Versailles State Park (pronounced locally as ver-SAYLES) is an Indiana state park, near the town of Versailles, Indiana in Ripley County. The land was given by the National Park Service for use as a state park to Indiana's Department of Conservation in 1943.[2] The park draws about 225,000 visitors annually.[1]
Near the park's entrance is a statue commemorating the work done by the CCC to improve the land. Efforts to build the statue were led by two local women, Ruth Swinney and her daughter Lisa Ebinger, as well as the Ripley County Historical Society. Two grants--one from the Rising Sun Regional Foundation and another from the Ripley County Community Foundation--provided the funds necessary to construct the statue. The statue was dedicated on May 21, 2010. Similar statues exist across the United States, but the only other such statue in Indiana is located in Ouabache State Park in Wells County.[3]
Busching Covered Bridge
It is a recreation area, with fishing and boating on Versailles Lake and Laughery Creek. A covered bridge, the Busching Bridge, crosses the creek. This Howe truss bridge was constructed in 1885, is 176 feet (54 m) long, and although within the state park, Ripley County owns it. The bridge was documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in 1973.[4]
A group camp, originally constructed by the CCC, is available for use as well. Swimming is not allowed in Versailles Lake, but a 25-meter pool is available.
The park is 1 of 14 Indiana State Parks that are in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse, with the park experiencing 1 minute and 55 seconds of totality.[5]
Notesedit
^ ab"2018 / 2019 Estimated Fiscal Year Visits for Indiana State Parks ~ Alphabetical" (PDF). Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
^"CCC Statue List". Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
^Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. IN-33, "Busching Covered Bridge, Spanning Laughery Creek at Covered Bridge Road, Versailles, Ripley County, IN"
^R, Mike (July 14, 2021). "Indiana 2024 Eclipse State Park Resources". CosmosPNW. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
versailles, state, park, pronounced, locally, sayles, indiana, state, park, near, town, versailles, indiana, ripley, county, land, given, national, park, service, state, park, indiana, department, conservation, 1943, park, draws, about, visitors, annually, iuc. Versailles State Park pronounced locally as ver SAYLES is an Indiana state park near the town of Versailles Indiana in Ripley County The land was given by the National Park Service for use as a state park to Indiana s Department of Conservation in 1943 2 The park draws about 225 000 visitors annually 1 Versailles State ParkIUCN category V protected landscape seascape LocationIndiana United StatesNearest cityVersailles IndianaCoordinates39 05 N 85 14 W 39 08 N 85 23 W 39 08 85 23Area5 988 acres 24 km2 Established1943Visitors224 526 in 2018 2019 1 Governing bodyIndiana Department of Natural ResourcesOfficial website In the early 20th century the area was farmland In the 1930s the National Park Service acquired the land and hired the Civilian Conservation Corps CCC to improve the land into a Recreational Demonstration Area The 230 acre 0 93 km2 Versailles Lake was formed in 1954 when a dam was built across Laughery Creek Near the park s entrance is a statue commemorating the work done by the CCC to improve the land Efforts to build the statue were led by two local women Ruth Swinney and her daughter Lisa Ebinger as well as the Ripley County Historical Society Two grants one from the Rising Sun Regional Foundation and another from the Ripley County Community Foundation provided the funds necessary to construct the statue The statue was dedicated on May 21 2010 Similar statues exist across the United States but the only other such statue in Indiana is located in Ouabache State Park in Wells County 3 Busching Covered BridgeIt is a recreation area with fishing and boating on Versailles Lake and Laughery Creek A covered bridge the Busching Bridge crosses the creek This Howe truss bridge was constructed in 1885 is 176 feet 54 m long and although within the state park Ripley County owns it The bridge was documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in 1973 4 A group camp originally constructed by the CCC is available for use as well Swimming is not allowed in Versailles Lake but a 25 meter pool is available The park is 1 of 14 Indiana State Parks that are in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse with the park experiencing 1 minute and 55 seconds of totality 5 Notes edit a b 2018 2019 Estimated Fiscal Year Visits for Indiana State Parks Alphabetical PDF Indiana Department of Natural Resources Retrieved November 2 2021 http www in gov dnr 3245 htm Official Indiana DNR Historical Timeline CCC Statue List Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy Retrieved January 20 2022 Historic American Engineering Record HAER No IN 33 Busching Covered Bridge Spanning Laughery Creek at Covered Bridge Road Versailles Ripley County IN R Mike July 14 2021 Indiana 2024 Eclipse State Park Resources CosmosPNW Retrieved October 3 2022 References editConn Earl L 2006 My Indiana 101 Places to See Indianapolis Indiana Historical Society Press pp 168 9 ISBN 978 0 87195 195 3 External links editOfficial website nbsp nbsp This Ripley County Indiana location article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This article related to a protected area in Indiana is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Versailles State Park amp oldid 1177428574, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
