by Joan H. Young

Created on: November 27, 2010   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

There is no location in Indiana which is exactly a National Park. Yet, National Parks can also be defined as areas which are managed by the National Park Service. With this definition, Indiana becomes home to three major sites with such a designation.

The northernmost is the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, on Lake Michigan, at Porter, Indiana. Indiana Dunes is a highly popular summer destination, as it is located along the travel corridor from Chicago to South Bend. Users can enjoy sunbathing, swimming, picnicking, hiking and biking trails, and camping. Some trails are accessible, and others are open for cross-country skiing in the winter.    

At Vincennes, Indiana, one can visit the George Rogers Clark National Historic Park. Very few people are familiar with the western theatre of the Revolutionary War, yet Clark was one of the greatest heroes. It was here that the British surrendered the battle in the west, thus gaining for the emerging nation most of what is now the Midwestern United States. An impressive circular memorial, with interior murals, tells the story of the victory. Vincennes is in southwest Indiana.

Slightly farther south and east is the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. This area includes Lincoln’s home from the time he was seven years old until he reached manhood. This site includes a memorial with sculpted murals, a visitor center where one can view an interpretive film, a “living historical farm,” and a pioneer cemetery with Nancy Hanks’ (Lincoln’s mother’s) grave. There is a trail system connecting the various elements of the memorial site.

In addition to these three sites, there are 36 additional National Historic Landmarks (NHLs). These sites are also administered by the National Park Service. Eight of these are National Historic Landmark Districts, which means that they cover a broader area, rather than just one building.

For antique car lovers, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum is highly recommended. Here you will see many vehicles with names no longer familiar on the roads today.

The Tippecanoe Battlefield is the site of victory by William Henry Harrison over the forces of Tecumseh, which led to the presidential slogan of “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too” (his vice-presidential running mate). The site features a memorial and a museum. One can also access the 13-mile Wabash Heritage hiking trail from this location.

The Wallace Circus Winter Headquarters, in Peru, Indiana, was the winter home of several large circuses, and is now the site of the Circus Hall of Fame.

The capital area, around Indianapolis, has eight NHLs, which makes it possible for visitors to easily see several sites without traveling great distances. Bartholomew County (Columbus, Indiana) has six NHLs and Jefferson County (Madison, Indiana) has four.

While Indiana can not boast of a huge protected natural area designated as a national park, there are obviously a number of nationally significant sites to visit, which are managed by the National Park Service.

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