San Pierre Master Plan

Comprehensive Masterplan 2008

Table of Contents

Introduction

Background/ Research

Planning

3

A Brief Introduction to San Pierre

6-8

History

4

What is a Masterplan?

25 Years Ago Today...

8-9

Local Demographics

24-25

Vision and Values San Piere Starke County Indiana OCRA

5

The Process

36-43 A Vision for San Pierre’s Future

Gas and Grocery

Historic Railroad Crossing - New Depot & Trailhead

Main Street Imrpovements - Eliza Street

Streetscape Improvements - Our Lady of Holy Cross

New York Central Trail

Fish & Wildlife Trail - Picnic Shelter

San Pierre Park Improvements

Monon Trail - Welcome Kiosk

10-11

Regional Demographics

12-15

16-17

Access to Goods and Services

18-19

Transportation

Goals and Objectives

28-29

30-31

Community Assets Liabilities

Regional Agencies

20-23

26-27

Survey Results Resident Surveys Visitor Surveys Alumni Surveys Youth Surveys

32-35

Vision

Strategies for Success

44-47 Yellow Pages

Local Resources

State Resources

Regional Resources

Federal Resources

A Brief Introduction to San Pierre San Pierre is a small, unincorporated community of 156 people located in Railroad Township, at the western-most edge of Starke County, in northwest Indiana.

The citizens of San Pierre are hardworking, family oriented, full of faith and smalltown values. Many families have lived in San Pierre for generations. The town is proud of its unique history, its railroad origins and its agricultural heritage. They care about their environment, and are actively engaged in community issues. The youth in San Pierre are particularly involved in their community.

Established in 1854, San Pierre was originally called Culvertown, but later took the name of the post office Pierre, named after the nearby French-Canadian saloon owner. Before the downturn of the railroad industry, San Pierre had a train station at the intersection of the Monon and New York Central railways, boasted three grocery stores, a pickle factory, and a grain elevator. San Pierre was a stop on the route of Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train, and a stop on the Presidential campaign of Harry S Truman.

Today, San Pierre is located at the intersection of US Highway 421 and Indiana State Road 10. A bank reportedly robbed

by John Dillinger still stands at the corner of

Eliza Street and Broadway in downtown. Two churches with congregations dating back to the 1800s are still active on Eliza Street and face the San Pierre Central Park and its WPA-built amphitheater, baseball field, basketball courts and picnic shelter. The downtown area is also home to a post office, a library, a volunteer fire department, a veterinarian’s office, two restaurants, and several other businesses.

A distinguishing feature of downtown San Pierre is a four block long by 1/2 block wide ‘commons’ dating back to the town’s railroad days, shown in the photo from 1880 below. Two cemeteries flank the eastern side of town. At the southwest edge of town, the Lions

Club building serves as a community center, and the San Pierre Kindergarten occupies the northwest corner of town. Older school children travel to North Judson for their studies, attending the North Judson-San Pierre schools in neighboring Wayne Township.

Automobiles play a big role in the lives of the residents of San Pierre. According to the Starke County Comprehensive Land Use Plan of 2003, 5713 residents of Starke County commute everyday to jobs outside the county.

The same study shows only 713 commuters come into Starke County for work. That means the daytime population of the county is 5,000 people less than its nighttime population.

Residents of San Pierre on average spend over an hour a day in their vehicles commuting to and from work. A related concern is the distance residents need to travel to purchase gas and groceries, services which are no longer available in San Pierre.

Residents of San Pierre are fortunate to have several excellent recreational facilities nearby. Bass Lake and the Kankakee River are a short distance from town. Located just southwest of San Pierre lies the Jasper-Pulaski Fish &Wildlife Area, where some 28,000 sandhill cranes stop on the migratory route between Florida and Canada. Thousands of tourists flock to see this unique spectacle every year.

Amenities Map B C D F H

K L P †

bank building Lions Club former depot fire department Our Lady of Holy Cross kindergarten library post office church/cemetery

residential area agricultural area wooded area proposed trails Monon trail NYC trail downtown trail

3

What is a Masterplan?

25 Years Ago Today...

A masterplan is a guide for the future development of a particular area.

A comprehensive masterplan can help shape not only the physical development of a community, but also its social, cultural, economic and political future as well.

Masterplans articulate both short-term and long-term goals of a community, providing a vision for the next 20 to 25 years.

A masterplan helps shape a vision the future of a community. Typically, a masterplan will imagine a community 20 to 25 years into the future. It is often a difficult task, particularly in a small town, to imagine things any differently than they are today.

As a process, a masterplan works to bring a community together to determine its shared values and its shared vision for its future.

Town meetings are held and surveys conducted to solicit public input into the plan. Goals are discussed and objectives are articulated to allow these goals to be accomplished. Community assets are identified which may help achieve these goals, and liabilities are identified which may hinder these goals. The community votes to adopt the plan, which is then sent to the county for adoption. Regional, state and federal officials also review the masterplan, though they neither adopt nor reject its outcomes.

As a product, a masterplan provides an economic tool to recruit new business and investment in the community, and to strengthen existing businesses; a political tool to encourage civic improvements and ensure appropriate municipal services; and a legal tool to give the community a greater voice in outside decision-making processes which affect their town.

Masterplans are intended to be flexible, ‘living documents,’ which can be changed and amended over time to respond to the changing values of a community. The masterplanning process should set in motion a continued conversation about the goals and objectives of a community and its future.

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One exercise that can be useful in imagining a possible future 25 years from now is to remember back to how different life was just a generation ago. 25 years ago today...

in politics • Ronald Reagan was beginning his first term as President • The Soviet Union was still an “evil empire” and the Berlin Wall still stood • Bill Clinton was beginning his second term as Governor of Arkansas • Evan Bayh was in law school at the University of Virginia

• • • • • • •

in economics unemployment = 9.7% median income = $20,171 gas = $1.30 / gallon milk = $2.24 / gallon eggs = 84¢ / dozen 1st class stamp = 20¢ Dow Jones high = 1,076

now now now now now now now

6.1% $48,201 $3.68 / gal $3.80 / gal $1.51 / doz 42¢ 11,220

in transportation • minivans still a year away - Dodge Caravan & Plymouth Voyager (1983) • I-65 (connecting Mobile to Gary) had just been completed (1978) • Corvette plant in Bowling Green was the only automaker on “Auto Alley” (now Saturn, Subaru, Hyundai, Cadillac and Corvette all have plants along I-65)

in technology • IBM unveils the first personal computer (1981) • IBM teams up with Harvard drop-out Bill Gates to begin work on Microsoft Windows • the Internet was still a military tool and not available to the public • there was no e-mail, eBay, e-servers or e-trade • ATMs have just been invented in Europe (1970s) but were not yet common in the US • cable television was just becoming available (ESPN 1979, CNN 1980, MTV 1981) • satellite dishes still ten years away (1990s) • Sony releases the Walkman portable music player (Japan 1979, US later)

in sports • the Indiana Pacers had their first ever winning season in the NBA (ABA merger, 1977) • Reggie Miller still a baseball/basketball junior at Riverside Polytechnic High School • Steve Alford and Keith Smart were the big names on campus in Bloomington • Gerry Faust takes over for Dan Devine as football coach at Notre Dame • the Colts still have two seasons to play in Baltimore • Peyton Manning enters the first grade at a Louisiana Parish school

“Will you help us get some streetlights?”

The Process

- question from our first Town Meeting

What is the process for developing the San Pierre Comprehensive Masterplan?

In 2006 the Center for Rural Outreach and Public Service (CROPS) approached the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission (KIRPC) in Monon, Indiana, to apply for a Community Development Block Grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the State of Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA).

This grant would be used to pay for professional services to develop a comprehensive masterplan for the community of San Pierre, Indiana. In the spring of 2007, KIRPC issued a Request for Proposals on behalf of the Starke County Commissioners, for the development of a such a plan. Several firms submitted proposals, and in September 2007 the Institute for Small Town Studies (ISTS), a non-profit organization based in Fairfield, Iowa, was selected to receive the contract to compile the masterplan for San Pierre.

In October 2007, an initial planning meeting was held at the Lions Club building in San Pierre, involving ISTS, CROPS, the San Pierre Revitalization Committee, Township Trustees, and the general public. Approximately 45 people were in attendance.

A local steering committee was assembled from the revitalization group and other concerned citizens.

“I’d be willing to coach a youth soccer team if we had a place for the kids to play.”

- comment from our first Town Meeting

“Can you share with us the stories of other small towns that have been successful revitalizing their town?”

ISTS proceeded to compile background research, demographics, histories, and other information necessary for assembling a plan. At the same time, several surveys were developed and distributed to better assess the needs and wants of the community.

Residents of San Pierre were surveyed, as were visitors to town, alumni of the San Pierre High School, as well as the local youth.

A second public meeting was held in January, 2008, at the All Saints Catholic Church, to discuss the survey results and background research. Even though the temperature was 2 degrees above zero outside, and the Colts were in the playoffs, 32 people braved the cold to attend this meeting and offer their feedback. A list of community values emerged from this meeting, suggesting the core issues the comprehensive plan should address.

- question from our third Town Meeting

ISTS developed a draft plan and made this information available on-line and in ‘hard copy’ form before our third town meeting, held in April 2008 at St. Luke’s Church.

26 members of the local community were in attendance at this meeting, along with a representative from US Congressman Joe Donnelly’s office. The draft plan was discussed in detail at this meeting. Goals, objectives and strategies for moving forward were also discussed. Suggested revisions are being taken into account for compilation of a final comprehensive plan.

A fourth and final town meeting will take place in September of 2008, the same weekend as the annual Town Picnic, for the community to review, discuss and adopt the final plan, and to send it forward to the Starke County Commissioners for their approval, completing the masterplan process.

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History A Brief History of San Pierre San Pierre is a small community in northwest Indiana with strong agricultural and railroad roots. Established in 1853, San Pierre was originally called Culvertown, but later took the name of the post office Pierre, named after a nearby French-Canadian saloon owner. Before the downturn of the railroad industry, San Pierre had a train station at the intersection of the Monon and New York Central railways, boasted three grocery stores, a pickle factory, and a grain elevator. San Pierre was a stop on the route of Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train, and a whistle stop on the Presidential campaign of Harry S Truman.

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San Pierre’s history has witnessed many unique events over the past 155 years.

It has also produced several historically significant structures along the way, many of which still survive today. The Historic Landmark Foundation of Indiana’s Starke County, Interim Report, Historic Sites and Structures Inventory lists 23 historically notable sites in San Pierre, and another 30 historic sites scattered throughout Railroad Township. Despite the fact that San Pierre, Railroad Township, and Starke County all have numerous historically significant buildings and properties, only two structures in Starke County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the Starke County Courthouse, built in 1897, and a former

Pennsylvania Railroad bridge built in 1915, near Main Street and Water Street in Knox, referred to simply as “Starke County Bridge #39.”

Activity in San Pierre historically took place primarily in three places: in the downtown business district centered at the intersection of Eliza Street and Broadway, around the San Pierre depot where the Monon Railroad tracks crossed the New York Central line, and around the San Pierre Schools.

Below (left to right) are photographs of the Rennewanz General Store (c.1910); the interior and exterior of the Kingman General Store; the San Pierre Municipal Band preparing for a concert downtown; the Bank of San Pierre, built in 1917, which still stands today at

the corner of Eliza and Broadway; the Monon railroad depot; and Abraham Lincoln’s Funeral Train, which stopped in San Pierre on its way to Springfield, Illinois in April, 1865.

On the next page are photographs of the San Pierre Grain Elevator (taken by Tom Rankin in 1977, www.monon.org); two views of the San Pierre railroad crossing showing the various passenger and freight facilities in the area; San Pierre High School’s 1920-21 basketball team photo; a postcard of the San Pierre Public School (built in 1912); a picture of the San Pierre High School (which replaced the former school after a fire) from the 1954 Echo yearbook; and the plaque which stands today on the site of these former school buildings.

The following brief history of San Pierre comes from the Historic Landmark Foundation of Indiana’s Starke County, Interim Report, Historic Sites and Structures Inventory: Located in southwestern Starke County, some accounts claim that San Pierre was the county’s first settlement. The stories that connect San Pierre to the French heritage of the old Kankakee Marsh, claiming that a French trader established a post and tavern north of the present town. Seeking a better location, he moved south and attracted other inhabitants, establishing San Pierre. It is known that the federal government established a post office at the settlement in 1853, calling it “River.” Another early name cited is Culvertown. San Pierre (French for Saint Peter) became the town’s official name in 1855. In 1858, the Reverend Joseph Andrew Stephan established the parish of All Saint’s Catholic Church, perhaps to accommodate a French population.

During that time, several important things happened in San Pierre involving transportation. The county’s first railroad arrived there in 1853, linking San Pierre to the rest of the state and eventually Chicago. The Louisville, New Albany and Chicago Railroad, commonly known as the Monon, became Indiana’s most distinguished line. In 1886, the Three-I Railroad formed a junction with the Monon, transforming San Pierre into a busy hub of activity for several decades. Not surprisingly, San Pierre was a center of market and civic life for the marsh region.

