Park staff members were excited to see so many visitors enjoying the outdoors this past Memorial Day weekend. And park interpreters were there to greet them.

With a lot of planning and creativity, park interpreters maintained safe environments while still engaging with visitors and sharing the park’s stories.

Visitors can expect to see interpreters “on the move” in and around the nature centers, at historic sites, out on the trail, and other places.

All nature centers are staffed and open. Visitors are welcome to come inside to learn about the respective park’s natural and cultural stories. Most will have occupancy limits to achieve social distancing. If you have to wait your turn, we appreciate your patience.

Park interpreters will be offering in-person programs such as talks, hikes, and more in the upcoming weeks. You can find program details on the DNR Calendar at calendar.dnr.IN.gov

Whether you visit us indoors or out, we hope you find one of the park interpreters. They are happy to see you and happy to share the park with you.

Patrick “Paddy” McCune, is the full-time security officer at Salamonie Lake. He started his career in early 2016 as the intermittent security officer and was promoted to full-time later that year.

His daily routine includes providing outstanding customer service to all guests including campers, hikers, anglers, and hunters. He is also responsible for the safety and security of guests, employees, and wildlife at Salamonie Lake.

Paddy’s personal hobbies include hunting, fishing, camping, soccer, bike riding, volunteering, photography, and customizing motorcycles. Asked what his favorite experience in the park was he replied, “Too many, honestly. I truly love my job, and offering my knowledge and experience with those who visit. How many of us get to say we love going to work? So many smiles and great guests sharing their experiences with me—that is probably my favorite thing.”

While Clark lived in Indiana, he held indentured servants named Ben and Venus McGee. Ben and Venus and their children lived in a small 12 by 14 foot cabin with a dirt floor in an African American settlement called Guinea Bottoms. Although the Northwest Ordinance prohibited slavery, some of Indiana’s early settlers brought enslaved people with them from the South. In 1800, Indiana became a territory, and the Northwest Ordinance no longer applied. Governor William Henry Harrison and the first General Assembly passed an act allowing the enslaved to be brought into the territory and held as indentured servants for long periods, often beyond a person’s life expectancy. The exact number of enslaved in Indiana is unknown, in part because of efforts to disguise the existence of slavery, but the 1810 census listed 237 slaves and 393 free Black persons.

On December 10, 1802, William Clark, George Rogers’ brother, freed Ben McGee in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The following day, Ben was indentured to William for 30 years. In return, McGee was promised $1, a mule, and a small plot of land when his indenture expired. He, his wife, and their children were taken to George Rogers Clark's land in the Indiana Territory. Here they lived in Guinea Bottoms, located near the Clark Cabin site at Falls of the Ohio State Park. Despite being forbidden, enslavement persisted after Indiana achieved statehood in 1816. The 1820 census shows nearly 200 enslaved people. It wasn’t until after the Civil War and the passing of the 13th Amendment in 1865 that slavery was abolished throughout the United States.

Clifty Falls has many great campground hosts, including Rick and Rebecca Worley (left). Rick and Rebecca have served as campground hosts for two years at Clifty Falls State Park. They greet campers, help answer questions, pick up trash, and clean out fire rings. They also assist our Nature Center staff by greeting guests, making sugar water for our hummingbird feeders, cleaning, and much more. They volunteered over 200 hours last year during 2 1/2 months of hosting. Thank you Rick and Rebecca for all of your hard work! 

Our campground hosts are vital members of our recreation season team. They are all appreciated! Duties and timeframes vary by property. Campground hosts receive free camping in exchange for at least 20 hours of volunteer service each week. To learn more about the campground host program visit: https://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2404.htm