Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Versailles State Park Grass

We stayed eight days at Versailles State Park, leaving Tuesday Sept 13. While we were there, my guys showed up each Monday to handle the yard work. All I had to do was sit and watch. The guys seem to show up wherever we stay so I hope they keep up with the grass cutting. We are now at the FMCA  park on Round Bottom Road in Newtown, Ohio. The guys showed up right after we arrived and cut grass and weed trimmed again. This happens every week and I don't even ask them to do it! 

Someone moved my fire ring, the guys moved it back

Cleaning up
All I can do is watch because we don't own a lawn mower
FMCA for the next five days. Check the grass

Monday, September 5, 2016

Rose Island

Charlestown State Park is in southern Indiana in Clark County. The park borders the Ohio River. The park land was a part of the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant (INAAP), opened in 1940 for producing war ammunition and abandoned in 1992. I would love to have access to the old property. It's a huge place and many of the old buildings are still standing. I also discovered the old gunpowder bunkers, east of the park. The next time we are here, I will be attempting a drive to that area, access looks open on Google Earth. Check Google Earth for a view of the property. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Army_Ammunition_Plant for details. 

We never know what will suddenly appear when we go to a new area. We discovered a special tour of Rose Island was available during the Labor Day weekend. It is inside the state park property, located on the Ohio River. The tour was quite a hike down a 1/2 mile steep paved hill, round trip about three miles. We walked out and up the steep hill in the dark on Saturday evening. Details about Rose Island can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Island_(amusement_park). 

Ohio River overlook at the south end of Charlestown State Park

Our friends Doug & Marla were staying in their motor home next to us

Abandoned water pumps on the river provided water the to ammunition plant

Entering the Rose Island trail

It became very steep, descending about 250 feet to the park entrance. It became very steep as we went on down the path. Downhill was hard on the knees. Walking back up in the dark was like a treadmill test. We both passed OK.

This bridge was added in 2012, moved from another county



Bridge dedication plaque

Fourteen Mile Creek

Entering Rose Island with over 100 people on the tour

Our DNR guide did a great job. The concrete was a large ice water cooler. Water came from the well and they had an ice plant on site.

Original arches entering from the west end

This was the river landing where the steamboats brought people to Rose Island


The hotel was near the river boat landing, completely washed away in the 1937 flood.
Rose Island was wiped out by the 1937 flood and abandoned after that.
The ammunition plant took the property in 1940