Keith Bradway made PVH aware that our beautiful overlooks needed attention; they had lost their views. It seems the vistas that so many people enjoyed were slowly gone over the years and no one noticed. Were we too busy to care or just relied on the state to take care of what they created. It wasn't that we didn't enjoy the overlooks because we did; I remember many times my friends and I would have picnics and spend hours talking and laughing while drinking bottled cokes and eating whatever we brought to share. Cokes cost 10 cents back then and almost everyone ate bologna and cheese sandwiches on white bread. Life seemed simple and we never gave another thought that the beauty around us would change. PVH met with Brown County Parks and Recreation and the next year we were able to enjoy the views overlooking Bean Blossom again. Go to the postcard scenes on the Overlook article in our Blog tab to see what two of the overlooks were like. There were actually three and we teens used them all...well, tourist did too but that wasn't us.
SO, we would like to thank Keith for his foresight and care for our community. |
Jim Eagleman came to a PVH meeting to make us aware that the structures built by the CCC workers were being lost to neglect. Our research began with Jim who knows the Brown County State Park from his years of working there and writing his thesis about it. The Efroymson Family Foundation gave us $3,000 to pay toward hiring someone to begin the application, Indiana Landmarks had an intern they would offer to do the work. The process of getting the application approved through all of the Indiana channels began
in 2017. PVH made calls and continued to ask about the tedious reviews; add on, word corrections and slow responses during the slow continuum for 3 years. The application grew until it included the whole park and those boundaries included more than we ever knew about. Some structures are completely gone but a foundation or fire place might remain in hidden places. Once the application moved on the the federal review it was approved within the allotted 90 days. Now the Brown County State Park is listed on the National Registry of Parks. SO, thank you Jim for your care and concern for our beautiful park and telling PVH that this park is worthy. |