In the early 20th century, San Pierre’s economy further increased with the construction of U.S. Highway 421,

running parallel to the Monon tracks through the town. Wood-frame commercial buildings of the railroad period slowly gave way to one-story masonry structures. The last significant commercial building dating to before World War II is the Bank of San Pierre Building. Local lore claims that it fell victim to the notorious Hoosier outlaw John Dillinger, but the legendary exploits of his Depression-Era banditry are difficult to verify or dispute.

Across the street from the bank is its post-war replacement. Built in the 1960s, the new Bank of San Pierre features some Contemporary-style elements, including a shallow-opitched roof, extended wood beams, and high ribbonset windows. Most distinctive is the drive-up teller bay. The structure remains virtually unchanged and is a significant recent-past resource. The local elementary school is also a strong representative of that period.

The most historically significant resource in San Pierre dates to the Depression Era. The ball field that was once part of the now-demolished high school complex was built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the federal government’s remedy to provide employment during the economic hardships of the 1930s. The rustic stone material and skilled craftsmanship employed in its construction are typical of the work done by the WPA. The field exists today as part of the town’s central park.

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Local Demographics History of Education in Railroad Township

Composed by Herrette Daly, San Pierre, Indiana, May 14, 1929 About 1865 there was one school in the township located in San Pierre. The first teacher being George Furback; the second, O.B. (Capt) Rockwell; the third Lulu Glazebrook; the fourth, George Rockwell. In later years, the school was called “Union”. Later, there was a school east of San Pierre called “Hard Scrabble”; its name derived from the un-disciplined pupils. The first teacher that undertook the position was Henry Roney. A school northwest of San Pierre called “Knowledge Box” was so named because of its noted reputation as having studious and brilliant pupils.

Scott Biggs happened to be one of the first teachers. All of these schools were ungraded. While George Netherland was County Superintendent, the schools became systematized or graded. This was in 1880.

There came change in school locations and more of them were erected. District No. 1 was still in the same place in San Pierre; No. 2 was the “Buckeye”, named because of the settlers from Ohio. This was located northeast of San Pierre with Belle Selock as its first teacher; No. 3 was the “Knowledge Box” as mentioned above, located Northwest of San Pierre; No. 4 was the “English Lake” school, having Pete Roney for its first teacher. This school was located in the very small village of English Lake in the north eastern part of the township along the Kankakee River; No. 5 was located South east of San Pierre in a district called “Blue Sea”; No. 6 was the “Prairie Queen” South-west of San Pierre, situated on and surrounded by prairie land, therefore deriving its significance; No. 7 was the “Lomax” school also located in a district called Lomax, four miles north of San Pierre. LeDora Stouffeur was an early teacher; No. 8 was located east of San Pierre.

The school in San Pierre burned and another was rebuilt, which they nicknamed “Two rooms and a kitchen”. Frank Delaney held the position as first teacher. This school was used for public meetings, church gatherings, and every kind of entertainment. There was much agitation against this and a petition was started by Dr. Glazebrook to buy new land to erect a larger and better building. The land was bought at the west end of town. In the meantime, the District school (which was a frame structure) burned. A temporary building was erected on the new land. It was soon destroyed by fire compelling the town pupils to attend the “Prarie Queen” school two and one-half miles west of San Pierre.

Finally a new two story brick building was built in 1902, while Adam Smith was Trustee. The Advisory Board assisted him, for their power came into effect in 1898. A little later the state condemned the school.

Ventilation and lighting being the main causes. In 1912, while Owen Daly was Trustee and Carroll Cannon, County Superintendent, the school was rebuilt according to state requirements.

In January 1914, Dr. W.J. Solt became Trustee and the small district schools were done away with. The township supplied busses drawn by horses and all the county children were brought to Lomax and English Lake districts. The “Lomax” school was rebuilt according to state requirements and “English Lake” school was remodeled.

“Lomax” had two teachers and all grades. “English Lake” had one teacher and all grades. San Pierre had seven teachers, four in the grades and three in high school.

In 1917, when J. Allen Barr was County Superintendent; Dr. W.J. Solt, Trustee; and Guy W. Johnson, Principal; the school had four years of High School for the first time. Before this, San Pierre had three years of High School. Students wishing to complete their course had to attend a Commissioned High School which was North Judson, Medaryville, Wheatfield or Knox. Time went on very successfully and things were progressing when fate hit hard again. The school burned January 29, 1923. The term of school was completed in the three churches and a private home. Leonard Rennewanz took the office of Trustee on January 1, 1923. Plans were made immediately to rebuild, The new school was erected on a hill, directly across the road from the old location. School the following term was held in the same manner as the previous year. About the middle of March, the building was completed. The teachers and pupils took their respective places.

After having waited patiently for a number of years, San Pierre secured its four year Commission being recognized by the state as a school fulfilling all requirements. Our County Superintendent, Mr. Barr and Trustee, Mr. Rennewanz were responsible for this great deed and many compliments and thanks of appreciation were given in their honor. The members of the State Board of Education at this time were as follows: Henry Noble Sherwood, President; E.N. Graff, Secretary; John Bettinger, Inspector. Our school is again progressing. This year the faculty increased, making a total of eight teachers instead of seven. The enrollment of the school has also increased, greatly.

Lomax and English Lake are continuing as mentioned above. In the future, we hope for more and better progress.

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Background Information and Community Demographics.

According to the Northern Indiana Public Service Corporation (NIPSCO), the cost of living in northwest Indiana averages 5 to 20 percent below similar communities in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. Housing costs are approximately 30 percent lower than those of surrounding areas. Insurance costs are approximately 20 percent less. Health care costs are approximately 10 percent less.

Housing is more affordable in San Pierre than in most other markets in Indiana.

Yet only three percent of the homes in San Pierre are vacant. Recruiting new families to live in San Pierre may be difficult if there are few housing options available for them.

The average age of a home in San Pierre is 52 years old. This means for every home built in the last few years there is another home in town that is over 100 years old. Maintenance of these aging homes will increasingly become an issue for residents of San Pierre. The average age of a home nationally is 27 years.

San Pierre has a significantly higher percent of high school graduates than Starke County, the state of Indiana, or across the United States. At the same time, San Pierre has a lower percentage of college graduates than average, suggesting that those well-educated youth who head off to college more often than not do not return to San Pierre after completing their studies.

Other data we were able to uncover includes:

PEOPLE Population San Pierre = 156 Railroad Township = 1,353 Starke County = 23,556 Indiana = 6.3 million United States = 299 million Percent Growth San Pierre = 6.4% Railroad Township = -9.4% Starke County = 3.6% Indiana = 3.8% United States = 6.4% Male San Pierre = 48.7% Railroad Township = 49.8% Starke County = 49.5% Indiana = 49.0% United States = 49.1% Female San Pierre = 51.3% Railroad Township = 50.2% Starke County = 50.5% Indiana = 51.0% United States = 50.9% Median Age San Pierre = 44.8 years Railroad Township = 43.7 years Starke County = 37.0 years Indiana = 36.3 years United States = 35.3 years Median Income San Pierre = $30,900 Railroad Township = $40,469 Starke County = $37,243 Indiana = $43,993 United States = $48,201

HOME OWNERSHIP

WORK

CLIMATE

High School Graduate San Pierre = 93.8% Railroad Township = 75.5% Starke County = 72.0% Indiana = 82.1% (26th) United States = 85.0%

Own San Pierre = 72.9% Railroad Township = 76.9% Starke County = 69.3% Indiana = 65.9% United States = 60.2%

Work at Home Railroad Township = 3.9% Starke County = 2.7% Indiana = 2.9% United States = 3.3%

January Average Temperature = 14 degrees F July Average Temperature = 86 degrees F

College Graduate San Pierre = 16.7% Railroad Township = 10.5% Starke County = 8.4% Indiana = 19.4% (44th) United States = 28.0%

Rent San Pierre = 23.7% Railroad Township = 15.0% Starke County = 16.4% Indiana = 26.3% United States = 30.8%

Drive Alone to Work San Pierre = 75.8% Railroad Township = 79.9% Starke County = 80.4% Indiana = 82.6% United States = 75.7%

Annual Rainfall = 38 inches Annual Snowfall = 22 inches

Single San Pierre = 35.9% United States = 41.0%

Vacant San Pierre = 3.4% Railroad Township = 8.1% Starke County = 14.3% Indiana = 7.7% United States = 9.0%

Married San Pierre = 64.1% United States = 59.0% Families with Children San Pierre = 29.5% Railroad Township = 30.3% Starke County = 33.7% Indiana = 23.9% United States = 23.5%

Median Home Age San Pierre = 52 Years United States = 27.2 years Median Home Value San Pierre = $77,500 Railroad Township = $76,000 Starke County = $80,000 Indiana = $94,300 United States = $119,600 Median Gross Rent Railroad Township = $389 Starke County = $431 Indiana = $521 United States = $602

Sunny Days per Year = 173 Percipitation Days = 91

San Pierre sits in the Central Time Zone.

18 of Indiana’s 92 counties are in the Central Time Zone. The remainder of the state falls in the Eastern Time Zone

Carpool to Work San Pierre = 15.3% Railroad Township = 12.4% Starke County = 13.9% Indiana = 10.0% United States = 12.2% Walk to Work San Pierre = 8.8% Railroad Township = 2.4% Starke County = 1.8% United States = 2.9% Travel Time to Work San Pierre = 21.0 minutes Railroad Township = 30.0 minutes Starke County = 28.9 minutes Indiana = 21.8 minutes United States = 22.8 minutes Unemployment Starke County = 7.0% Indiana = 5.6% United States = 4.8%

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Regional Demographics To better understand the issues facing San Pierre, it is helpful to look at the bigger picture, and examine the issues facing Starke County and rural Indiana as a whole. The maps below, (prepared by the Rural Policy Research Institute in Columbia, Missouri, the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University, and the Institute for Small Town Studies) help show San Pierre’s relationship to other communities across the state of Indiana.

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According to economic data, rural Indiana is considered primarily manufacturing (the dark blue in the first map below). Manufacturing accounts for 22.2% of Indiana’s economy.

65 of Indiana’s 92 counties are considered manufacturing counties. Starke County is one of these manufacturing counties. 6 counties are considered service economies, 4 counties are government economies, and 2 counties are mining economies. 15 counties are considered ‘nonspecialized’ in their economy.

Most surprisingly, not one county in Indiana is considered agricultural. According to the same economic data, agriculture accounts for roughly 1% of Indiana’s economy. Less than

1% of Starke County’s economy comes from farm income. Even though most residents of San Pierre and Railroad Township consider themselves to be squarely in the middle of an agricultural area, the State of Indiana does not.

The US Census designates a Metropolitan Statistical Area as a large core population center, together with adjacent communities having a high degree of social and economic integration with that core. A Micropolitan Statistical Area refers to smaller communities with similarly integrated social and economic issues, typically with populations between 10,000 and 50,000. Non-Core Communities refer to those areas isolated

from either Metropolitan or Micropolitan centers.

45 of Indiana’s 92 counties are considered metropolitan, 27 micropolitan, and 20 non-core counties. In northwest Indiana, Plymouth and Logansport are considered micropolitan areas.

Starke County is one of two non-core counties in Indiana falling within the high crime indices.

Unemployment in Starke County is 7.0%, significantly higher than the state and national averages. Starke County does support a very high percentage of self-employed entrepreneurs. More than 20% of its non-farm population is self-employed.

While the income levels in San Pierre and Starke County are lower than state and

national averages, statistics show that no one in San Pierre is living below the poverty line.

We found that people in San Pierre look out for their neighbors, and have built a support network to help those in need.

The population in the United States grew 56.9% between 1960 and 2000. The population of Indiana grew 30.4% during this same time. In the last decade, population growth has begun to slow, and for the first time in almost 50 years several counties in Indiana are decreasing in population. Starke County’s population continues to grow at 3.6%, while Railroad Township’s population decreased by 9.4%.

The Hispanic population of Indiana more than doubled in 56 of 92 counties over the past ten years. Starke County was not one of these counties. Immigration is currently an important issue across our nation, particularly in agricultural communities, but that issue has largely not effected San Pierre as of 2008.

22 counties in Indiana have more than 15% of their residents over the age of 65.

Starke County is one of these counties. The median age of residents in San Pierre is 44.8 years, 27% older than the national average or 35.3 years.

The aging population in San Pierre will require increased access to quality health care

services in the coming years. Currently Starke County is considered a “Medically Underserved Area” by the State of Indiana and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

San Pierre residents graduate high school at a rate of 8.8% higher than the national average. San Pierre has twice the percentage of high school graduates than the Starke County average. San Pierre does have a lower percentage of college graduates, though, suggesting those that leave to go to college typically do not return to San Pierre after completing their education.

According to the Indiana Office of Tourism Development, travelers spent $8.91

billion in Indiana in 2004. Yet 39 of Indiana’s 92 counties do not have a tourism agency serving their area. Jasper and Pulaski Counties are among those counties in the area with no organized tourism agency. Starke County’s tourism agency, the Starke County Tourism Commission, publishes The Starke County Traveler magazine.

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Access to Goods and Services Maps of Goods and Services available to the residents of San Pierre.

