National Register of Historic Places

Turkey Run State Park

Marshall, Parke County, Indiana
Listed
March 14, 2019
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
100003505

About this property

Turkey Run State Park, Indiana's second state park, is in Parke County in the west-central part of the state along State Road 47, 2 miles (3.2 km) east of U.S. 41. The first parcel of land was purchased for $40,200 in 1916, when Indiana's state park system was established during the state's centennial anniversary of its statehood. The origin of the name "Turkey Run" is unknown, but the most accepted theory is that wild turkeys would congregate for warmth in the gorges (or "runs"), where early settlers could easily trap and hunt them. The Lusk Home and Mill Site and the Richard Lieber Log Cabin within the park's grounds were included as individual sites on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and 2001, respectively. The park itself was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. Turkey Run also includes a system of trails, Rocky Hollow Falls Canyon Nature Preserve, a suspension bridge across Sugar Creek, camping sites, and other recreational areas. The Turkey Run Inn was built in 1919. Several guest cabins near the inn date from the 1930s and 1940s. The park draws some 700,000 visitors annually. The park is 1 of 14 Indiana State Parks that were in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse, with the park experiencing 43 seconds of totality.

Location

Marshall, Parke County, Indiana

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONARCHITECTURE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Turkey Run State Park

This page lists Turkey Run State Park. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Turkey Run State Park report
Or see a real report first

Questions about this property

When was Turkey Run State Park listed on the National Register?

Turkey Run State Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 14, 2019.

What type of historic resource is Turkey Run State Park?

Turkey Run State Park is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Turkey Run State Park?

The period of significance for Turkey Run State Park is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Turkey Run State Park?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Turkey Run State Park will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Parke County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Parke County.

Explore ParkeCounty ›

More historic places in Indiana

Browse all historic places in Indiana.

View Indianahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Indiana history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Indianahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Turkey Run State Park will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report