CHAIN O LAKES TRAIL POKAGON - KEKIONGA TRAILS NOTICE Nov. 2007 Send to: This form must be filed with the Trail Committee Pokagon - Kekionga Trails Inc. at least five (5) days in advance of hike. P.O. Box 192 or call (260) 833-1550 www.awac.org Angola, IN 46703 Phone: (260) 833-1550 or (260) 475-1066 The following scout group under the proper adult leadership will be hiking the Chain O Lakes Trail. UNIT NUMBER Date of hike We will will not camp Estimated time of arrival Estimated departure time Leader s Name Age Phone Address: City, State, Zip In consideration of the benefits to be derived, and in view of the fact that the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA is an educational institution, membership in which is voluntary, and having full confidence that every precaution will be taken to insure the safety and well being of this unit on this activity, I hereby agree to our participation and waiver all claim against the Pokagon-Kekionga Trail Committee Officers, Agents, Property Owners and Representatives of the Boy Scouts of America. TROOP 125 ANGOLA SERVICE PROJECT OF POKAGON-KEKIONGA TRAILS COMMITTEE, INC. TROOP 303 FT. WAYNE
For Hikers who hike the trail for the second, third, fourth and more times, there are repeat pins available. Please state the number of times you have hiked the trail. Those who canoe the trail are entitled to wear the Chain-O-Lakes Canoe Trail Patch pictured on the front of this folder. You are also entitled to wear the trail medal. There is no trail fee. Trail awards are purchased on a voluntary basis and their costs are shown on the enclosed awards application form. TRAIL NAME MILES * Chief Little Turtle 10 Ouabache Trek 2 3/4 Pokagon Trek 3 1/2 Salamonie Trail 10 Chain-O-Lakes Trail 10 Foster Park Trail 6 1/2 SCOUT CAMP TRAILS: * * Pit Lake Trek 5 * Deer Hollow Trek 5 * Mastodon Trek 5 Franke Park Trek 1 1/2 Ouabache Trail 10 Pokagon 8 Kekionga Trail 10 Mississinewa Trail 10 Johnny Appleseed Trail 8 Chain-O-Lakes Canoe 6 Kil-so-Qua Trail 10 Bixler Lake Trek 3.1 POKAGON - KEKIONGA TRAILS, INC. P.O. BOX 192 ANGOLA, IN 46703 (260) 833-1550 (260) 475-1066 www. awac.org -1- -6- ABOUT THE TRAIL This trail was developed so that you may become acquainted with the history and the territory of Noble County and Chain-O-Lakes Park. For the troop that wants to hike, camp, fish, canoe, or just have a day on a very interesting canoe or hike trail, this is the park you are looking for. CHURCHES The closest churches are located in Albion and Churubusco. FOOD Food may be purchased in Albion and Churubusco. CONDUCT All park rules and regulations will be followed at all times, a Scout-like conduct is expected by the property manager. CANOE TRAIL This is a very good canoe trail for units that don t canoe a lot. It is good for beginners. It is also used by units getting ready for Canoe Base as a training trip. START OF HIKING TRAIL For the units camping overnight, the trail will start at the Youth Group Tent Campsite. For all others, it starts at the parking lot near Sand Lake or near the swimming area. The trail ends at the same point as the beginning. The trail is 10 MILES LONG AND IS MARKED ONLY BY THE PARK TRAIL MARKERS, (Trail 1, 2, 3, etc.). STAY ON MARKED TRAILS. Scouts should use the enclosed map. START OF CANOE TRAIL The Canoe trail starts and ends near the park office at the canoe rental; at Sand Lake. The canoe trail is 6 miles going through Sand, Weber, Mud, Rivir and Miller Lakes. The waterway is not marked, therefore you
will need to follow the enclosed map. TOUR PERMITS A tour permit must be obtained from your local council office for all scout groups. Units traveling a distance of 250 miles or less should have a local permit, Form 4426. Units traveling over 250 miles require a national Tour Permit Form 4419. These are not intended as red-tape, but as a check list and a safeguard for your group away from home. CAMPING Units that want to camp overnight in the youth group campgrounds should write: PROPERTY MANAGER 2355 E. 75 S CHAIN-O-LAKES STATE PARK ALBION, IN 46701 (260) 636-2654 There is an entrance fee. HIKE TRAIL REQUIREMENTS 1. This trail may be hiked or canoed by youth groups. 2. Axes and sheath knives ARE NOT permitted on the trail. 3. Each hiker must hike the trail as a member of a unit having at least one adult (21 or older) for every 10 hikers and all members of the unit must hike together. 4. NO FIRES ARE PERMITTED ON THE TRAIL. NO SMOKING IN THE WOODED AREAS. 5. Remember, this is a state park; treat it with respect. Do not disturb people picnicking or camping. 