The following maps locate the goods and services available within a 35 mile radius of San Pierre. San Pierre is shown by an asterisk in the center of the 14 counties which comprise Northwest Indiana. The circular lines surrounding San Pierre mark a 10 mile radius, a 20 mile radius, and a 30 mile radius from town. Note: these distances are “as the crow flies,” not “as the car drives,” meaning actual travel distances will often be much greater than this radius indicates. Beyond 35 miles, one has entered the neighboring state of Illinois, and beyond 40 miles the state of Michigan. Chicago is roughly 50 miles northwest, just beyond the scope of these maps. South Bend and the University of Notre Dame are 50 miles to the northeast, shown as a gray area in northern St. Joseph County on these maps. The city of Lafayette and Purdue University are 50 miles straight south of San Pierre, just at the bottom edge of these maps, south of White County. The black squiggly line running horizontally through these maps, just north of San Pierre, is the Kankakee River, flowing west toward Illinois, and eventually into the Mississippi River. The yellow lines are State Roads, orange lines are US Highways, red lines are Interstate Highways, and Green lines are Toll Roads. The light blue shaded areas denote lakes, rivers, and other major bodies of water. The green shaded areas are State and National Parks. The large green area just south of San Pierre is the Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area, home to tens of thousands of migrating sandhill cranes twice a year.

“We need a gas station!”

- the very first comment

at our first Town Meeting

“I have to use a quarter of a tank just to drive to get gas.”

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- comment from our second Town Meeting

The residents of San Pierre need a gas station. As these maps will show, access to goods and services is very limited within a 20 mile radius of San Pierre. This means that residents of San Pierre have to drive long distances to get the basic supplies of everyday life that should be available closer to home: groceries, hardware, clothing, education, and health care.

As a result, residents of San Pierre spend much more time in their cars than other citizens in Indiana.

At a town meeting, one resident said if she wants to take her kids for ice cream after dinner, she has to pile them all in the car and drive a half an hour each way to find an ice cream shop. Many residents work in Valparaiso (25 miles away) or even Lafayette (50 miles away). One resident gets up at 4am to drive to work in Chicago everyday.

A map of all the Gas Stations within a 35 mile radius of San Pierre.

A map of all the Grocery Stores within a 35 mile radius of San Pierre.

“I usually drive to Valpo to get groceries - 45 minutes each way - because they have a better selection. I’d rather drive that far than eat the food they sell at a convenience store.”

- comment from our

second Town Meeting

“With all the farms in the area, it’s surprising we don’t have a farmers’ market.”

- comment from our second Town Meeting

The second most requested item by the residents of San Pierre was a grocery store. Most of the grocery options within ten miles of San Pierre are convenience stores attached to gas stations. Healthier food, fresher produce, and better prices are mainly available at the bigger chain stores 25-30 miles away.

Many farms in the area provide opportunities to buy fresh food - pick your own blueberries, pick your own pumpkins, etc - but many of these healthy local options are seasonal. Currently there is no organized farmers’ market in the San Pierre area. Many residents in town meetings and in surveys responded positively to the idea of hosting such a market in San Pierre. This was seen as a great way to gain access to fresh foods, and as a way for San Pierre to reconnect with the neighboring agricultural community in Railroad Township.

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Banks within a 35 mile radius

Hotels / Motels within a 35 mile radius

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Hardware Stores within a 35 mile radius

Antique Shops within a 35 mile radius

Churches within a 35 mile radius

Hospitals within a 35 mile radius

K-12 schools within a 35 mile radius

Colleges within a 35 mile radius

Libraries within a 35 mile radius

Entertainment within 35 miles

Hunting / Fishing within a 35 mile radius

Golf Courses within a 35 mile radius

We found over 800 churches within a 35 mile radius of San Pierre. By contrast, we found less than a dozen health care facilities within a 25 mile radius. Residents noted in town meetings that if you needed an ambulance, you were better off having a neighbor drive you to Knox, rather than wait the 45 minutes for the ambulance to arrive, and then ride another 30 minutes back to Knox. Police and emergency response services were both a big concern, as the County Sheriff is also located in Knox.

In our first trips to the area, we assumed hunting and fishing would be popular outdoor recreation activities for local residents. Our surveys, however, found that these activities more often attracted visitors to the area, rather than served the local population.

The youth of San Pierre noted that their forms of recreation - bowling alleys, roller rinks, movie theaters, shopping malls - were all located well outside San Pierre, and required significant planning with their friends and their parents to schedule an outing. They also noted that most of their school events took place in North Judson, and not in San Pierre. By the time their after-school activities were completed in North Judson and they got back home, the library was closed, and the park no longer lit.

Airports / Grass Strip Runways within a 35 mile radius

Power Plants / Proposed Ethanol Plants within a 50 mile radius

“The nearest mall is an hour away; the nearest movie theater 45 minutes.�

- youth comment from our

first Town Meeting

One contentious issue that has arisen in San Pierre in the last year is the proposal for a new ethanol plant just 2 miles north of town. Many residents expressed environmental concerns about the activities of such a plant, while other thought new jobs in the area would be a plus.

Two other new ethanol plants have been proposed in the area, one in Argos and one in Reynolds. Construction of all three plants is currently on hold, but the debate over the potential change they may bring remains.

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Transportation Traffic Flow One factor to consider in recruiting a new gas station or grocery store to San Pierre is the volume of traffic required to support a new facility.

The actual numbers of cars and trucks traveling through San Pierre each day on US 421 and Indiana 10 are shown below.

US 421 Project Becomes Controversial Starke County NewsHawk June 29, 2005 SAN PIERRE - An unusual outdoor meeting on what is becoming a controversial project - rebuilding U.S. 421 through this small, unincorporated community - is being held in San Pierre Wednesday, June 29. The meeting will be held at the intersection of the highway with Ann Street at 9:30 a.m. The project is now four years away, possibly more, and details are sketchy. After three weeks of contact, the LaPorte District Office of INDOT referred the NewsHawk to Jessica Mace in the agency’s Office of Communications. Another week went by and Mace finally offered the following project description: “This project is a slight distance correction or radii improvement project. It is from 1 mile north of the south junction of (U.S.) 10 through the town of San Pierre.” The description is incorrect, as Highway 10 is an Indiana route, not a U.S. or federal route.

The project was initiated after a number of serious accidents with injuries and apparently involves straightening out the roadway, although area residents maintain the accidents have been few and far between. Local residents seem not to want the roadway straightened. At a recent meeting of the Starke County Commissioners, Lisa Shrader of the LaPorte office said residents are looking for a lowprofile fix-up which would simply call for installing new traffic controls.

At last week’s meeting, County Commissioner Kent Danford indicated he was not in favor of the big realignment project. “I’m looking at the issue from a safety standpoint. Straightening it out could make speeding worse,” Danford said. Shrader indicated she knew little else about the project, and referred the NewsHawk to another engineer, who never contacted the newspaper.

The only other information INDOT supplied was on the timing. “The current schedule reflects a ready for contracts date of August of 2008, which means construction would likely begin in the spring of 2009. A preliminary field check is scheduled to occur sometime this year,” Mace said. The plans are available for public viewing at the LaPorte District Office, 315 Boyd Blvd.

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“Indiana has set a goal of providing an easily accessible trail opportunity within 15 minutes or 7.5 miles of all Indiana residents.” - INDOT Trail System

Roads and Rails

In addition to maintaining the state’s roadway system, INDOT is responsible for trail systems - walking trails and biking trails throughout the state.

The Green Moves Program seeks to develop a statewide trail, greenway, and bikeway system. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation and other state agencies has produced a master trails plan to guide the development and expansion of a statewide system of trails to be used for recreation and transportation throughout the state. Indiana has set a goal of providing an easily accessible trail opportunity within 15 minutes or 7.5 miles of all Indiana residents.

San Pierre sits at the crossroads of two abandoned rail lines - the north-south Monon rail line, and the east-west New York Central rail line. INDOT has plans in place to help local communities convert these abandoned rightof-ways into walking and biking trails, as part of a program called “Rails to Trails.” San Pierre is also situated nearby two regional trail systems - one connecting the Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area with the Tippecanoe River State Park to the east and the Kankakee River State Park to the west. The other follows an abandoned rail right-of-way north of San Pierre, crossing US 421 and the Kankakee River at Lomax.

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Regional Agencies Who are the decision-making agencies involved in shaping the future of San Pierre?

Small towns in America are increasingly governed by regional agencies, each with their own responsibilities, their own jurisdictions, and their own constituencies to whom they are responsible. School districts, library districts, state and federal congressional districts, economic development districts, tourism districts, regional planning districts - all have a significant impact on the future of the towns within their boundaries. Unfortunately, these district boundaries are not always the same, and often do not coincide with township or

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county boundaries. These multiple jurisdictions often overlap, and sometimes conflict with each other, creating a curious condition of conflicting interests guiding the decision-making processes affecting the towns they represent.

Some of the important regional districts with a decision-making role in the future of San Pierre are listed below:

San Pierre sits at the western-most edge of Indiana State House District 17. House District 17 is currently represented by State Representative Nancy Dembowski (D-17), of Knox. The areas directly north, west, and south of Railroad Township are represented by State House District 20. House District 20 is

currently represented by State Representative Tom Dermody (R-20), of LaPorte.

San Pierre is located in State Senate District 5. Senate District 5 is currently represented by State Senator Ed Charbonneau (R-5), of Valparaiso.

San Pierre sits in US Congressional District 2 (shown in blue below). District 2 is currently represented by Congressman Joe Donnelly (D-02), of South Bend/Mishawaka.

The entire State of Indiana is represented in the US Senate by Richard Lugar (R) and Evan Bayh (D), both of Indianapolis.

The US Census has divided Indiana and its neighboring metropolitan communities into something called Combined Statistical

Areas (CSAs). CSAs are combinations of metropolitan and micropolitan areas that share close proximity in geographic, social, cultural and economic statistical categories. Other governmental agencies often follow these boundaries when determining the allocation of federal funds. San Pierre sits just outside the Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City IL-IN-WI area, a CSA which straddles three different states. Areas in white on this map are not assessed in the same manner as in the CSAs.

San Pierre is represented in economic development matters by the Northwest Region of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, located in Portage. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has

identified this same region as one of 11 Economic Growth Regions (EGRs) in the state. The 7 counties in this region constitute 13.8% of the state’s population, or 840,000 people. The Department of Commerce divides Indiana into 12 Commerce Regions. San Pierre falls within the boundaries of their Region 2. Note that the commerce regions and the economic development regions do not coincide with one another.

The Indiana Department of Agriculture divides the state into Resource Conservation and Development Areas. San Pierre falls within their ‘Arrowhead Country’ region. This conservation region includes only half of the Kankakee River watershed - those counties

south of the River. Counties in the northern Kankakee watershed are represented by several different conservation regions.

Regional planning issues in San Pierre are guided by the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission (KIRPC), located in Monon, in White County. KIRPC’s Region covers a six county area. Their programs offer a range of useful services including assisting with economic and community development, grant writing and grant administration, providing planning and technical assistance, and acting as a legislative liaison for communities in the region. KIRPC is one of 12 regional planning organizations in the state of Indiana.

The North-Judson San Pierre School

District actually straddles two counties, covering the western portions of Starke County, and the northern parts of Pulaski County.

The San Pierre Public Library is part of the Starke County Public Library District, which covers all of Starke County except Wayne Township, where the North-Judson San Pierre Middle and High Schools are located. This example alone shows how the regionalization of small town America creates unforeseen difficulties - wouldn’t it make more sense if the school district and the library district covered the same territory?

The State of Indiana Department of Health has organized ten separate Health Preparedness Districts. San Pierre falls in

Health Preparedness District 2, a district which stretches all the way to South Bend.

The State of Indiana Office of Tourism Development Program and VisitIndiana.com divide the state into 6 tourism regions. San Pierre is in the North Tourism Region, a region adjacent to the State of Michigan and stretching all the way to Ohio.

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) separates the State of Indiana into 6 districts and 32 sub-districts. San Pierre falls under the jurisdiction of the LaPorte District, and the Winamac Sub-District. The Winamac Sub-District includes none of the major highways (I-65, I-80, I-90 or US 30) that travel through the LaPorte District.

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Surveys Resident Survey Results We conducted four surveys as part of the San Pierre Comprehensive Masterplanning Process: a Resident Survey, a Visitor Survey, a Survey of the Alumni of San Pierre High School, and a Youth Survey.

We received 90 responses to our Resident Survey and 9 responses to our Youth Survey. The population of San Pierre is 156.

This means 63.5% of the residents provided input into the planning process. The typical average nationwide for a community survey is roughly 19% of the citizenry. That means we have been able to reach over three times the national average for community participation in San Pierre.

Some of the notable results of the San Pierre Resident Survey are: • the average age of the respondents was 52.6 years old, and on average they have been living in San Pierre for 21.7 years • 92.1% own their own home • 40.5% are retired • 21.4% work in San Pierre • 40.4% work in Starke County • only 5% carpool • 53.2% buy groceries, 62.2% buy hardware, and 73.2% buy clothes, in Valparaiso • 49.4% buy gas, 53.0% bank, and 43.0% see their doctor in North Judson • 87.3% regularly attend school events • 88.2% use the San Pierre park regularly • less than 10% visit Chicago or Indianapolis once a month • 85-90% visit these cities only once a year • almost 70% want to see a new gas station in San Pierre • over 60% want to see either a grocery store or a convenience store in San Pierre

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Q. What would you most like to see in San Pierre’s future?

