Indiana State Parks to benefit from $50M Lilly Endowment grant
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Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. is awarding a $50 million grant to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to support a variety of enhancements at several Indiana State Parks.
The grant was announced Wednesday at Prophetstown State Park in West Lafayette, which will receive $25 million to make several improvements, including campground and trail development.
Indiana DNR Director Dan Bortner called the funding a “significant milestone” in Indiana State Parks history, adding it will help the department “protect that cherished, shared heritage.”
Prophetstown State Park is Indiana’s newest state park and celebrated its 20th anniversary in August. It is part of the Myaamia (Miami) homelands and was also used by other Indigenous people for thousands of years, the DNR said.
The park will receive $15 million for the addition of more than 120 full-service campsites, doubling the size of its existing campground that the DNR said is in high demand.
Another $8 million is being dedicated to the Prophetstown Heritage area that will feature facilities including a visitors center, outdoor exhibits, and a recreated Native American village.
The facilities are being developed in consultation with federally recognized tribes to “support the inclusion of Native American history and ways of life associated with the site, along with interpretation of the park’s natural resources,” the DNR said.
“We are happy to see this investment in Indiana’s state parks,” Scott Brewer, chair of the Native American Indian Affairs Commission and a member of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, said in a news release. “We particularly appreciate and look forward to strengthening the connections that help Hoosiers understand and appreciate Native American ties to the land at what is now Prophetstown State Park.”
The park will also receive $1 million for trail development and another $1 million for upgrades to its pool and other water features.
The DNR said the remaining $25 million will go toward enhancement projects across the state parks system, including:
- Campground improvements, $10 million – More campsites will be upgraded to be full-service, with electricity, water, and sewer connections to better serve today’s campers.
- Playground replacements, $11 million – Playgrounds across Indiana State Parks will be renovated and repaired to address aging equipment and improve accessibility.
- Historic structure repairs, $3 million – Historic stone and log structures, retaining walls, and stone staircases that were built in the 1930s will receive masonry repairs and accessibility improvements.
- Motorized wheelchairs, $1 million – Motorized wheelchairs will enable individuals to access trails that might otherwise be inaccessible. Several state parks have these chairs, and some need to be replaced or repaired. Funding will place more motorized chairs across state parks.
“Indiana’s state parks are enjoyed by millions of people each year, and the parks offer affordable recreational and educational opportunities for Hoosiers as well as thousands of visitors who come to Indiana to experience an impressive array of state parks,” Lilly Endowment Vice President for Community Development Ronni Kloth said. “We at Lilly Endowment are pleased to provide this funding to the Department of Natural Resources to help further develop and better tell the history of Prophetstown and enhance parks throughout the state for the use and enjoyment of current and future generations.”
The DNR said it is providing $10 million in matching funds that will be invested in the state parks system’s continued deferred maintenance costs.
“We are honored to accept this gift from the Lilly Endowment,” said Terry Coleman, director of the Division of State Parks. “These funds will greatly enhance the facilities and services at our Indiana State Parks, along with the interpretation of the natural and cultural resources we conserve and manage. The result will be memorable experiences for all who visit in the future.”