Mississinewa Lake: The Conservation Mindset

Mississinewa Lake is one of three reservoirs near Peru, Indiana, that are part of the Upper Wabash Valley. Like neighboring Salamonie and Roush Lakes, Mississinewa was created in the 1960s to prevent Peru from flooding. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created and still manages the dam on the northwest side of the lake. Most of the lake's activities take place at Miami State Recreation Area or Frances Slocum SRA. Mississinewa Lake has a deep Native American history, which I was thankful I could explore. The park is also well-loved today because of its water activities and camping options.

IN the Podcast Episode

I learned about the park’s extensive Native American history, including the story of Frances Slocum, a white woman who was kidnapped as a child and raised by the Miami. I discovered the difference between conservation and preservation and how those concepts are displayed differently in our parks and recreation areas. I also learned a lot about the volunteers, the fireworks display, and the unique camping options at Mississinewa Lake.

Park Features

The reservoir property has so many places to fish and boat. Mississinewa Lake is home to the biggest state park beach, aside from Indiana Dunes. There are great views of the water from the expansive grass lawn. Due to its size, the beach is active without feeling crowded. There’s a frisbee golf course and trails to hike. The park has an extensive paved bike path that extends beyond the park’s property line. I rode through the park and was totally immersed in nature with trees and wildflowers all around me. What's also great is that the bike path weaves through the campground, which was absolutely fantastic.

The park also has cabins that overlook Bostwick Pond, and Mississinewa’s campground stands out for several reasons. They have the third-largest campground in the state with over 472 campsites, 400 of which are electric. They also have over 100 full hookup sites, some of those in their seasonal campground where sites are rented for six months. Jordan Epp, the park’s property manager, explained how the seasonal campground works. He said, “Every year, it's a lottery drawing, so everything's randomly picked. If you camped here last year, you're not promised a spot for this year. It's 100% fair to anybody that wants to use this campsite, but you have to rent it for six months.” Last year, there were 120 applicants for the sites. Pay attention to when the lottery application opens. 

Conservation vs. Preservation

I learned about the difference between conservation and preservation from Jordan. As the reservoir’s property manager, he takes pride in the amazing park. He said, “I'm a conservation-based minded person… I've been attracted to Indiana as a whole because in our mission statement, it says ‘conservation.’ And that's very important to me.” I had Jordan explain what he meant and how it applies to parks. He said, “Conservation-minded is the resources [are] there to be used, but managed in a way that it can maintain.” What does that actually look like in Indiana? Jordan gave an example of raccoons. If there's a lot of food at a park, raccoons can overpopulate, and any sickness would spread easily. A preservation mindset might let nature slowly take its course. Sick raccoons would die off, and their population would eventually drop, and then rebuild. But it might take a long time.

On the other hand, a conservation mindset would provide regular raccoon hunting and trapping in order to maintain population levels and hopefully minimize or tighten that natural cycle. Jordan said parks and reservoirs have different purposes, but both are important. Reservoir properties have a conservation mindset as they utilize hunting, fishing, and trapping, as well as habitat development. The distinction between these philosophies explains why there are different types of state and national properties working with nature.

Frances Slocum & the Miami Nation

Long before there was a reservoir here, this land told another story. Teresa Rody is the park’s interpretive naturalist, and she shared about a woman of particular interest who lived in the area. Her name was Frances Slocum. In Pennsylvania in 1778, five-year-old Frances was kidnapped by several Native Americans. She was adopted by a Delaware couple, and later became known as McConaquah, or Little Bear. The Delaware people eventually settled near Fort Wayne and McConaquah grew up as part of the community. Around 1794, she married a Miami chief named Shepoconah and had four children. 

Frances and her husband later moved to the area where Mississinewa Lake is. Because of the dam, their home is now covered by water. Thankfully, her grave was moved, and you can still visit it today. The best places to view where Deaf Man's Village would have been are from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ overlook. It was so pretty and peaceful there, I could have sat there looking out over the water for a long time, imagining where Frances’ cabin once was. 

Years later, in 1812, the Battle of Mississinewa was fought near the edge of the property. Many native villages were destroyed as conflicts between natives and settlers arose. Then, President Andrew Jackson passed the 1830 Indian Removal Act, which forced Native Americans to be moved to reserved land even further west. Teresa told me, “Mississinewa Lake is really the heart of the home of the Miami people. The last big reserve was here.” The Indiana Removal Act relocated the Miami to areas out west where they'd never even been. She said, “The forced removal occurred right here at Peru.” Native Americans were loaded onto boats at gunpoint and taken away. 

Some families were given exemptions to stay, like Frances Slocum’s. In 1835, when Francis was around 65 years old, she told a visiting trader that she was actually a white woman. She didn't speak English, but she remembered her last name and that her family had been Quakers on the Susquehanna River. Amazingly, Frances' siblings were still searching for her. They wanted Frances to return to Pennsylvania, but she wanted to stay with her family and her people. Ultimately, Frances, her family, and several other Miami families were able to stay in the area. You can even visit the Wabash County Historical Museum to see a shawl she and her family made, along with other intricate ribbonwork the Miami were known for creating.

Teresa also made sure to note that the Miami nation is still in Indiana today. She said, “There are lots of Miami folks all across the state and definitely in this community right around here. Their traditions and communities and family activities just continue to go on.” I encourage everyone to learn from the Miami nation and discover the rich history of the people who lived here long before white settlers discovered the land. 

Planning Your Visit

If you want to see the biggest firework in Indiana, be sure to visit Mississinewa Lake on the 4th of July. They shoot off the largest one in the state! Thousands of people watch the show, put on by the park’s Friends group. Summer really is the best time to visit if you want to spend time on the water. Hunting seasons will also provide activities throughout the year. The beautiful campground seems ideal for spring and fall. If you’re interested in Native American history, be on the lookout for programs the park offers about the Miami nation.

Come discover this beautiful property for yourself. See how the conservation work at Mississinewa Lake has kept it thriving and keeps people coming back every year. Go make some of your own memories, and I hope to see you in the parks!