A. Dancing. We drive all the way to Chicago to go dancing.

- resident survey response

Q. What would you most like to see in San Pierre’s future?

A. We need more shops. I can remember when there were three grocery stores in San Pierre.

- resident survey response

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Visitor Survey Results We received 21 responses to our Visitor Survey. We were curious about what activities brought visitors to San Pierre, and what their impressions were of the town. When asked what visitors would most like to see in San Pierre, the most common response was to list their shopping needs, particularly in the form of big-box and national chain retail - Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Home Depot, Menards, Walgreens, CVS - things they do not want in their hometown, but wouldn’t mind having closer to their homes if they were located in San Pierre. When this was discussed at our second town meeting, residents of San Pierre also stated they didn’t want these elements of suburban sprawl coming to their hometown either.

Q. What activities bring you to San Pierre?

A. The library, the post office, and the veterinarian’s office. The vet’s office in San Pierre is really great.

- visitor survey response Q. Do you visit historic sites in San Pierre?

A. What historic sites?

- visitor survey response

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Alumni Survey Results

Youth Survey Results

While we officially received 18 responses to our Alumni Survey, our third townhall meeting coincided with the annual San Pierre High School Alumni Reunion, which provided us the opportunity to meet informally with dozens more former residents of San Pierre. Many alumni are disappointed the school building no longer stands next to the town park, yet their most fond memories are of school activities: dances, sporting events, class trips, and friendships made.

Several of the youth in San Pierre helped craft the questions for our Youth Survey.

We received nine responses, ranging in age from 6 1/2 to 18 years old. Most of the youth enjoy hanging out with their friends and playing basketball in the park. They use the San Pierre Library often, but noted it is often closed by the time they finish their after-school activities. 100% plan to go to college. 72% plan to return to San Pierre after they finish school. They aspire to be doctors, mechanical engineers, farmers, welders, hair stylists, and child life specialists.

Q. What do you remember most about San Pierre?

A. Hanging out at the depot and talking to the conductors on the New York Central line when they stopped in town.

- alumni survey response Q. What do you remember most about San Pierre?

A. My friends and teachers at San Pierre High School, going to School dances, the year our basketball team went undefeated...

- alumni survey response Q. What do you remember most about San Pierre?

A. Movies in the park, and the Halloween bonfire.

- alumni survey response

Q. What would you most like to see at the San Pierre Library?

A. More books on tractors.

- youth survey response (age 6 1/2) Q. What would you most like to see in San Pierre’s future?

A. It needs improvement but not too much or people won’t like the change. It just needs a few stores, a gas station, and some places for kids and adults to hang out and have fun.

- youth survey respondent, age 16

Q. What types of civic projects would you consider volunteering for?

A. I like to plant trees.

- youth respondent, age 9

Q. What types of civic projects would you consider volunteering for?

A. I’d like to play in a town band.

- youth respondent, age 10

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Vision and Values San Pierre Through three town meetings, four citizen surveys, input from the San Pierre Revitalization Committee and interested citizens, we have arrived at the following portrait of the citizens of San Pierre, their values and their vision: • San Pierre values its agricultural roots, its rural character and its country way of life.

San Pierre is not, nor should it ever become, an industrial center, a big city, or a suburb of Chicago. Although the State of Indiana considers Starke County a manufacturing county, San Pierre and Railroad Township continue to identify themselves with their agricultural heritage. Future projects and development in San Pierre should similarly reflect these values.

• San Pierre values its small town way of life.

San Pierre is safe, clean, healthy, walkable, affordable, church-going, well-educated, familyfriendly, and a good place to raise children. San Pierre is a place where neighbors look out for and take care of each other.

• San Pierre values its natural resources, its environment, and its outdoor spaces.

Residents enjoy many activities in the San Pierre Park - walking, biking, basketball, baseball, soccer and skateboarding. Surrounding areas attract hunters, fisherman, 4-wheelers, and ATVs. Visitors also flock to San Pierre to watch thousands of migrating sand hill cranes at the nearby Jasper-Pulaski Wildlife Refuge. Future development in San Pierre should respect, preserve, and enhance the natural environment.

• San Pierre values its rich and unique history, both its buildings and its stories.

Stories of San Pierre’s agricultural origins, its railroad heritage, its businesses, and its schools, play a vital role in shaping the identity of San Pierre. Memories of the Pickle Factory, local bank robberies, outdoor movies in the park, school dances or championship basketball seasons, link several generations of San Pierre’s past with its future.

• San Pierre values its town center, and will work to strengthen this community asset.

Historically, San Pierre’s town center and commons were a hub of social and civic activity the railroad depot, grain elevator, bank, gas and grocery stores provided necessary services, but also offered many opportunities to meet your neighbors, to run into people you knew, and to cross paths with people you didn’t know. Today the town center, at the intersection of Eliza Street and US-421, connects San Pierre’s churches, park, post office, library, veterinary office, health clinic, restaurant, fire station, and several businesses. We should encourage growth which strengthens this existing core of activities, as opposed to promoting growth which sprawls throughout the township.

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Starke County In 2003, a Comprehensive Land Use Plan was prepared for Starke County, Indiana.

The report was prepared by the Starke County Plan Committee and the KankakeeIroquois Regional Planning Commission, and was financed in part by a grant from the Indiana Department of Commerce.

One of the first tasks completed by the committee was to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the county. Some of the strengths included were: the people of the county; natural resources and recreational opportunities in the county; agriculture; quality of the environment; crime rate; schools; and industry. Weaknesses mentioned by the group included: a negative perception of the county; unemployment; retail opportunities; drainage; cultural opportunities; affordable housing; and education levels. From these strengths and weaknesses a county vision statement was developed by the committee. The vision statement developed was: • Starke County will encourage and direct orderly growth and development in appropriate areas that will preserve its rural character.

• Starke County will understand, protect and enjoy its significant natural resources, such as forestland, wetlands, wildlife habitat areas, and its natural lakes and river corridors.

• Starke County will preserve and improve our agriculture business and industry.

• Starke County will prevent developmental sprawl by making efficient use of existing public services and infrastructure.

• Starke County will improve residential, commercial, and industrial development design to include more open space, parks and filter strips, which utilize desired elements such as forestlands, wetlands, and wildlife areas.

• Starke County will encourage the development of an integrated transportation system.

• The quality of jobs offered by Starke County’s business and industry will be given high priority.

• Starke County will lose its negative image by pursuing cultural and educational excellence and opportunities by instilling a sense of community pride among its citizens.

• Starke County will be seen as a preferred place to live, shop, visit and work among northern Indiana counties because of the high quality and standards of life our communities have established and enjoy while maintaining the rural characteristics of agriculture and natural resources.

Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) In July 2005, Indiana’s Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman initiated an effort through the Office of Community and Rural Affairs to create a vision and strategic framework for the future of rural Indiana. This framework helped guide the development of a document entitled, “Breaking the Boundaries: A Strategic Plan for Rural Indiana.” This document outlines a Vision for rural Indiana, seven Pillars (or Values) they embrace, and five Priorities for moving forward with their vision. Those items are listed here: OCRA’s Vision To work with local, state, and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to aid rural communities in shaping their vision for economic development.

“I envision a rural Indiana that is characterized by genuine economic opportunity, responsible stewardship of natural resources, and strong, sustainable communities that provide a high quality of life for those who call rural Indiana home. We cannot become a state of haves and have-nots. Achieving this vision will benefit all Hoosiers.”

- Lt. Governor Becky Skillman

OCRA’s Priorities • • • • •

Develop a strategy to attract and expand philanthropic capital Attract and retain entrepreneurial talent Generate creative practices/programs for rural workforce development Seek innovations in rural broadband development and deployment Expand health and human service delivery to reach marginalized populations

Seven Pillars • Regional Frameworks Challenges in rural Indiana seldom respect boundary lines.

The importance of high-speed Internet service doesn’t change when you cross the county line. Likewise, many rural Hoosiers live in one community, work in another and see the doctor, shop and recreate in still others. Yet all too often we compartmentalize our thinking and our efforts according to boundaries. In order to deal with such challenges effectively, we must begin to think and work regionally. We must go out of bounds - for the good of our communities, our regions and all of Indiana.

• Rural Innovation through Public and Private Entrepreneurship Rural communities need to adopt an attitude that says both “we can” and “it’s okay to try and fail.” In business, for example, we need to learn to grow our own jobs and not just rely on some outside company to move in and provide them. In public service, we need to stop relying on “the way things have always been done” and start coming up with new ways that make better sense for today’s world. In education, we need to better integrate our schools and community colleges with our efforts in areas like economic development and health care.

• Civic Leadership and Engagement Leadership is critical to the future of rural communities. And by leadership, we mean all who serve their communities.

We must increase our pool of leaders and include people who have not had the opportunity to lead and serve in the past. We also must enhance the ability of all our leaders to serve. True leadership requires both the willingness to take bold, visionary, sometimes risky, steps as well as the willingness to really listen to those whom you serve. True leadership also empowers others to speak up and become involved and, in so doing, reinvigorates citizenship.

• Diversity, Access and Inclusiveness It isn’t enough for some to take part in making our communities better; nor is it enough for some to enjoy the fruits of a better community. We must ensure that everyone is not merely accepted, but invited, welcomed and even celebrated. That applies to participation in community decision-making, and it also applies to access to services.

• Asset-Based Community Development Rural Indiana has many assets upon which to build-people, churches, businesses, theaters, museums, hospitals, clinics, libraries, schools, community colleges, parks, rivers and more. However, we often overlook them. We need to identify these assets, see them as valuable and figure out how to leverage them for the good of the community.

• Youth Engagement While we worry and rail against the brain drain that takes our best and brightest away from us, we too often fail to involve our youth in making and implementing the decisions that shape our communities and their lives. If we want our children, teens and young adults to have a place to prosper, we need to involve them in building that place.

• Wealth Creation and Retention Used wisely, wealth builds the future. And contrary to popular belief, rural Indiana has wealth. We need to tap into that wealth and put it to use for the good of our communities and our citizens.

We can do that by identifying locally held wealth and providing the opportunity for donors to put their money to use locally.

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Goals and Objectives Goal 1. Attract and Recruit

Goods and Services

Closer to Home Objective 1: Work to attract a gas station.

Objective 2: Work to attract a grocery store and healthy food options (like a farmers’ market).

Objective 3: Attract more businesses and more jobs to San Pierre.

Objective 4: Attract quality health care services.

Objective 5: Attract tourists and visitors to San Pierre - by capitalizing on recreation - such as the JasperPulaski Fish & Wildlife Area - and by attracting bed & breakfasts and family friendly restaurants.

Objective 6: Attract businesses which support farming and agricultural activities in Railroad Township.

Goal 2. Retain and Support Existing Goods and Services in Town Objective 1: Support existing businesses and encourage their growth and livelihood in San Pierre: post office, library, kindergarten, veterinary office, churches, other local businesses.

Objective 2: Maintain and upgrade the San Pierre Park and its amenities: basketball court, baseball diamond, soccer goals, skateboarding, picnic areas, barbeque pits, the WPA-era amphitheater, public gathering spaces, and spaces to show movies in the park.

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Goal 3. Support Growth at the Center of Town and Preserve Open Space

at the Edges of Town Objective 1: Continue to build upon the close proximity of services near Eliza Street and Broadway Street in the center of San Pierre. Preserve agricultural lands, open spaces, recreational areas, forested areas, and wildlife habitats in Railroad Township.

Objective 2: Maintain and upgrade public space and infrastructure near the town center: sidewalks, street lights, street trees, landscaping, and benches.

Objective 3: Develop walking trail systems within the town center to connect existing and future amenities.

Develop hiking and biking trails outside of town, connecting the town center with the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape.

(see also Goal 5) Objective 4: Restore dilapidated properties near the town center. These properties pose a danger to public health, safety and welfare. They also create an eyesore at the entry to town, and contribute to a negative public image of San Pierre.

Objective 5: Continue to strengthen existing residential neighborhoods surrounding the town center.

Work to renovate and rehabilitate aging properties, and promote landscaping and yard clean-up in these areas. Encourage new houses to be built within existing neighborhoods in San Pierre, rather than throughout Railroad Township.

Goal 4. Celebrate the Unique History of San Pierre Objective 1: Renovate, restore, and preserve buildings and structures of historic significance: the San Pierre Bank, Our Lady of Holy Cross, railroad right-of-ways, cemeteries and churches, historic houses, the WPA-era amphitheater, and other places of historic significance to the town’s past.

Objective 2: Revive the town’s history through unique events and celebrations.

The San Pierre High School Reunion is a wonderful event that brings the community together through celebrating its history and sharing the memories of its shared past. Other past events mentioned by residents of San Pierre can be revived, such as movie nights in the park, the Halloween community bonfire, sporting events in the park, community dances, and holiday gatherings.

Objective 3: Form a San Pierre Historical Society. Coordinate efforts with the Starke County Historical Society, which has already assembled tremendous resources telling the local history of the area. Continue to record, preserve and share the unique memories of the residents of San Pierre.

