Take a Chance to Explore Your Community Outdoors in Battle Ground, Indiana

Prophetstown State Park, located in Battle Ground, Indiana, is a perfect place for an outing with the family. Make it a day trip or spend a few days there, complete with camping, and you have one heck of a park to break out your outdoorsy side!

Prophetstown State Park was dedicated in August 2004. It is named for a Native American village that was established in 1808 by Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa (The Prophet) who were both Shawnee. They moved here from Ohio when the white settlers were pressuring them to move out of that area. Tecumseh was enraged by the white settlers' advancements into the west, and called together 14 tribes to meet at Prophetstown. Many set aside century old disputes to band together in an effort to hold their ground against the settlers. At the time the Indiana Territory governor was William Henry Harrison. Once he found out about this situation, he sent 1200 troops to the site. In early morning of November 7, 1811, The Prophet started a battle with the troops. The battle lasted over two hours. Eventually the tribes were pushed back, fleeing to Wildcat Creek. Harrison's men burned Prophetstown to the ground.

Situated inside the state park is Historic Prophetstown. Their mission is to enhance public awareness of the history of the Wabash River Valley of Indiana. The three parts of Historic Prophetstown are the prairie, the Native American Settlement, and the 1920s Farmstead. The prairie is 112 acres of environmental beauty, complete with grasses, native wildflowers, wetlands, and timber - all of which existed 500 years ago. The Native American Settlement is a re-creation of the original settlement built by Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa. There are replicas of the Council House, the Medicine Lodge and the Chief's Cabin. The 1920s Farmstead has a replica of a farmhouse, a barn, corn crib, chicken coop, hog house, Model T garage, Model A garage, machine shed, milk house, and tenant house. The farm has numerous animals, including: Belgian mares, Berkshire pigs, Romney sheep, Milking Short-Horn cattle, a rooster, and a variety of hens. The farm runs like it would have back in the 1920s. All plowing, planting, and harvesting is done as it would have been back then, using the horses. Feed is ground by hand.

Admission to Historic Prophetstown is $3.00 per child under the age of 12 and $5 per adult. Summer hours run from April 1st to November 11th, and they are 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. Winter hours run from November 12th to March 31st, and they are 1:00 to 4:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday.

The park also includes hiking trails, biking trail, shelters for picnics or parties, and camping. The gate fee for Indiana vehicles is $4 Monday through Thursday and $5 Friday though Sunday. For non-Indiana vehicles, the daily gate fee is $7. Anyone who comes into the park on bike, foot, or horseback is $2 daily. To bring a horse into the park, it is $5 per day.

To have a membership to the park, the annual fee is $36 for Indiana residents and $46 for non residents. Indiana residents who are over the age of 65 may get an annual Golden Hoosier Passport for $18. Indiana residents who are former POW's and their surviving spouses may visit the park for free.

Camping prices can range anywhere from $6 to $38 depending on the day and what type of camping you prefer. Swimming is $2 per person daily, although you may purchase a swimming permit good for 25 daily pool admissions for $35. Beaches are free to swim at, and lockers are $0.25 where available.

The directions to Prophetstown State Park are as follows:

Take I-65 to exit number 178 which is SR 43. Go south on SR 43 for a very short distance and then turn left onto Burnett Rd. Burnett Road will "T" into 9th St. Go right on 9th St. to Swisher Road which will be a hard left immediately after the Veterinary Office. Once on Swisher Road you will cross back under the Interstate and find the Park Gatehouse directly ahead.

For more information, call (765) 567-4700.