In pre-settlement times, tall-grass prairies occurred in a vast area which extended from Iowa and Missouri to central Ohio. In Indiana, prairies made up about 15 percent of the area, primarily in northwest and west-central portions of the state. Most of the original prairie in the state has been lost to drainage, urbanization and agriculture. A few high-quality remnant areas such as Hoosier Prairie in Lake County have been preserved. From Indiana Prairie at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Many of the native plants commonly used in modern landscaping were orginally found growing in native prairies. Most native woodland plants require a woodland habitat to thrive and modern housing developments have altered the soil, landscape, and improved drainage to prevent flooding which resembles prairie conditions more than native woodland. The Great Black Swamp began near New Haven going northeast to Lake Erie and most of Allen County was originally swampy forest. Reading what little is found in the 1880 History of Allen County, Indiana, especially page 44, indicates that by the 1880 publishing date the original prairie land was mostly under cultivation as was prime forest land. The French settled the Indian Territory before the British arrived so there could be prairie information in their records. Because the French explorers wrote in French, researcher will need to read French and be able to travel to the French Canadian archives where the original records are stored. See French Families and Forts of Fort Wayne for possible research clues.
The Wildflower Guide to the Limberlost shows common native plants that were likely growing in Allen County, Indiana prairie openings in the primeval forest when the European settles arrived.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources' popular interpretive programs focus on education, engagement and protection of...
Indiana Department of Natural Resources' popular interpretive programs focus on education, engagement and protection of Indiana's treasured natural, cultural and historical resources. Friends of the Limberlost at the Town of Geneva (Adams County) in northeast Indiana has installed a Wildflower Guide at their wildflower garden. Amazing artwork and an important guide for all who visit and tour the garden.
Indiana Parks Alliance was honored to have awarded the Friends of the Limberlost a 2024 Project Assistance Program grant to support the Friends' efforts. Learn more about Friends of the Limberlost - Gene Stratton Porter, Limberlost Swamp Wetland Preserve, Loblolly Marsh Nature Preserve and more at www.limberlost.weebly.com.
Page 21 under Francis La Fontaine, whose Indian name was To-pe-ah, residence was on the south side of the prairie, between Huntington and Fort Wayne, on lands granted by the treaties of October 23, 1834, and November 6, 1838.
Page 44 prairies occasionally the wet prairies, now drained and brought under cultivation, present a rich, black loam of unknown depth, and of a richness unsurpassed.
Page 44prairie is mentioned five times under PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OF ALLEN COUNTY.* By R. S. ROBERTSON'. [ See Colonel Robert Stoddard Roberson page ]
It will be seen from these figures that Fort Wayne is ninety-two feet lower than the north line, and forty-four feet lower than the south line of the county, while it's thirty-five feet higher than the east, and forty-one feet higher than the west line.
The river systems of the county deserve especial notice. Two considerable streams, the St. Joseph’s and St. Mary’s, rise in Ohio and flow through the eastern portion of the county to Fort Wayne.
The former flows in a general southwesterly direction, the latter in a northwesterly direction, until they unite, forming the Maumee, wheD, instead of flowing onward in the same general direction, the united stream turns backward, as it were, and flows northeastward between its con¬ fluents, through Northwestern Ohio to Lake Erie.
Running through the northwestern corner of the county, Eel River takes its course to the Wabash in a southwest direction, while Little River and the Aboite, lower down, take the same general course to the Wabash. The county thus forms a watershed, part of whose waters discharge through the Maumee, the chain of Lakes and the St. Lawrence, into the Atlantic, and the rest through the Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi into the Gulf of Mexico.
To the westward of Fort Wayne, these two systems approach so nearly that the waters of the great prairie discharge on one side into the rivers flowing to the Gulf, and on the other side into those rivers flowing to the Lakes, and only about four feet of earth prevents the two systems, represented by the St. Mary's and Little Rivers, from mingling their waters. It is traditional that, since the advent of the whites, a canoe could, in high water, be paddled from one river to the other across the prairie, and it is extremely probable that the prairie itself is a filled-up lake, whose waters at some period discharged both ways.
Page 45Most of the county was covered originally with a dense forest of oak, walnut, maple, ash, elm and hickory. No pines or hemlocks existed, and their species do not flourish now, even when planted and carefully nourished. A small cluster of tamaracks is found in the prairie of Eel River Township, the only ones believed to exist. The chestnut, so common throughout the United States in this latitude, is unknown here. The cottonwood flourishes along the river banks, and sometimes grows to immense size.
Page 55 In the western portion, along the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railroad, there is a large amount of wet prairie land, which can only be cultivated at great expense, but when once put in order, it is inexhaustible The uplands are rather unproductive, while the bottom lands and a greater portion of the remainder of the county yield immense crops of all the cereals and other staples common to this climate.
Page 145 under Aboit Township (there is no "e"). There is nothing approaching the nature of a prairie, and every acre of farming land has been redeemed from a wilderness. Among the timber which originally covered the township, was maple, linn, buckeye, beech, walnut and oak. Of the latter, there are many thousands of feet still standing, and oak is the prevailing timber as an article of commerce.