Goal 5. Support Healthy Lifestyles and a

Healthy Environment Objective 1: Develop walking and biking trails to connect amenities in town. Trail systems also have the benefit of connecting to the town’s railroad history (Goal 4) and to surrounding natural resources like the JasperPulaski Fish & Wildlife Area (Goal 3).

Objective 2: Maintain and upgrade public space and infrastructure to promote walking and biking near the Park and the town center: sidewalks, street lights, street trees, landscaping, and benches.

Objective 3: Maintain and upgrade the San Pierre Park and its amenities: basketball court, baseball diamond, soccer goals, skateboarding, picnic areas, barbeque pits, the WPA-era amphitheater, public gathering spaces, and spaces to show movies in the park.

Objective 4: Ensure clean air and clean water in San Pierre. Ensure quality drinking water through regular well testing. Monitor clean air quality from nearby industrial sites (particularly from the nearby Wheatfield Power Plant) through regular testing. Monitor potential groundwater contamination through regular testing. (Many such programs are available through state universities, Purdue University Extension, and nonprofit organizations.)

Goal 6. Support and Nurture Youth Programs in

San Pierre Objective 1: Support events at the San Pierre Kindergarten.

Objective 2: Support events at the NJSP Schools and encourage their events to take place in San Pierre.

Objective 3: Encourage NJSP community service projects to take place in San Pierre.

Objective 4: Support youth-related activities at the San Pierre Library.

Objective 5: Encourage scouting and other boys and girls club activities in the area.

Objective 6: Support other local youth events, such as those at the Art Circle Institute and CROPS-led youth activities.

Objective 7: Revive little league ballgames, youth basketball leagues, and youth soccer games in the San Pierre Park.

Goal 7. Promote San Pierre, its Vision and its Values Objective 1: Develop a community kiosk or message board to share information about local events, opportunities, and activities.

Objective 2: Develop a website to share information about San Pierre with alumni, former residents, and others outside of San Pierre.

Objective 3: Support local events and activities which help bring the community together, such as the San Pierre Fire Department Fish Fry, creation of a farmer’s market, reviving past community events like movies in the park and the Halloween bonfire, and continuing the San Pierre High School reunion.

Goal 8. Continue Community Involvement in the Revitalization of

San Pierre Objective 1: Continue to meet as a community on a regular basis to discuss and act upon issues facing San Pierre and Railroad Township. As an unincorporated community, the collective voice of the residents will carry the most political weight with decision-makers at the county, state and federal levels.

Objective 2: Gather as a community to review capital improvement projects that will have a significant impact on the future of San Pierre. Capital improvements are substantial public works projects and property developments that will require significant disruption in the normal operations of the town in order to be realized. Roadway improvements, sewer systems, large subdivision developments, and new industrial complexes are some typical capital improvement projects. Some jurisdictions define a capital improvement as a project that will cost more than $1 million and/or cause disruptions to a community for one year or more. Other jurisdictions define the cost of a project as low as anything costing over $100,000.

The residents of San Pierre need to continue to voice their concerns and weigh the pros and cons about such developments that will significantly impact their future.

Land Use Plan The land use plan for future development San Pierre is simple and straightforward. It identifies areas for potential growth, and builds upon both the historical organization of the town (commercial activities centered around the commons), and its current organization (social, cultural, civic and spiritual activities centered around Eliza Street and Broadway Street) connecting the town park to the town commons and US 421. Future commercial development should strengthen the existing downtown commercial core and further develop the Main Street character facing US 421. Residential growth and rehabilitation of existing housing stock should be encouraged within existing residential neighborhoods. The yellow area below covers an area roughly 1/2 mile by 1/2 mile, or a quarter section of land, supporting the central commercial core. Future growth and development should be targeted within or very near this area. Surrounding agricultural and natural resources should be preserved and supported whenever possible. Trail systems can then connect existing and future amenities, promote healthy lifestyles, and attract tourists to the area.

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Community Assets Center for Rural Outreach and Public Service (CROPS) One of the strongest assets for the community of San Pierre is the continued dedication of the Center for Rural Outreach and Public Service (CROPS) and its Director, Beverly Santicola.

CROPS has helped form the San Pierre Revitalization Project to promote economic development, tourism, and community health by capitalizing on the existing assets of the community. A professional grant writer by trade, Beverly works tirelessly, donating her own time and expertise, to secure grants and funding for San Pierre Revitalization Projects.

Since the Revitalization Project began in March 2005, the following groups have donated to the revitalization of San Pierre: • United States Department of Agriculture - Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs

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People and Events • United States Department of Health and Human Services - Administration for Children and Families • United States Department of Health and Human Services - Health Resources and Services Administration • Indianapolis Colts • Indiana Youth Institute • Ball Brothers Foundation • Starke County Community Foundation • San Pierre Athletics • Kankakee Valley REMC • Northern Indiana Public Service Corporation • Emil Smolek Farms • Memorial Contributions • In-kind Donations • Individual Donations

The San Pierre Revitalization Project, in developing plans for its “youth-led rural development initiative”, identified five existing assets in San Pierre: • an active and engaged youth, • the unique sandhill crane migration, • the town’s railroad history, • surrounding oak savannahs, and • a strong agricultural heritage We would add to this list an active and engaged community, as evidenced by the attendance and participation in town meetings for this planning process and the overwhelming participation in our community surveys. The citizens of San Pierre have also demonstrated their ability to organize and collectively voice their concerns to County and State agencies regarding the future development of their town, whether the issue be the straightening of US Highway 421 through the middle of town, or a proposal to build an ethanol plant nearby.

Many of the town’s favorite activities cited in town meetings and surveys include

community events already existing in San Pierre, as well as other events from the town’s past that provided excellent opportunities to gather with neighbors and enjoy the small-town quality of life in San Pierre. The semi-annual Volunteer Fire Department Fish Fry continues to attract thousands of people to San Pierre each year. Other past events that still evoke strong memories include: Movies in the Park, the annual Halloween bonfire, school dances, and little league games in the park. Many citizens expressed interest in reviving this part of the town’s history, and making it part of the town’s future as well.

San Pierre has another wonderful asset in the San Pierre High School Alumni. The alumni organization is connected to several hundred graduates living all across the country, many of whom gather each year in San Pierre for a high school reunion. The alumni raise money for scholarships for local youth to attend college, and continue to contribute to San Pierre in numerous ways well after their own school days are over.

Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area

Downtown - Past and Present Many small towns across America possess an often underappreciated asset - their downtown.

These collections of structures, often built to last 100 years or more, still stand. Some may need repair, but with a little attention, they will proudly serve their town for another 100 years.

Downtowns tell a great deal about who we are. They are often a visitor’s first impression of a place and the people who live there.

Whether the buildings are run-down or wellmaintained, whether the sidewalks are crumbling or walkable, whether the streetlights show the way or create pockets of darkness, whether

history is preserved or forgotten, all tell a great deal about those who call that place home.

San Pierre’s physical downtown district offers a wealth of potential commercial, cultural, historic, spiritual and social opportunities - all within walking distance. In downtown San Pierre you can find a Sears Catalog house, a bank robbed by John Dillinger, a WPA-built amphitheater, churches with congregations dating back to the 1860s, a veterinarian’s office in a 1960s bank building, health care facilities in an old grocery store, a post office, a library, a restaurant, used cars, and historic cars restored.

A unique asset to the San Pierre community is its close proximity to the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area. Although the Wildlife Area straddles two counties (Jasper and Pulaski), it actually sits closer to San Pierre than to any other town. Run by the Department of Natural Resources - Division of Fish and Wildlife, Jasper-Pulaski maintains 8,062 acres of wetland, upland and woodland game habitat. The area was designated as a game farm and game preserve in the 1930s. Hunting began at the property in 1958, and in 1965, the area was designated as a fish and game area. In 1972 the name was changed to the Japser-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area.

Two observation towers provide great viewing points to see the roughly 20,000 sandhill cranes that stop here every year during their fall migration between Florida and Canada. The cranes begin arriving as early as August, and stay for three to four weeks on their way south. By mid-Novemebr, the peak fall viewing time, cranes will number between 15,000 and 30,000. They return again in February and March as they head north for the summer. Each year thousands of bird lovers from across the US and from overseas flock to the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area to observe this spectacle.

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Liabilities Urban Sprawl vs. Small-town Character

Soil and Water

The most notable liability for San Pierre is its long distance from goods, services, and jobs. Our surveys showed a commute time averaging 33.7 minutes each way, or 67.4 minutes round trip. For every 5 people with no commute - those who walk to work or work at home - that means five people have a commute of over an hour each way. One resident at a town meeting said he leaves at 4 am every morning to drive three hours to Chicago. Most residents of San Pierre shop in North Judson, Knox, Valparaiso, or as far away as Michigan City, over an hour to the north. The most noted needs in San Pierre are gas and groceries. One woman at a town meeting said, “I have to spend a quarter of a tank of gas just to get to the filling station and back.” Most would rather shop for groceries in Valparaiso, rather than succumb to the unhealthy choices available at closer convenience stores. Even though San Pierre and Railroad Township are largely agricultural, there is no farmers’ market in town to buy and sell these locally-grown healthy foods.

Another major concern for San Pierre is its proximity to the sprawling metropolitan area of Chicago, Illinois. Some maps of Chicago’s metropolitan region stretch as far south as Kouts, and some even include San Pierre within their boundaries. The map below left, for example [ from www.vplants.org ], depicts an area containing all plant forms in the region that are collected and cataloged in the Field Museum of Natural History, the Morton Arboretum, and the Chicago Botanical Gardens. Other maps - of ecosystems like the Kanakee Watershed, or of real estate markets - stretch from Michigan to Illinois. Some maps actually stretch into Wisconsin. Many San Pierre residents noted in town meetings and in survey responses that they chose to live in San Pierre because of its rural character and small-town way of life. They do not want to become a suburb of Chicago, do not want large developments, and the influences of the big city to invade their town.

Fortunately, most recent studies show the sprawl around Chicago growing primarily east and north, and not toward the southwest. However, the area’s affordable real estate, low crime rates, and high quality of life, will continue to make northwest Indiana a desirable location for those looking for opportunities outside of the big city. In the last year alone, three 40 acre family farms in Railroad Township were listed for sale. These properties could easily become industrial plants, sprawling housing developments, or big-box retail malls, or they could remain agricultural in their use, and retain the existing character of San Pierre and the township.

2008 saw widespread flooding in Northwest Indiana, reminding us of the fragility of our natural environment. Much of the land surrounding San Pierre and Railroad Township is marshy - good for certain agricultural uses and ideal for migrating sandhill cranes, but less than desirable for large-scale development. The Starke County Comprehensive Land Use Plan of 2003 identified potential flood hazard areas in the County, most notably along the Kankaee River and its tributaries to the north of San Pierre (shown in green in the map on the next page). The Starke County Plan also identified soil types in the County. Rairoad Township consists largely of two types of soil: MaumeeGilford-Watseka (the light blue areas in the map on the next page), and Plainfield-BremsMorocco (the dark blue areas in the map on the next page).

Soils in the Maumee-Gilford-Watseka association are nearly level, very poorly to somewhat poorly drained soils formed in sandy deposits on outwash plains. This soil type is used primarily for cultivated crops and its potential for this use is fair. It’s major limitations for crops are ponding, wetness, droughtiness, soil blowing, and susceptibility to frost. The soil is considered poor for building sites, streets, and sanitary facilities due to wetness, ponding, poor filtering qualities, and frost action.

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The Plainfield-Brems-Morocco association consists of nearly level to strongly sloping soils.

These soils also developed from sandy deposits in outwash plains. Plainfield soils typically occupy higher areas of the landscape, while Morocco soils lie in lower areas. The association’s soils range from excessively drained (Plainfield soils) to somewhat poorly drained (Morocco). Soils in this association are generally unsuitable for cultivated crops due to their droughtiness and vulnerability to wind blown erosion. Regarding urban uses the soil type is fair for building sites, streets and sanitary facilities. The limitations for urban uses include slope, poor filtering, wetness, and frost action.

According to a preliminary geologic evaluation of mineral resources and land usability parameters prepared by the Indiana Geological Survey, the surficial geology and topography in Starke County was determined during the glacial activities of Pleistocene Age (12,000 to 15,000 years ago). The geology of most of Starke County consists of coarse-grained glacial outwash, primarily sand, with pockets of organic muck and peat underlain at depths varying from 5 to more than 50 feet by an extensive layer of glacial till. At the base of the sand in many areas is a layer of cobbles or boulders. The buried till is of loam and finer texture. The bedrock of Indiana is primarily limestone, dolostone, sandstone, and shale bedrock deposited during the Paleozoic and

Statewide Initiatives Mesozoic eras. The bedrock under San Pierre and Railroad Township consists of Antrim Shale.

Water is generally at a shallow depth in Starke County, especially in low-lying areas, at less than 25 feet below the surface. This contributes to drainage problems in these areas. There is a high potential for ground water contamination in the county due to the high water table and low relief. Also, the surficial materials are relatively coarse and permeable. The floodplains are especially susceptible to contamination due to their permeability and because surface water in floodplain depressions is in direct hydraulic contact with ground water. However, a sand and gravel

aquifer is located beneath a clayey subsurface till layer and is generally used for water supply. The subsurface till layer protects the water supply from fluctuations due to periods of heavy precipitation or drought and from surface contamination. Wells that are not below the subsurface till layer but instead are in the highly permeable, coarse surficial materials are much more susceptible to failure from drought conditions and to surface contamination.

