Versailles State Park

Versailles State Park
Versailles State Park
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Location	Indiana, United States
Nearest city	Versailles, Indiana
Coordinates	39°04′48″N 85°13′48″W / 39.08000°N 85.23000°WCoordinates: 39°04′48″N 85°13′48″W / 39.08000°N 85.23000°W
Area	5,988 acres (24 km2)
Established	1943
Governing body	Indiana DNR

Versailles State Park (pronounced locally as ver-SAYLES) is an Indiana state park, near the town of Versailles, Indiana, USA. The land was given by the National Park Service for use as a state park to Indiana's Department of Conservation in 1943.^[1]

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.

Busching Covered Bridge

It is a recreation area, with fishing and boating on Versailles Lake and Laughery Creek. A covered bridge, the , 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.^[2]

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.

Notes[]

^ http://www.in.gov/dnr/3245.htm Official (Indiana) DNR Historical Timeline
^ Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. IN-33, "Busching Covered Bridge, Spanning Laughery Creek at Covered Bridge Road, Versailles, Ripley County, IN"

References[]

Conn, Earl L. (2006). My Indiana:101 Places to See. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society Press. pp. 168–9.

External links[]

Indiana Department of Natural Resources' official web page

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[1] ttp://www.in.gov/dnr/3245.htm Official (Indiana) DNR Historical Timeline

[2] Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. IN-33, "Busching Covered Bridge, Spanning Laughery Creek at Covered Bridge Road, Versailles, Ripley County, IN"

[1]

[2]

show v t Protected areas of Indiana
National Park Service	George Rogers Clark National Historical Park Indiana Dunes National Park Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
National Forest	Hoosier
National Wildlife Refuges	Big Oaks Muscatatuck Patoka River
National Natural Landmarks	Cowles Bog Hanging Rock and Wabash Reef Harrison Spring Marengo Cave Ohio Coral Reef Orangeville Rise Pinhook Bog Portland Arch Nature Preserve Rocky Hollow Falls Canyon Nature Preserve Wesley Chapel Gulf Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve
State Parks	Brown County Chain O'Lakes Charlestown Clifty Falls Falls of the Ohio Fort Harrison Harmonie Indiana Dunes Lincoln McCormick's Creek Mounds O'Bannon Woods Ouabache Pokagon Potato Creek Prophetstown Shades Shakamak Spring Mill Summit Lake Tippecanoe River Turkey Run Versailles White River Whitewater Memorial
State Forests and Recreation Areas	Clark Deam Lake Ferdinand Greene–Sullivan Harrison–Crawford Jackson–Washington Martin Morgan–Monroe Owen–Putnam Pike Salamonie River Selmier Starve Hollow Yellowwood
Category Indianapolis Indiana Department of Natural Resources Commons