6. Remember, Leaders, you scouts should leave only footprints in the park and take only memories from it. Sometime between 1812 and 1821, a portion of what are now Sparta and Washington Townships of Noble County, was an Indian reservation. At Indian Village there were about 40 wigwams and a square brick house which had been constructed by the U.S. Government as a residence for Chief Wawaissa, of Flat Belly, as he was called. The Indians occupied this reservation until 1838, when they were removed from the county. The territory within the limits of Nobel County was acquired from the Potawatomi by two treaties of cession: the Carey Mission Treaty of 1828, and a Government Treaty of 1832. The history of the Indians of Noble County, and for that matter, of Northern Indiana, is as colorful as the names of the Red Men recorded. The tribes living in Northern Indiana during the last half of the 19th century were more of less actively engaged in all the border wars with the pioneers in eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania and northern Kentucky. Beyond question, white prisoners who were captured were often brought, not only to Fort Wayne, but to Indian Village in Sparta Township. One of the early settlers in Sparta Township found a stone having the shape of an Indian tomahawk which bore the inscription: was taken prisoner by the Indians in 1776. Andrew Clinton. Other inscriptions were found on trees and on tree stumps, indicating that white men had seen this new West even before the French missionaries and explorers extended their chain of missions and settlements along the Great Lakes and on downward into the Mississippi area. The Red Man is gone from this area, but he cannot be forgotten, His life will long be told as a bright romance of the past. TRAIL AWARDS Those who hike the trail or canoe the waterways are entitled to wear the Chain-O-Lakes patch and medal. The awards are pictured on the front of this folder. The medal design tells of the past as well as the present. The outside shape of the medal depicts the 10 lakes you see as you hike; the Teepee, the early Indian lore of Noble County; the covered wagon, the first settlers to come to the area; and the park scene, the present day use of the land. -2- -5-
One of the most interesting features at Chain-O-Lakes State Park is its shape. It is about a mile wide and four miles long. The lakes in this chain are known as kettle lakes and were formed by the last glaciers in this area approximately 10,000 years ago. The lakes were actually huge blocks of ice. Rivers of water resulting from melting ice carved the channels which connect eight of the 11 lakes in the park. Prior to its settlement by pioneers, the area was inhabited by Miami Indians. An Indian village of about 30 bark wigwams was located on the north shore of Bowen Lake. William Bowen was one of the first settlers in this area in the 1830 s. In 1840 he constructed a home on the north shore of Bowen Lake. One of the most unique buildings in the park is the Interpretive Center. It is the restored Stanley Schoolhouse, which was originally constructed in 1915. It is the forth school at this location and was in use until the early 1950 s. HISTORY OF NOBLE COUNTY Noble County is situated in the northeastern portion of Indiana. The County was organized in 1836. The surface formation of the county is variable, level, undulating, hilly and marshy. In 1874, 20% of the land was considered marsh. There are about 150 large and small lakes in Noble County covering an area of 7,000 acres. Joel Bristol was the first white settler in the county. He settled in Noble Township 3 1/2 miles northeast of Wolf Lake on April 4, 1872. The first Post Office was established at Perry s Prairie and was known as the Good Hope Post Office. The county was named after Noah Noble, Governor of Indiana at the time the county was organized. The first county seat was at the present site of Kimmel, at that time called Sparta. In 1837 the county seat was moved to Augusta. In 1844 it was again moved, when the Court House was destroyed by fire, to Port Mitchell. Then in 1846 it was moved to the present location at Albion. The Albion Court House, constructed of brick and sandstone, was completed in 1889 at a cost of $113,000.00. Chain-O-Lakes Park was the 20th state park in Indiana. It was dedicated on June 13th 1960 by Gov. Harold W. Handley. The park as over 7 miles of widely varying shoreline and contains 212 acres of water. The lakes that are in the park are: Sand, Rivir, Bowen, Norman, Finster, Dock, Long, Mud and Miller Lakes. The park contains 2,678 acres that are located 5 miles south-east of Albion, Indiana. -3- -4-7. The brief history of the park and the requirements that are supplied in this folder must be read to the group before hiking the trail. 8. Send in trail notice (5) five days before hiking. GENERAL CANOE INFORMATION You may rent canoes from the park or use your own canoe. EVERYONE MUST HAVE A LIFE-JACKET; THIS IS THE STATE LAW. Each unit must have an adult leader for each group. Safety is utmost in any outing, and use of the canoe merit badge book can be of help. Canoes are rented on a first-come, first-served basis; therefore leaders, we suggest you get there early in the morning. Get off the lakes if a storm develops. Stay within 75 yards of the shore when on a lake. ANTI-LITTER REQUIREMENT THE FACT IS THAT LITTER IS UNSIGHTLY, IS A HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD AND CONTRIBUTES TO POLLUTION. The Trail Committee has made an anti-litter project part of the requirements for this hike and canoe trail. Pick up litter as you hike or canoe and place it in the garbage containers. Help keep the park a good place to be. CHAIN-O-LAKES PARK