Due to the permeability and shallow water table in most of Starke County, the area is not considered suited for sanitary landfills. The ground water would be highly susceptible to contamination from the landfill leachate.

INDOT is planning a long-term initiative, Next Moves, which will create an underground network of utility corridors that can assist Indiana’s economic growth. These proposed underground pipelines will run underneath existing and former railroad beds, underneath Interstate and US highways, underneath Indiana trail systems, and will carry in separate pipelines: ethanol, fresh water, waste water and storm water, slurry, animal waste, and internet communication lines. A map of underground gas and oil pipelines already in place in Indiana is shown below.

Indiana’s Department of Agriculture vision statement suggests: “Double hog production

by adopting breakthrough technologies in environmental and animal welfare management.”

Pork production in the state is increasing given this encouragement. In addition, Indiana is the fastest growing dairy producing state in the nation. In addition to adding jobs in rural Indiana and helping rural economies, there are and will continue to be environmental challenges associated with rapid livestock production expansions. With just over 6 million residents and nearly that many hogs already in Indiana, any livestock expansion must be done thoughtfully. A map of the current locations of Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) is shown below.

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Strategies for Success Small Town Success Stories from Across the United States

Controlling Growth Education As A Priority

Teen Buys Grocery Store In Minnesota

In December 2006, 17-year-old Nick Graham bought the only grocery store in the small town of Truman, Minnesota (pop. 1,259). With help from a nonprofit agency and $10,000 he saved from doing odd jobs, the high school senior bought and reopened the store a month ago, making him “something of a hometown hero.” Graham has hired grocery staff, worked after school and weekends, and still played football on the Truman high school’s nine-man football team. Locals many far older than Graham - credit him with restoring life to the town’s struggling Main Street and saving them a 24-mile roundtrip to another store. “I can’t count the number of people who helped stock shelves, price items and clean this place up.” Graham says as he bags a customer’s groceries.

When he came up with the idea, his classmates, well ... “I kind of thought he was crazy, at first,” says his friend Nathan. Would they spend their money to open a grocery store? “Probably not,” says Ashley Clow. Now, though, the locals flock back, loving the convenience. Snipping away nearby, hair stylist Tiffany Taylor says Graham has given Main Street a real shot in the arm. “There was nothing going on downtown, and now there’s a lot more business,” she says. And Graham is teaching classmates a lesson they don’t ordinarily get. “It isn’t about Nick” says economics teacher Jim Utermarck. “It’s about the town of Truman.

The reason he bought the grocery store is he wants to help the town of Truman. What more can you ask for?” [ For more information, visit: www.msnbc.com ]

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Supporting Local Businesses

Many communities are giving up waiting on large corporations or government to invest or provide jobs, and are instead building on their own strengths and resources. The people of Ithaca, New York (pop. 29,287) have done so by issuing their own paper currency, called Ithaca HOURS. Residents list the goods or services they have to offer in a large catalog - and then use the HOURS they earn to purchase goods and services from others. For some, this barter system provides a crucial margin of financial support. For others, it’s a great way to meet people and build a sense of community. All find their spending habits redirected locally. The Ithaca HOUR is Ithaca’s $10 bill, because $10 per hour is the average of wages/salaries in Tompkins County.

These HOUR notes, in four denominations, buy plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, roofing, nursing, chiropractic care, child care, car and bike repair, food, eyeglasses, firewood, gifts, and thousands of other goods and services. The local credit union accepts them for mortgage and loan fees. People pay rent with HOURS. The best restaurants in town take them, as do movie theaters, bowling alleys, health clubs, two large locally-owned grocery stores, and 30 farmers’ market vendors. Since 1991, the town has issued over $50,000 of their own local paper money, to over 950 participants in the program. [ For more information, visit: www.ithacahours.org ]

The unincorporated village of Hartley, Texas, a panhandle community of barely 300, has kept itself alive principally by maintaining a good local school. Their effort illustrates a strong belief in, and support of, education. This town could have easily disappeared by the standards of size and location.

Instead, residents taxed themselves at a rate higher than any other school district in the state to make sure their own school provided the best education possible.

The investment paid off when a new state aid to education formula rewarded schools where students were succeeding. In addition, as a result of the school district’s reputation, enrolment has increased by more than 50 percent in the last 10 years.

- Milan Wall, “Clues to Small Town Revival”

Save Passamaquoddy Bay

Citizens of Eastport, Maine (pop. 1,640), the easternmost town in the United States, have gathered momentum to help fight a proposed International Gas Terminal and Tanker Operation in the Passamaquoddy Bay. Fearing the negative impact of this large industrial facility on their environmentally sensitive harbor, concerned citizens have formed the 3 Nation Alliance (Canada, the United States, and the Passamaquoddy Indian Nation) to raise awareness of, and lobby for, their concerns for the future of their town. They have begun raising money to support their efforts and started a website to share progress with others: [ For more information, visit: www.savepassamaquoddybay.org ]

Boulder City, Nevada (pop. 16,206) lies twenty miles from the city of Las Vegas - one of the most rapidly growing cities in the U.S. Fearing urban sprawl would negatively impact the small-town character of their city, local officials implemented a Controlled Growth Ordinance in 1979, placing a 2% annual cap on future development.

The city issues no more than 120 building permits per year, and hotels are restricted to having no more than 35 rooms. [ For more information, visit: www.bcnv.org ]

Saving Main Street

In 1986, Bonaparte, Iowa’s (pop. 458) major downtown retail establishment, White’s Shopping Center, announced that it was closing its doors. Four community members - a downtown businessman, a hometown lawyer, a life-long Bonaparte resident, and an industry manager - took it upon themselves to form a for-profit corporation devoted to the business expansion of downtown Bonaparte. Naming the corporation Township Stores, Inc., each of them contributed $2,000 to the cause. With public support, Township Stores expanded into a broad-based, community-owned corporation in which no individual could invest more than $2,000. In a matter of three weeks the town had raised $100,000.

With 17,000 square feet of retail space, Township Stores began renovation for the reopening of downtown businesses. The once vacant buildings are now occupied by a grocery store, hardware store, medical clinic, school administrative offices, two condominiums, two insurance agencies, a hair salon, and a community meeting hall. All of the money invested in the buildings came from local sources and all of the businesses serve local needs. [ For more information, visit: www.bonaparte-iowa.com ]

Municipal Wind Turbine

Farmers Market

The small town of Stella, Missouri (pop. 187), is a unique living laboratory that is testing the sustainable development potential of similar communities, based on a planning model developed

by EPA researchers in cooperation with local residents. The Stella master plan provides a baseline of environmental, economic, and social variables by which to evaluate the sustainability of Stella’s development over the next decade.

One of the goals of the Stella plan is to organize a local farmers’ market to compensate for the lack of a grocery store in town and to create interaction with area farmers. The project involves organizing a cooperative to contract with farmers to grow food for local consumers, creating a distribution network, advertising, and developing space for market tables and tents.

Other goals include creating community gardens; restoring their stream bank park with native plants and recreational activities; creating wetlands to purify wastewater; recycling grey water for irrigation, lawn use, and car washing; building a new veterans’ memorial; and concentrating commercial, institutional, and public activities in a core area within walking distance from a common parking area.

The plan was adopted in 2007, and the focus of a National Building Museum exhibition in 2009. [ For more information, visit: www.epa.gov ]

Ocean Gate, New Jersey (pop. 2,076) sits on the south bank of the Toms River, where renowned sailors come to play with the wind as it marries in a swirl with Barnegat Bay. The town will soon harness those fierce gusts to help pay energy costs. By the end of this summer, officials here plan to have built New Jersey’s first municipal wind turbine. Costing about $300,000, the initiative is being lauded by environmentalists and energy conservation groups and may inspire other municipalities to consider building their own wind turbines. Thirty percent of the cost will be paid through state energy grants. The remainder is expected to be financed by a 10-year bond. According to Mayor Paul Kennedy, “As a town, Ocean Gate has taken a step forward to do something that in the long run can help this town and the environment and, in turn, may spur other municipalities to do the same thing.

Some people laughed at us at first, but now we get calls all the time from other municipalities interested in talking to them about what we are doing.”

Solar Powered Street Lights

The town of Dania, Florida (pop. 28,831) has decided that solar-powered street lights would be a good investment, considering the threat of hurricanecaused power outages. Dania will invest $1 million in the improvements, and city officials believe that’s money well-spent after the power outages caused by 2005’s Hurricane Wilma. City public works director Dominic Orlando said the project, expected to be completed within four months, is among infrastructure improvements requested by residents of the area, which the city annexed in 2001. The city decided to launch the solar program after Florida Power & Light couldn’t quickly restore power and repair damaged poles following Hurricane Wilma in October 2005.

The project is being funded by a grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Green Collar Jobs Wind Powers 123% of Town’s Energy

Rock Port, Missouri, (pop. 1,300), made history by being the first city in the US to be 100% powered by the wind, also making them #1 in the US for percentage of renewable energy. The Loess Hills Wind Farm, built by the Wind Capital Group, employing 500 workers from 20 states for about a year, is expected to produce about 16 million kilowatt hours annually, while Rock Port only uses 13 million. The excess wind power will be sold to other communities in the area.

Green Recovery

The town of Greensburg, Kansas (pop. 1,452) was nearly obliterated by an F5 tornado in May 2007.

But turning the devastation into an opportunity, the city is looking to make its mark by rebuilding as a green community. The city has mandated that all city buildings larger than 4,000 sq. ft. must be built to LEED-Platinum level standards and must have an energy performance level at least 42% better than current building code requirements.

“The city of Greensburg has taken the extraordinary step of committing to rebuild their community to a new vision, not settling for simply recreating what had gone before,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “By committing to a recovery plan based on green building, the community’s leadership has set a path that will result in a healthier, more livable city for its citizens, turning a crisis into an opportunity that is an example for us all.”

A documentary on the town’s reconstruction, called Greensburg, airs on Planet Green, a sister network of Discovery Channel. [ For more information on USGBC visit: www.usgbc.org/LEED ]

Green collar jobs are blue collar jobs in green businesses - that is, manual labor jobs in businesses whose products and services directly improve environmental quality. Green collar jobs are located in large and small for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations, social enterprises, and public sector institutions. Green collar jobs represent an important new category of work force opportunities because they are relatively high quality jobs, with relatively low barriers to entry, in sectors that are poised for dramatic growth. The combination of these three features means that cultivating green collar jobs can be an effective strategy to provide men and women with access to good jobs that provide meaningful, community serving work, living wages, benefits, and advancement opportunities. Twenty-two different sectors of the U.S. economy currently provide workers with green collar jobs. These sectors include: 1) Bicycle repair and bike delivery services 2) Car and truck mechanic jobs, production jobs, and gas-station jobs related to bio-diesel, vegetable oil and other alternative fuels 3) Energy retrofits to increase energy efficiency and conservation 4) Food production using organic and/or sustainably grown agricultural products 5)Furniture making from environmentally certified and recycled wood 6) Green building 7) Green waste composting on a large scale 8) Hauling and reuse of construction and demolition materials and debris (C&D) 9) Hazardous materials clean up 10) Green (sustainable) landscaping 11) Manufacturing jobs related to large scale production of a wide range of appropriate technologies (i.e. solar panels, bike cargo systems, green waste bins, etc.)

12) Materials reuse/producing products made from recycled, non-toxic materials 13) Non-toxic household cleaning in residential and commercial buildings 14) Parks and open space maintenance and expansion 15) Printing with non-toxic inks and dyes and recycled papers 16) Public transit jobs 17) Recycling 18) Solar installation and maintenance 19) Tree cutting and pruning 20) Peri-urban and urban agriculture 21) Water retrofits to increase water efficiency and conservation 22) Whole home performance (i.e: HVAC, attic insulation, weatherization, etc.

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Historic Renovation as Economic Engine

The Ohio Mural Corridor

When Geoff Schenkel first started painting murals with 300 kids from Harmar Elementary School in Marietta, Ohio (pop. 14,515) he never dreamed it would turn into a three-year project. Schenkel began working with kids from Harmar School in December, 1993. The purpose of the mural project was to visually connect the town’s past and present through a series of drawings. But it turned out to be much more. Each child contributed something to the murals, a ray of sunlight from one kid or a wispy cloud lacing through the sky from another.

And the community of Marietta was bound together in important ways. Each panel grew to represent the hard work, and diverse contributions of the community. The project was so successful, Rural Action, a non-profit organization decided to sponsor Schenkel’s vision. The next stop for the project was Main Street in the small-town of Shawnee, Ohio (pop. 608). There, Schenkel worked with kids from a youth summer camp to depict Shawnee’s present and future in the murals.

