Whitewater Memorial State Park

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Whitewater Memorial
"Designation"	State Park
"Location"	Indiana USA
"Nearest City"	Liberty, Indiana
"Coordinates"	coord|39|36|50|N|84|57|55|W|type:landmark_region:US
"Area"	1,710 acres
"Date of Establishment"	1949
"Governing Body"	Indiana DNR

Whitewater Memorial is the sixteenth state park in Indiana. It is located convert|47|mi|km west-southwest of Dayton, Ohio. At twenty-three thousand acres, it is the third-largest state park in Indiana; its seventeen miles (27 km) stretching between Brookville, Indiana, and Liberty, Indiana, paralleled by Indiana State Road 101. [Conn, Earl L. "My Indiana:101 Places to See" (Indiana Historical Society Press, 2006). pg.172] [McKinney, Sally. "Hiking Indiana" (2000) p.111]

The park was established as a memorial to those American soldiers who lost their lives in World War II. Four counties gave up part of their land so that the state of Indiana could create such a memorial state park: Fayette, Franklin, Union, and Wayne. [Conn 172]

Part of the facilities available to visitors to Whitewater Memorial State Park include Brookville Reservoir. Brookville Reservoir was created as an artificial lake by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1974, spanning convert|5260|acre|km2. The dam which enables the lake is convert|181|ft|m high and convert|2800|ft|m long. [Conn 172, 173] Whitewater Lake itself is convert|200|acre|km2. [ [http://www.indianaoutfitters.com/wwater.html Information page containing trip reports, weather, and a complete set of maps for Whitewater Memorial State Park, an Indiana State Park ] ]

Popular recreation options in the state park include houseboats, five hiking trails, a nine-mile (14 km) horse trail, and lake swimming. Bass, bluegill, and other small fish are the attractions for fishermen. An archery range is available by the reservoir. [Conn 172, 173] Hayrides are also occasionally offered. [ [http://www.guidedtrailridesllc.com/~guidedtr/index.php?section=1 Guided Trail Rides LLC | Giddy Up! ] ]

Hunters are attracted to the deer, rabbits, raccoons, and wild kids. Non-hunted wildlife are woodpeckers and owls. [McKinney 111]

Within the state park is the Hornbeam Nature Preserve, which features the rare hornbeam trees. It is thirty-seven acres in area, and was established in 1974. [ [http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/properties/maps/2007/whitewater_trail.pdf Property Map] ] [McKinney 111]

Whitewater Memorial State Park is scheduled to host the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall from September 4-8, 2008. It will be placed at the beach's southern edge where it's grassy. Surviving veterans of the four counties will be specifically honored. [ [http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080219/UPDATES/80219017 "Liberty will host Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall meeting Feb. 28"] Accessed February 19, 2008]

References

* [http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/properties/park_whitewater.html Official web page]