Deep River County Park by Rick A
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THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 26, Number 30 Thursday, August 5, 2010 Deep River County Park by Rick A. Richards “That’s what drew me to the park in the fi rst place,” said Shearer, “and I’ve been here since 1981.” The park, which straddles U.S. 30, includes Deep River Water Park on the south side of the four-lane highway, and the historic grist mill on the north side of the highway. It is one of 12 parks operated by Lake County. Sandy Basala, director of the Lake County Parks Department, said Deep River is one of her favorite parks in the system. “It’s so varied and it permits people to do so many things,” said Basala. “The trails are beautiful, there is a picnic area and a little playground,” she said. “I’m sure it’s true that people see things when they drive by, but you don’t understand how much else there is here unless you stop and get out of the car and take a look.” This is the view of the grist mill at Deep River County Park from Old Lincoln Highway. (Photo by Rick A. Richards) Deep River Continued on Page 2 Northwest Indiana was a very different place in 1835. It was wild, mostly unsettled, and for some- one with the right vision, a place to make money. John Wood of Massachusetts was such a vision- ary. Leaving his family behind, he ventured west, looking for a place to establish a grist mill, and he found it along the Deep River in Lake County, Ind., just south of present day Hobart. That land, a 10- mile strip across the northern part of the state, be- came available thanks to a treaty between the Unit- ed States and the Potawatomi Indians. All Wood had to do to claim his land was build a log cabin and then travel 30 miles east to LaPorte and pay $200 for his parcel of 160 acres of land. In 1837, after returning to Massachusetts to col- lect his family, Wood returned and built a saw mill to cut the lumber for his grist mill. By 1838, his grist mill was up and running, creating what was the fi rst industry in Northwest Indiana. Joanna Shearer absolutely loves the grist mill and its history. A historical programmer for the Lake County Parks Department, which operates the 1,080-acre park, said she loves the serenity of Deep River County Park near Hobart has hiking trails, some of which the park. offer this view of the rear of the grist mill. (Photo by Rick A. Richards) THE Page 2 August 5, 2010 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.thebeacher.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. in time, made all the more realistic by the period clothing Shearer and park volunteers wear. A short walk over to the grist mill shows how corn was ground into fl our. While the mill building has been restored and the huge grinding stones in use are of the period, they are not the original stones used at Deep River. Shearer pointed out that after Wood’s sons sold out to other buyers, the grist mill closed in 1930. The building sat vacant until 1975 when Lake County acquired it. But in those 45 years, nature and vandals had taken a big toll. “When Lake County got it, the roof was gone, the windows were gone,” said Shearer, adding that the grinding stones had been chipped and cracked by vandals. “There was graffi ti in here and raccoons were living inside.” Restoration thus far has included a new roof, new fl ooring, new windows, a new stairway, and fi nding Visitors to Deep River County Park’s grist mill will be greeted by volunteers in period clothing. From left, Joanna Shearer, David and restoring pieces for the grist mill Gunnerson and Brittany Shearer. (Photo by Rick A. Richards) “My boss had a dream that his should be restored to a full grist mill,” said Shearer. “But there is no Deep River Continued from Page 1 place you can go to buy pieces for this.” “Those of us who have lived here for a very long Shearer said Lake County is a member of and time and lived in the north part of the county, real- works with the Society for the Preservation of Old ize we have industry in the north and that the south Mills (SPOOM), and about 20 years ago found a list- part of the county is more rural.” ing for a mill for sale in Whittaker, Va. “He called Visitors to Deep River fi rst should check in at the the owner and she wanted to sell the equipment, old church (built in 1904), which is now Deep River not the building. He called her back and told her we park headquarters and gift shop. It’s a step back would buy it. “It took seven men and fi ve trucks and they went to Virginia. In two days, they dismantled and took all the equipment out of that building and brought Joanna it here.” Shearer, historical That equipment, ironically, had been made in In- programmer dianapolis, so Shearer said she was glad it was re- for Deep River County turned to Indiana. Park, shows Restoring the mill to working condition isn’t done off the yet. “Eventually we will have the ability to put this massive grinding gear back into a complete working mill, but I don’t know that was when that will happen,” said Shearer. In 1975, the recovered building was placed on the National Register of His- from the pond next toric Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior. to the grist Instead of water power, the mill runs off a motor. mill. (Photo But it offers a wonderful glimpse into the past and by Rick A. Richards) how mills of the 1830s and later in the 19th Century operated. David Gunnerson, a teacher and volunteer at Deep River, operates the grist mill for visitors. THE August 5, 2010 Page 3 As visitors gather on the main fl oor at the base of the grinding wheels (which are encased in a huge timber vault) they can examine the fl oor plan of the building as it would have looked in the 1800s. Shearer said she likes telling stories to children, not only of the mill, but of the period in which it was a thriving enterprise. On a seat in front of a large loom, Shearer talks about how the Wood fam- David ily fl ourished along Deep River, creating a small Gunnerson adds corn to community around the mill with a blacksmith shop, the grist mill general store, shoe shop, cider mill, cheese factory at Deep River and an ice house. County Park near Hobart. “Children today don’t have the connection to (Photo by Rick the farm that we did growing up,” said Shearer. A. Richards) “When farmers brought in their grain to be ground, it would take half a day, so they would visit those other stores while they were waiting.” The grist mill owner would keep 20 percent of the ground grain as payment for the work, and then sell that to in-town customers for cash. It is a way of life that has long since disappeared in Indiana, but Shearer and Gunnerson said they are glad to bring it to life for visitors. “I enjoy demonstrating the grinding of the corn. I think people really appreciate seeing the corn being ground,” said Gunnerson. As he operates the huge grinding wheels and monitors the fl ow of grain into the mill, Gunnerson said he is most often asked about the stones. “I talk about the weight of the stones and how it takes all that weight to grind the corn. They want to see that yellow corn coming down the chute into the bucket. Some of the younger kids come with the This pretty gazebo, notion that I’m going to send corn fl akes down the behind the grist chute.” mill, is the scene of many summer weddings. (Photo provided) Frequently Asked Questions Deep River County Park, 9410 Old Lincoln Highway, Hobart. Take U.S. 30 west to Ran- dolph Street, north ¼ mile to Old Lincoln High- way and then east one mile. Brittany Shearer collects fl our at the rear of the grist mill at Deep River Hours: Open from May 1 to Oct. 31. 10 a.m. County Park. (Photo by Rick A. Richards) to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. Gunnerson explained that in the original Deep to 5 p.m. Saturday; 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Closed River grist mill, there were three levels. The top Friday and holidays. level was for grain cleaning where stalks, leaves For information, call (219) 947-1958 or visit and other fi eld debris were removed from the grain. www.lakecountyparks.com or e-mail info@lake- The second level for storage and processing and the countyparks.com main level is where grinding takes place.