Three years and several cans of paint later, the project has spanned into other small Ohio communities. Shenkel is currently working with Trimble Local School District, collecting drawings from elementary students in Trimble, Ohio (pop. 466). Murals are in the works for the towns of Jacksonville (pop. 544) and Glouster, Ohio (pop. 1,972). Eventually, Rural Action envisions creating an “Appalachian corridor” of murals. [ For more information, visit: www.ruralaction.org ]

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Community leaders raising money for the restoration of the McPherson Opera House in McPherson, Kansas (pop. 13,770), found that tourists who seek out historic properties on their trips spend 1.86 as much in the local area as do tourists not interested in history. Historic tourists tend to stay in bed and breakfasts rather than in the cheaper hotels out by the Interstate. They shop at antique stores rather than Wal-Mart. They tend to eat at a local restaurant rather than McDonalds. And they tend support local shops rather national retail chains.

Kids With Cameras

Kids with Cameras is a non-profit organization that teaches the art of photography to marginalized children around the world. They use photography to capture the imaginations of children, to empower them, building confidence, self-esteem and hope.

They share their vision and voices with the world through exhibitions, books, websites and film.

By linking with local organizations, they work to strengthen the children’s education and general well-being, providing financial support through sales of their prints or by developing their own home towns with a focus on leadership and the arts.

Below is a photograph from a similar project, run by BD Wortham, a professor at the University of Maryland, with the fifth grade class in Hyattsvile, Maryland (pop. 14,733). Students were given cameras and asked to capture on film what matters most about where they live. The results showed front porches, big trees in the local park, gatherings with friends, and many views out of the back seats of their parents cars. An exhibition of the children’s photographs was held in Hyattsville to show the community and civic leaders an important, and oft overlooked, viewpoint of their home town.

Revitalizing Patterson Park

Strength in Numbers

Occasionally, very small towns come together to create destinations larger than themselves. In Iowa, the Villages of Van Buren County, the Amana Colonies, and the Bridges of Madison County, all found that collectively they attract more visitors and more businesses than they do alone. Few will travel to a remote town to visit one covered bridge, but when you tally up all the covered bridges in Madison County, perhaps it’s worth a trip. There are dozens of antique stores, restaurants, and recreation opportunities in Van Buren County, even though there is only one stop light in the entire county, and no one town has a population over 1,000.

Local Residents Reclaim Neighborhood Park

In Las Vegas, Nevada, local residents came together to reclaim Huntridge Circle Park, which had become rundown and taken over by the homeless.

They redesigned the park, adding new activities and amenities, raised funds, gained political support from the City and County, and built the changes themselves. They added a bandshell and barbeque area for adults, a labyrinth, climbing balls and fountains for kids, all encircled by a walking trail.

Local artists were commissioned to paint the picnic tables and add public sculpture. The local fourth grade class painted the restroom building with murals, which has also been effective in curtailing graffiti. As a result of bringing the community together to rebuild their own park, local residents now think of the park as theirs, and use this community gathering space much more than before.

Founded in 1996, the Patterson Park Community Development Corporation (PPCDC) has designed, renovated, and completed over 350 rowhomes in the Patterson Park Neighborhood of East Baltimore, Maryland, over the past 12 years. The PPCDC has invested $70 million dollars in the community including restoring the park itself, buying and selling homes surrounding the park, creating affordable rental properties, and helping local residents purchase their own home. They also sponsor community programs such as street art, alley cleanings, and arts and education programs. Their mission is to develop and implement strategies that attract, retain, and support good neighbors in the Patterson Park community. Their underlying philosophy focuses on the importance of local control to a community’s destiny. As such, their cornerstone programs begin with the acquisition of local housing stock - to prevent it from falling into the hands of oftendestructive absentee landlords. The houses they buy are then developed into quality properties to rent and own.

Their ultimate goal is to create a community that people seek out - a community in which to live, work, and play. [ For more information, visit: www.ppcdc.org ]

Mayor Fights for more Neighborhood Control

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need. Habitat has built more than 250,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.

Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans.

The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses. Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor - sweat equity - into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.

Habitat for Humanity’s work is accomplished at the community level by affiliates - independent, locally run, nonprofit organizations. Each affiliate coordinates all aspects of Habitat home building in its local area - fund raising, building site selection, partner family selection and support, house construction, and mortgage servicing.

Below, students from UNC-Charlotte work on a new energy saving Habitat for Humanity home in Chatham County, North Carolina. [ For more information, visit: www.habitat.org ]

Targeting Investment in Redevelopment Areas

Prior to 1999, Richmond, Virginia stretched $7 million of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) HOME funds over 20 different neighborhoods throughout the city. Since 2000, the City Council has worked with neighborhood associations to select six target neighborhoods, based on neighborhood condition and revitalization potential. By targeting certain areas, average neighborhood funding increased, and noticeable results were achieved more quickly. Federal dollars leveraged investments from over 15 housing providers such as Habitat for Humanity, the Interfaith Housing Corporation, and other community development corporations.

By targeting their redevelopment, Richmond saw Safer Neighborhoods - a 17-percent drop in crime from 2000–2002 (versus five percent for the rest of the city), Increased Property Values – resulting in a 19-percent increase in assessed real estate values from 1998 to 2002, and Safer Housing – a 68-percent decrease in properties with code violations from 1999 to 2002.

Jeremy Harris served as Mayor of Honolulu, Hawaii from 1994 to 2004.

Under his leadership, Honolulu was named “America’s Greatest City” by the official American governance journal, Governing Magazine. Harris is recognized as having executed the first government system overhaul in Honolulu history. He reorganized all municipal departments and streamlined all services provided by the city and county. Harris has the distinction of being the only mayor to be elected more than once as United States Public Administrator of the Year by the American Society of Public Administration.

Twice, Honolulu’s The Bus was honored as America’s Best Transportation System. Other foremost national societies named Honolulu first on the list of Kid Friendly Cities as well as the most digitally and technologically advanced city in the United States. Mayor Harris also curtailed urban sprawl by reforming the system of land use planning to preserve open spaces and agricultural districts. Harris’ most ambitious project was 21st Century Oahu: A Shared Vision for the Future. 21st Century Oahu is a community based visioning program where neighborhoods would be given more control over their own community development, urban planning and beautification projects. Hundreds of public safety, environment, transportation, cultural and recreation construction is currently underway as an outgrowth of Harris’ 21st Century Oahu project.

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Visions of San Pierre’s Future Gas and Grocery

Bicycle friendly, pedestrian friendly ‘trails’ through town connect commercial and residential areas and promote a healthy lifestyle. Solar street lights provide safe paths for travel without high electric bills.

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The artist’s renderings on the following pages portray a possible future for San Pierre based on the Vision and Values, and the Goals and Objectives, outlined in the San Pierre Comprehensive Masterplan.

These images build upon the existing assets in and around San Pierre and attempt to provide a vision for what its future might look like.

Small grocery stores can sell typical household items as well as food and beverages. They also create places for temporary markets selling fruits & vegetables, flowers, flea markets, and local bake sales.

“Park-once environments” allow visitors to park their car in a centrally located area, then walk to many nearby shops. As such, they tend to become a hub of social and commercial activity. Gas stations can be well-connected to other town services in this way.

Permeable ground surfaces - such as gravel or cobblestones - are good for soils. They distribute run-off in areas without sewer systems, as paved surfaces dry the soil beneath them and have a tendency to create flooding in adjacent areas.

Historic Railroad Crossing - New Depot & Trailhead

As much as possible, work to preserve open space, forests and agricultural lands at the edges of town.

Information kiosks and public sign boards announce local events at locations in town where people tend to gather. Signs can promote upcoming movies in the park, a regularly scheduled farmers’ market, the Volunteer Fire Department’s Semi-Annual Fish Fry, and other community events.

The historic crossing of the New York Central and Monon Railroads can be marked with a special trail crossing, perhaps with something as simple as a change in surface material.

The original passenger depot, freight houses and grain elevator which once marked this important spot no longer exist. It is possible, however, to reconstruct a depot structure to serve as a trailhead for travelers on the San Pierre Trail System. This structure could provide bicycle rental and repair, kiosks for tourist information and trail maps, and a location for community events.

Located along US 421 at the south edge of town, the depot could also serve as a welcome center to San Pierre.

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Main Street Improvements - Eliza Street

Trees are the lungs of our cities. They give off oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air. Street trees cool sidewalks on hot summer days, and warm our paths during winter months after their leaves have fallen.

Flowering trees mark the seasons with their fragrant blooms in the spring and their vibrant colors in the fall, creating an ever-changing town center.

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Street lights can also serve to inform the public about community events with colorful banners and signs. Benches provide places to sit and watch the world go by. A main street is not just a means to travel from A to B, but a place to inhabit, a place to meet your neighbor and to meet strangers, a place to occupy and to enjoy. A good street is a lot like a good front porch. A good street should be lived in.

Cobblestones maintain healthy soils beneath their surface, and cause automobiles to slow down, creating safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists.

Despite common misconceptions, cobblestone streets do not cost any more to maintain than paved surfaces. In many cases, individual cobbles can be pried up, replaced and shimmed as streets weather and wear. They can even be plowed in the winter.

The historic corner bank building could be restored and reused as a community center. Studies show that visitors to historic properties tend to spend almost twice as much in a town as non-historicallyminded travelers. They tend to stay in B&Bs rather than at discount motels, they shop at antique stores rather than strip malls, and they eat at local diners rather than fastfood joints.

Streetscape Improvements - Our Lady of Holy Cross

Fast growing native trees and wildflowers can be used to line the roadway along US 421, creating a memorable and colorful entry into town. Currently, the only indication you are entering a town while traveling along US 421 are the signs that say ‘Reduce Speed Ahead.’

Locally produced ‘Welcome to San Pierre’ signs announce the arrival into town. Historic state and US highway signage helps travelers find their way, and hints at the historic nature of the upcoming town.

Former Monon Railroad right-of-way converted to a bicycle trail to the south end of town, and connects San Pierre to INDOT’s statewide trail system.

The Our Lady of Holy Cross health care facility recently closed after 47 years of service to the residents of northwest Indiana. This historic structure proudly stands on US 421 just south of town, and can still offer the residents of San Pierre a variety of possible future uses. Returning our historic structures to active daily use contributes to the quality of townlife in many ways, including providing opportunities to pass along our history from one generation to another. Every effort should be made to return this wonderful building to active service in the local community.

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New York Central Trail

Historic railroad mile-markers note the distances along the former railroad ‘right-of-way’ and remind travelers of San Pierre’s railroad past. Several ‘railsto-trails’ programs exist to assist local communities in reclaiming abandoned railbeds for hiking and biking trail systems. Utilizing existing infrastructure and erosion patterns, these trails are often minimally intrusive upon the surrounding landscape.

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Enhanced treelines on the north sides of the trail create a windbreak during winter months. Native trees and wildflowers create a changing scenery along the recreational trail during different seasons.

The trail frames views to local farms and sandhill crane habitats, informing travelers of the different species which have made use of this landscape for centuries.

The State of Indiana and the Department of Transportation have set a goal to provide an easily accessible trail opportunity within 15 minutes (or 7.5 miles) of every citizen in Indiana. The San Pierre Trail System will connect the residents of San Pierre to the Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area, Kankakee River State Park and Tippecanoe River State Park along this statewide network of trails.

Fish & Wildlife Trail - Picnic Shelter

Thousands of visitors travel each year to the nearby Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area. Hunters and fishermen will most likely drive to the facility with their sporting equipment, but birders and nature lovers can arrive in San Pierre first, and begin their journey to the Wildlife Area along a recreational trail.

They will return after their visit, and perhaps shop or dine in town before heading to their next destination.

Locally produced ‘Welcome to San Pierre’ signs welcome travelers back into town after a long journey. Other signs can note San Pierre’s relation to other destinations along the route, or tell interpretive stories about the wildlife one might see in the area.

The educational value of interpretive trails make them popular with school groups looking for healthy ways to educate their student body.

Large shade trees act as landmarks along the trail. Located at important crossings and rest stops along the route, they also provide shade for picnics and layover spots during long outings. Bicycle racks provide places to secure your bike, but more importantly signal to passing motorists that they are now in a ‘bicycle friendly’ community. Wellmaintained trails can quickly become a magnet for healthy-minded tourists and visitors to the area.

The design of picnic shelters, information kiosks, restroom facilities and sign posts along the trail rightof-way can speak of San Pierre’s railroad past by recalling Indiana’s depot architecture of the previous century. Parking lots provide places for motorists to stop and enjoy the natural beauty of San Pierre and its surrounding landscape. Environmentally friendly compost toilets can provide a much needed service to trail-goers, with little impact on the environment.

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San Pierre Park Improvements

The existing picnic shelter and basketball court on top of the hill in the San Pierre Park, and the baseball diamond at the bottom of the hill, are wonderful assets to the community to be preserved and maintained. Large oak trees, over 100 years old, remind park-dwellers of the days when the San Pierre School sat on this very same spot. The Park continues to serve as both an important historical marker and a vital part of daily life in San Pierre.

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The 1930’s semicircular stone amphitheatre seating, constructed by the WPA during the Depression, proudly sits on the third base side of the baseball diamond. This facility could also host revived ‘Movies in the Park’ events, or outdoor theater productions and musical events put on by students at the North Judson-San Pierre schools.

Plans for street lights in downtown San Pierre should include the lighting for the park as well.

Many students noted in town meetings and survey responses that by the time they get home from afterschool activities, the sun has gone down and park is already dark, no longer useful. The San Pierre Park should also become an important anchor for any Trail System in and through town.

