Allen County, Indiana Genealogy

Lake Everett

The only natural lake in Allen County is in Lake Township.

Spring Lake Woods and Bogis an ACRES Landtrust preserve that includes a sphagnum bog with native flora including five foot tall cinnamon ferns giving a lush tropical feel in a northern muckland woods.

Preserve Description

Spring Lake Woods and Bog has long been recognized as significant to preservationists due to its sphagnum bog, orchids, pitcher plants and plant life distinctive to northern muckland woods.

The preserve protects the shoreline of Lake Everett, Allen County’s only natural lake. It is also home to the rare four-toed salamander and features distinctive plant life including cypress-knee sedge, skunk cabbage and large cinnamon ferns.

Deep in the bog, plant life is sensitive, and the ground is not solid enough for trails. The bog smells like rotten eggs and is surrounded by poison sumac. To protect the bog, this preserve’s trail does not go near the bog.

Spring Lake Woods and Bog Nature Preserve at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

April 27, 2023 post by ARCH, Inc. on Facebook:

Lake Everett has long eluded the plans of lake developers and, curiously, could have been home to much more. In 1914, Fort Wayne businessman Henry M. Williams tried to develop it into an amusement and Chautauqua park, with rail lines feeding it and five fountains. An article in The Fort Wayne Daily News described the plans for an amusement park near a wooded hill on its southeast shore that Williams named Chautauqua Ridge. Six rail lines were planned to Fort Wayne and other northern Indiana towns. Williams, owner of the Fort Wayne Traction Company, died in 1923. His grandiose plan died with him, and a new development company soon was looking for buyers for a housing development of lake homes. ARCH is proud to present this edition of Throwback Thursday, part of its service as the historic preservation organization serving the greater Fort Wayne area made possible by ARCH members and donors. Thank you. Photo courtesy of the Allen County Public Library, 1960.

Everett Lake is the only natural lake in Allen County, according to the DNR, and features a species of fish only seen in a handful of Indiana waters: muskie.

Posted by WANE 15 on Friday, April 12, 2024

Friday, April 12, 2024 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

Everett Lake is the only natural lake in Allen County, according to the DNR, and features a species of fish only seen in a handful of Indiana waters: muskie.

As we continue celebrating Ohio Native Plant Month, we turn to one of the most fascinating plants found in Ohio—the...

Posted by Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves on Thursday, April 20, 2023

Thursday, April 20, 2023 post by the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves on Facebook:

As we continue celebrating Ohio Native Plant Month, we turn to one of the most fascinating plants found in Ohio—the carnivorous northern pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea). This highly evolved plant has found a unique way to thrive in bogs, which can be tough habitats (think low nutrients) for some species. More on that later.

The northern pitcher plant has pitcher-like modified leaves which can range in color from green to red with some lovely color and pattern variations. Its flowers appear in late spring or early summer with scarlet red petals and an umbrella-structure made of the sepals. Native pitcher plants may be found growing in the small number of specialized bogs and peatlands remaining in northeastern Ohio. Unfortunately, poaching and habitat loss has led to the decline of these distinctive plants; the northern pitcher plant is listed as threatened in Ohio.

Back to the pitcher plant’s carnivorous nature. Once the pitcher-like leaves collect with rainwater, insets unwittingly fall in and drown, creating a kind of “bug soup.” The hood of the pitcher has stiff downward pointing hairs preventing any trapped insects from climbing out.

Younger pitcher plants are known to produce some digestive enzymes to breakdown the insects, but in actuality, most of the work is done by larvae from mosquitoes and other insects living in the water-filled pitchers. Their waste settles to the bottom of the pitchers and the plant absorbs the remaining nutrients. It’s always fun to look inside the pitchers to see what’s on the menu for their next meals.

Check back tomorrow for another wildflower species profile. Throughout April, we will be introducing you to many of our favorite spring, summer, and even fall wildflowers as we continue our celebration of Ohio’s Native Plant Month! 

September 29, 2023 post by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources on Facebook:

NATURAL COMMUNITIES OF INDIANA: For the last two days of our natural communities week, we are covering a couple wetland communities present in Indiana. Some of the most unique wetlands occur in northeastern Indiana like bogs – floating peat mats with no inflow or outflow of water aside from rain. Water in bogs is typically acidic and very low in nutrient availability so many of the plants have adapted to get their nutrients by trapping and digesting insects! Pitcher plants and sundews usually grow in sphagnum moss in bogs, sometimes at the base of poison sumac or winterberry. Pitcher plants have bowls of digestive enzymes to dissolve unlucky bugs that fall in and can’t climb out. Sundews have sticky hairs that trap and dissolve ants. Lydick Bog Nature Preserve is the best place to see a bog from the safety of an elevated boardwalk. [ South Bend, Indiana ]

Learn about Indiana nature preserves at Nature Preserves

Top photo: Bog with open water. Bottom left photo: Pitcher plant and sundew. Bottom right photo: Sundew

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