Page 168 under Perry Township. The First Tavern was kept by Ephraim H. Dunten, in a building at the north end of Huntertown, on the Lima road. It was on the great highway between Fort Wayne and English Prairie, and was well patronized by emigrants en route for that region, as well as by numerous teamsters engaged in conveying goods from Fort Wayne to the prairies. [ Huntertown was founded in 1837 and known as the Opening a natural clearing in the forest along the Lima Plank Road connecting Lima, now called Howe, to Fort Wayne.] The First Road was surveyed through the township in 1835, from Fort Wayne to Union Mill on English Prairie. In 1848 or 1849, it was made a plank road, add a large amount of toll was collected annually by its projectors. A line of stage-coaches was established and traversed its length at regular intervals, and through this road a large timber trade found access to the markets. After the construction of railroads through the county it was no longer a thor¬ oughfare of importance, and the planks were suffered to go to decay, and finally removed. Other roads were constructed later in various portions of the town¬ ship, which is now well supplied with all the necessary channels of transportation for its products.
Page 169 THE VILLAGE OF IIUNTERTOWN After the completion of the Coldwater road, from Fort Wayne to English Prairie, a number of settlers Vjuilt their houses near what was regarded as the great highway, and William Hunter purchased a tract of land adjacent thereto; and although no town plat existed, and no lots had been sold, it received the name of Huntertown, which it has since borne. The first sale of town lots was effected in 1872, after the completion of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad.
Allen County Prairies - Restored or Remnants
Prairie Cemetery Nature Preserves don't exist in Allen County. There are several in Indiana and neighboring Ohio, and Illinois. Allen County does have a cemetery named Prairie Grove Cemetery for the community where the cemetery is located, indicating it was originally a prairie grove.
Little River Wetlands Project on their Arrowhead Preserves web page states they have Arrowhead Marsh (97 acres) and Arrowhead Prairie (158 acres) which were acquired and restored to natural habitats between 2000 and 2006.
Stillwater Hospice web page Prairie restoration in progress states: two-acre Stillwater prairie situated behind Hospice Home was planted 16 years ago [ 2007 ] to provide a natural place of comfort and inspiration to the families of our patients, our staff members, and to community neighbors. Only native Indiana prairie grasses and flowers were planted with the goal of restoring another parcel of Hoosier land to its native state to benefit the wildlife that depends upon native species.Our Story Since 1888, Stillwater Hospice (formerly Visiting Nurse) has served families with a comprehensive suite of compassion services—from chronic disease management and hospice care, to palliative care and grief support..
Please join us as we officially dedicate the Prairie on Sunday, October 17 at 1 p.m. Thanks to the help of many, it is now accessible, as well as beautiful and peaceful place.
Please join us as we officially dedicate the Prairie on Sunday, October 17 at 1 p.m. Thanks to the help of many, it is now accessible, as well as beautiful and peaceful place.
Our restored native prairie is abloom with native and near-native plants. You can take a stroll through the prairie,...
Our restored native prairie is abloom with native and near-native plants. You can take a stroll through the prairie, which is connected to the Aboite walking trails through the Stillwater Spur on Liberty Mills Road by the @pfmgriefcenter Peggy F. Murphy Community Grief Center. The public is invited to walk the trails and enjoy the beauty of Stillwater Hospice's campus.
On Monday, October 21, volunteers of the Stillwater Prairie Posse collected native species’ seeds from flowering plants...
On Monday, October 21, volunteers of the Stillwater Prairie Posse collected native species’ seeds from flowering plants in the Stillwater Prairie for both the growing of new plants for the prairie in 2025 and as Stillwater’s first endeavor to assist Project Wingspan in achieving its goal of planting more native habitats around the state of Indiana and region. This effort, led by Project Wingspan’s Indiana State Coordinator and Stillwater volunteer Maraiah Russell, is part of Stillwater’s wish to give back to the natural world and improve our state’s ecology. The project is a program of non-profit Pollinator Partnership, whose mission is to work with a coalition of partners and a team of dedicated volunteers to increase the quality, quantity, and connectivity of pollinator habitat across the Midwest and Great Lakes Region to support imperiled native pollinators and the vital habitat on which they depend. While the Stillwater Prairie was planted primarily as a place of comfort and solace for those whom Stillwater Hospice serves in life’s journey, the Prairie also serves to improve our ecosystem. Providing seed from native plants to others with a similar ethos is part of fulfilling Stillwater’s value of stewardship.
Arrowhead prairie is a serene spot, especially in the summer morning light. Doing some light maintenance on the display garden reminded us how lovely the gem of Little River Wetlands Project is. It’s a great place to take a hike!
It's #NationalPrairieDay! Join us at the Zoo to learn more about prairies, what species live in them, and why they are important.
A "prairie grove" is an island of trees within a sea of prairie; a term and scene that was once much more common in the region. Join a ranger tomorrow morning for a hike through Hobart Prairie Grove—an incredibly unique piece of Indiana Dunes National Park clustered around the clay banks of Deep River.
