Sheets Wildlife Museum was founded as a way to honor Sumner Sheet who had a passion for hunting.In Jun 2022, the Sheets Museum closed its doors for good, selling off the contents of the museum.

Sheets Wildlife Museum (former location)

ACRES Land Trust is a membership-based land conservation and protection society focused on northeastern Indiana and surrounding portions of southern Michigan and northwest Ohio. Trail systems are developed and maintained by volunteers in most preserves and are available for free public use. The preserves managed by the trust are allowed to evolve naturally after some assistance in restoration. The trails are well-kept, but unimproved (not paved), so conditions will vary with recent weather. Steeper sections may have at least rudimentary steps.

Part of the Acres Land Trust, the Pahokia Woods Nature Preserve provides a main 1.9 mile walking trail which takes you through rolling upland forest and across or along a number of 20 foot ravines. A couple of small ponds are passed on the trail. A number of branching loops are provided.

Natural Huntington

Passenger Pigeon Roost

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information