The Park that Almost Wasn’ t
~ by Henry Swain reprinted from July, 1998
Brown County State Park is often called the“ Jewel” of the state park system. It is the largest, most profitable, and most visited, attendance often exceeding some of our National Parks.
Richard Lieber, father of the Indiana state park system, was not originally warm to the idea of a park in Brown County. An ardent conservationist, he had purchased a cabin on Jackson Branch Road. In his dealings with a local firewood merchant he felt that he had been cheated by the native and thereafter felt suspicious of the local citizenry.
After World War I, a State Conservation Commission was formed and Lieber was appointed director of the five-man commission. Aware of this new commission, local citizen Lee Bright wrote Mr. Lieber suggesting the rugged hills of Brown County would be ideal for a state park. Lee wrote a second letter. Neither letter was ever acknowledged.
Knowing Frank Hohenberger to be a friend of Mr. Lieber, Lee asked Frank to propose the park idea to him. Frank’ s letter was also ignored. Frank
suggested that Lee go to see Mr. Lieber personally and explain his proposal for a park. Lee made three trips attempting to see Mr. Lieber but could never get past his secretary.
Downhearted, on his way out, Lee stopped by the desk of head game warden, Fred Ahlers who asked,“ What can I do for you?”
“ Nothing.” said Lee, explaining his fruitless mission. Fred Ahlers was sympathetic toward Lee’ s proposal, having hunted in Brown County, he was familiar with the area. Knowing that funds had just been appropriated for purchase of land for game preserves, Fred took him to George Mannfield, the first Superintendent of the Division of Fisheries and Game.
After hearing Lee’ s proposal, Mannfield bypassed the secretary and took Lee directly to Lieber. Both men were able to persuade Lieber that Brown County would be ideal for a game preserve. In 1923 the establishment of a fish and game preserve in Brown County was authorized along with the funding for the purchase of 16,000 acres. Lee was later appointed agent to purchase the land for the state. The first recorded purchase was in 1924 when 50 acres was purchased for $ 600.
The county was extremely poor at that time and many were easily persuaded to sell for the big money of $ 10 an acre. Some people were able to purchase better land with the money they received.
Not all were willing to sell. Lee was a very persuasive salesman in his park dream, for there were only two condemnations, both out-of-county land owners. A few were looked on as traitors for selling to the state and hard feeling remained for awhile between neighbors and families over the matter. Some of those same feelings of resentment were held against Lee.
A few months later he met one of those reluctant citizens that he had finally persuaded to sell, on the street in Columbus. Upon seeing Lee the man started running toward him. Suspecting that the man was about to take his resentment out on him, Lee dropped his briefcase and held his arms in front of him in defensive position.
62 Our Brown County • July / August 2014