Hobart Prairie Grove protects tallgrass savanna, a special kind of woods on fertile soil where prairie grasses and wildflowers grow under oaks. Of particular importance is a portion of burr oak (Quercus macrocarpa) savanna, a natural area that is considered critically imperiled globally. This differs from most of the park's savannas that are dominated by black oaks (Quercus velutina) on sandy soil.
This time of year, blooms of Joe-Pye weed, tall bellflower, and woodland sunflower sway with the breeze in the speckled sunlight beneath the oaks. To join us for the hike, meet at 8:00 AM at Robinson Lake Park at 5227 South Liverpool Road, Hobart, IN 46342.
Image credit: Photos by Joe Gruzalski
Image 1 Alt text: Group of trees with sunlit, herbaceous vegetation beneath.
Image 2 Alt text: Blue, star-shaped flowers of tall bellflower (Campanula americana).
Image 3 Alt text: Prairie grasses and flowers in an open, sunny area next to the edge of a woodland with tall green trees; all beneath a blue sky with white clouds.
Image 4 Alt text: Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium sp.) blooming in foreground; light pink flowers at the top of a tall stalk with bright green leaves.
Indiana Prairie Cemeteries
In Indiana, prairies made up about 15 percent of the area, primarily in northwest and west-central portions of the state
NATURAL COMMUNITIES IN INDIANA: Our next natural community type this week is prairies! In the early- to mid-1800’s when settlers moved into western and northwestern Indiana following the removal of Native Americans, they encountered thousands of square miles of rolling prairie. Natural disturbance forces like fire, drought, and grazing from bison favored species like prairie dock, big and little bluestem grass, rattlesnake master, and many other hardy plants with deep roots. Some of the last remaining prairie remnants are areas never turned over by a plow: along old railroad tracks like at Spinn Prairie Nature Preserve and pioneer cemeteries like Smith Cemetery Nature Preserve.
Top photo: Hoosier prairie. Bottom left photo: Blazing Star in an unprotected railroad prairie. Bottom center photo: Culver's root. Bottom right photo: Michigan lily in an unprotected railroad prairie
A lively discussion of the Rogersville Cemetery Prairie Nature Preserve in Henry County discussion July 31, 2024 on Indiana Cemeteries on Facebook with pro and con comments some from descendants of families buried in Cemetery Nature Preserves.
German Methodist Cemetery Prairie in Lake County is one of the best black soil prairie remnants in Indiana with over 200 species of native plants. A Nature Conservancy preserve.
Illinois Prairie Cemeteries. The prairies covered 61 per cent or 21.6 million acres of land in what is present day Illinois. All but nine of the present counties contained some portion of prairie. Illinois land, however, was not all grassland. TALLGRASS PRAIRIE 2014 Eco-Meet
Illinois once had 22 million acres of tall-grass prairie. Today, only 2,300 acres remain. Some of the most pristine examples have been preserved in an unlikely place — small pioneer cemeteries often hidden amid forgotten fields across the Prairie State: http://trib.in/2wsJ2if
Celebrating National Prairie Day – Darby Plains preserves
What better way to celebrate National Prairie Day than by spotlighting two central Ohio preserves that may be small in size but loom large in wildflower beauty!
Bigelow Cemetery and Smith Cemetery state nature preserves protect natural and cultural history. Not only as final resting places for early Ohio pioneers, but as remnants of the rich prairie habitat that once covered a portion of west central Ohio.
Both preserves are a joy to wander through, whether you’re interested in the array of summer wildflowers (mid- to late July is the best time to visit) or are fascinated by the family history captured on the headstones they left behind.
A special shout-out to Bigelow because it harbors Ohio’s largest population for the state-threatened royal catchfly (Silene regia). This stunning scarlet flower is a favorite of the red-throated hummingbird. Its flowers bloom in late July- plenty of time to plan an excursion to these prairie preserves.
Fun fact: Did you know that 1 acre of prairie can absorb up to 1 ton of carbon from the atmosphere? Prairies are rich ecosystems, vital for water quality, soil health, drought protection, pollinators, and natural beauty.
The Dixon National Tallgrass Prairie Seed Bank May 30, 2024 Indiana Native Plant Society on YouTube
The origins of Dixon National Tallgrass Prairie Seed Bank were as a contributing partner with the international Millennium Seed Bank Project in the UK. After their contributions to MSBP, DNTPSB changed its priorities slightly and grew into a major repository of native plant seeds for the Mid West. Join Seed Bank Manager, David Sollenberger, for the story of the DNTPSB - past, present and future. David’s bio: https://trello.com/c/0P2yixmQ Correction note from David Sollenberger: "The slide discussing using RNA Integrity number (RIN) to measure seed longevity should read RIN number decreases with RNA degradation, not increases."
Seed Bank Millions of seeds sit frozen in a vault at the Chicago Botanic Garden, waiting to prevent an extinction, support habitat restoration efforts, or contribute to scientific research.
A "prairie grove" is an island of trees within a sea of prairie; a term and scene that was once much more common in the region. Join a ranger tomorrow morning for a hike through Hobart Prairie Grove—an incredibly unique piece of Indiana Dunes National Park clustered around the clay banks of Deep River.