If the WPA amphitheater seating is extended to include the first base side of the ball diamond, we would propose taking this opportunity to construct a skateboard facility for the youth of San Pierre. Built out of local stone, poured surfaces, and built-up ramps, stairs and pipes, this facility could become a destination for skateboarders throughout Starke County, providing opportunities for San Pierre’s younger generation to socialize and interact with others from around the area.

Monon Trail - Welcome Kiosk

Entries into San Pierre along US 421 frame views of local farms, natural beauty, and sandhill crane habitats. As an agricultural community, the first impressions of San Pierre should be of farming and the agricultural activities which dominate the surrounding landscape. Commercial and residential growth should be located close to the center of town to preserve these outlying areas for future agricultural and recreational uses.

One mile north and one mile south of San Pierre, the east-west Indiana State Route 10 connects with the north-south US Highway 421, and together follows the former Monon Railroad right-of-way into town. A Rails-to-Trails pathway allows hikers and bikers to travel safely in and out of town without disrupting automotive traffic. Native trees along the north and east sides of the road provide both a windbreak and a welcoming journey into San Pierre.

Depot-style information kiosks and trailheads, ‘Welcome’ signs, and historic state and federal highway markers, greet visitors to the area and provide a sense of place. The Joint Board of Interstate Highways adopted the six-point shield (five points above, one below) for US Highways in April, 1925. The original Indiana State Route marker was retired in the 1940s, yet some signs stayed in service well into the 1970s.

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Yellow Pages Local Resources Art Circle Institute Angelique Milo, President 5115 E 250 S, Knox, IN 46534 tel: (574) 806-0973 web: www.artcircle.org Center for Rural Outreach and Public Services (CROPS) Beverly Santicola, Executive Director 2890 South CR 210 Knox, IN 46534 tel: (866) 843-3493 fax: (713) 960-0537 web: www.ruralgrants.org Indiana General Assembly - State House Representative Nancy Dembowski (D-17), Knox Indiana House of Representatives 200 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (800) 382-9842 or (317) 232-9600 web: www.in.gov/legislative/house_democrats/

dembowski_index.html Indiana General Assembly - State Senate Senator Ed Charbonneau (R-5), Valparaiso 200 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (800) 382-9467 or (317) 232-9400 web: www.in.gov/S5 INDOT - Winamac Sub District 1651 North US 35, Winamac, IN 46996 tel: (574) 946-3732 fax: (574) 946-4581 Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area 5822 N. Fish and Wildlife Lane, Medaryville, IN 47957 tel: (219) 843-4841 web: www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/publications/jasper.htm North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation 801 Campbell Drive, North Judson, IN 46366 tel: (574) 896-2155 fax: (574) 896-2156 web: www.njsp.k12.in.us/njsp/site/default.asp

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North Judson-San Pierre Kindergarten Jeff Gangloff, Principal P.O. Box 6, 205 N Jackson, San Pierre, IN 46374 tel: (219) 828-4254 fax: (219) 828-4314 web: www.njsp.k12.in.us /142720419131412980/

site/default.asp North Judson-San Pierre Elementary School Liberty Site, grades 1-5 Principal: 809 W Talmer Ave, North Judson, IN 46366 tel: (574) 896-2128 fax: (574) 896-2129 web: www.njsp.k12.in.us /libertyel/site/default.asp North Judson-San Pierre Middle School grades 6-8 Annette Zupin, Principal 950 Campbell Dr, North Judson, IN 46366 tel: (574) 896-2167 web: www.njsp.k12.in.us /njspms/site/default.asp North Judson-San Pierre High School Principal: 900 Campbell Dr, North Judson, IN 46366 tel: (574) 896-2158 web: www.njsp.k12.in.us/njsphs/site/default.asp

San Pierre Railroad Township Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief: 201 North Fisher Street, San Pierre, IN 46374 tel: (219) 828-5843 Starke County Chamber of Commerce Anthony Manning, Director 400 North Heaton Street, Knox, IN 46534 tel: (574) 772-5548 fax: (574) 772-0867 web: www.starkechamber.com Starke County Community Foundation James Hardesty, Executive Director Knox Depot, 400 N. Heaton St., Knox, IN 46534 tel: (574) 772-3665 web: www.starkeccf.org Starke County Development Foundation Charles Weaver, Executive Director 4 N. Main / P.O. Box 53, Knox, IN 46534 tel: (574) 772-5627 fax: (574) 772-5912 web: www.starkecounty.com

Railroad Township Trustee Katherine Chaffins tel: (574) 896-2100 email: railroadtownshiptrustee@yahoo.com

Starke County Government Kent Danford, Kevin Kroft, Mark Milo - County Commissioners Courthouse Square, Washington Street, Knox, IN 46534 tel: (877) 733-2736 web: www.in-map.net/counties/STARKE/government/

index.htm

Purdue University - Starke County Extension Marilyn Wickert, County Extension Director 53 E. Washington Street, Knox, IN 46534-1149 tel: (574) 772-9141 or (574) 772-9142 fax: (574) 772-6900 web: www.ces.purdue.edu/starke/

Starke County Health Department Walter Fritz, MD - Health Officer 53 East Washington Street, Knox, IN 46534 tel: (574) 772-9137 web: www.in-map.net/counties/STARKE/government/ health_department.htm

Saint Peter Lutheran School Rhonda Reimers, Principal 810 W Talmer Ave, North Judson, IN 46366 tel: (574) 896-5933 fax: (574) 896-2082 http://www.stpeternorthjudson.com/

Starke County Highway Department Pete Stanojevic - Highway Superintendent 3835 East 250 North, Knox, IN 46534 tel: (574) 772-3011 fax: (574) 772-3891 web: www.in-map.net/counties/STARKE/government/

highway_department.htm

Starke County Historical Society James Shilling, President Marvin Allen, County Historian 401 South Main Street, Knox, IN 46534 tel: (574) 772-5393 web: www.starkehistory.com historical photos online: www.scpl.lib.in.us/historical/ Starke County Planning Commission Terry Ray Stephenson 53 East Mound Street, Knox, IN 46534 tel: (574) 772-9133 web: www.in-map.net/counties/STARKE/government/

planning_commission.htm Starke County Sheriff Sheriff Robert A. Sims 108 North Pearl Street, Knox, IN 46534 tel: (574) 772-3771 web: www.in-map.net/counties/STARKE/government/

sheriff.htm Starke County Tourism Foundation Anthony Manning, Coordinator Knox Welcome Center, 400 N. Heaton Knox, Indiana 46534 tel: (877) 733-2736 fax: (574) 772-0867 web: www.explorestarkecounty.com US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS) Knox Service Center Jim Schwanke, District Conservationalist 1406 South Heaton Street, Knox, IN 46534-2395 tel: (574) 772-3066 ext. 3 fax: (574) 772-7466 web: www.in.nrcs.usda.gov US Post Office Postmaster: 104 Eliza Street, San Pierre, IN 46374 tel: (800) 275-8777

Regional Resources Indiana Small Business Development Center Northwest Indiana SBDC Purdue Calumet Entrepreneurship Center 1247 169th Street, Hammond, IN 46324 tel: (219) 989-2121 fax: (219) 989-2101 web: www.nwisbdc.org Indiana Emergency Management Agency - District 2 Clyde Avery, Director 1900 Walter Glaub Drive, Plymouth IN 46563-9075 tel: (574) 936-3740 fax: (574) 936-8066

State Resources Northern Indiana Ecological Services Sub-Office of the US Fish & Wildlife Service Elizabeth McCloskey, Biologist P.O. Box 2616, Chesterton, IN 46304-5716 tel: (219) 983-9753 fax: 219-983-9816 Northern Indiana Educational Services Center Jack Davis, Executive Director 56535 Magnetic Drive, Mishawaka, IN 46545 tel: (574) 254-0111 fax: (574) 254-0148 web: www.niesc.k12.in.us

Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Laporte District P.O. Box 429, Laporte, IN 46352 tel: (219) 362-6125 fax: (219) 325-7516

Purdue University - Pulaski County Extension Michael Reetz, County Extension Director 125 S. Riverside, Winamac IN 46996-1528 tel: (574) 946-3412 or (574) 946-6449 fax: (574) 946-3680 web: www.ces.purdue.edu/pulaski/

Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission Edwin Buswell, Executive Director 115 East Fourth Street, Monon, IN 47959 tel: (219) 253-6658 fax: (219) 253-6659 web: www.kirpc.net

Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority Tim Sanders, Executive Director 9800 Connecticut Drive, Crown Point, IN 46307 tel: (219) 644-3500 fax: (219) 644-3502 web: www.in.gov/rda

Indiana Legal Services- South Bend 105 E. Jefferson Blvd., Suite 600 South Bend, IN 46601 tel: (574) 234-8121 or (800) 288-8121 (toll free) fax: (574) 239-2185 web: indianajustice.org

Northwest Indiana Community Action Corporation Gary Olund, Executive Director 5240 Fountain Drive, Crown Point, IN 46307 tel: (219) 794-1829 or (800) 826-7871 web: www.nwi-ca.com

Indiana State Police - Lowell District 13 1550 East 181st Avenue, Lowell, IN 46356 tel: (219) 696-6242 or (800) 552-8917

Northwest Indiana FORUM - Regional Economic Development Corporation Vince Galbiati, President & CEO 6100 Southport Road, Portage, Indiana 46368 tel: (219)763-6303 or (800) 693-6786 fax: (219)763.2653 web: www.nwiforum.org

Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission John Swanson, Executive Director 6100 Southport Road, Portage, Indiana 46368 tel: (219)763-6060 fax: (219)762-1653 web: www.nirpc.org

Governor of the State of Indiana Mitch Daniels, Governor Governor’s Residence 4750 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208 tel: (317) 931-3076 fax: (317) 283-1201 web: www.in.gov/gov/index.htm

USDA Rural Development - LaPorte Office (Serving Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Porter, and St. Joseph Counties) Steve Ballard, Rural Development Manager 100 Legacy Plaza West, LaPorte, IN 46350-5298 tel: (219) 324-6303 Ext. 4 fax: (219) 324-8317 web:

Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana Marsh Davis, President 340 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202 tel: (800) 450-4534 or (317) 639-4534 fax: (317) 639-6734 web: www.historiclandmarks.org

USDA Rural Development - Plymouth Office (Serving Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall, Pulaski, and Starke Counties) Melissa Christiansen, Rural Development Manager 2903 Gary Drive, Plymouth, IN 46563-1825 tel: (574) 936-2024 Ext. 4 fax: (574) 936-5715 web:

Indiana Arts Commission Lewis Ricci, Executive Director 150 West Market Street, #618, Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 232-1268 fax: (317) 232-5595 web: www.in.gov/arts Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter, Attorney General Indiana Government Center South 302 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 232-6201 fax: (317) 232-7979 web: www.in.gov/attorneygeneral Indiana Department of Education Suellen Reed, Superintendent of Public Instruction Room 229, State House, Indianapolis, IN 46204-2798 tel: (317) 232-6610 fax: (317) 232-8004 web: www.doe.in.gov Indiana Department of Homeland Security J. Eric Dietz, Executive Director web: www.in.gov/dhs Indiana Department of Revenue 100 N Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 233-4018 web: www.in.gov/dor

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State Resources (continued) Indiana Department of Labor Lori A. Torres, Commissioner Indiana Government Center - South 402 W. Washington Street, Room W195 Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 232-2655 or (800) 743-3333 fax: (317) 233-3790 web: www.in.gov/dol Indiana Department of Natural Resources Robert E. Carter, Jr., Director 402 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 232-4200 fax: (317) 233-8654 web: www.in.gov/dnr Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) 100 North Senate Avenue, Room IGCN 755 Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 232-5533 web: www.in.gov/indot Indiana Department of Veterans’ Affairs 302 W. Washington Street, Room E120 Indianapolis, IN 46204-2738 tel: (317) 232-3910 or (800) 400-4520 fax: 317-232-7721 web: www.in.gov/dva Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology James A. Glass, Deputy State Historic

Preservation Officer 402 West Washington Street, W274 Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2739 tel: (317) 232-1646 fax: (317) 232-0693 web: www.in.gov/dnr/historic Indiana Economic Development Corporation Nathan J. Feltman, Secretary of Commerce One North Capitol, Suite 700 Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 tel (317) 232-8800 or (800) 463-8081 fax (317) 232-4146 web: www.in.gov/iedc

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Indiana Historical Society John Herbst, President and CEO 450 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202 tel: (317) 232-1882 or (800) 447-1830 web: www.indianahistory.org

Indiana State Museum 650 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 232-1637 fax: (317) 232-7090 web: www.indianamuseum.org

Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority Sherri Seiwert, Executive Director 30 South Meridian, Suite 1000, Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (800) 872-0371 or (317) 232-7777 fax: (317) 232-7778 web: www.ihcda.in.gov

Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita, Secretary of State 201 Statehouse, Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 232-6531 fax: (317) 233-3283 web: www.in.gov/sos

Indiana Main Street Program Jo Grandel, Program Manager c/o Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affiars One North Capital, Suite 600 Indianapolis, IN 46204-2288 tel: (800) 824-2476 or (317) 232-8911 fax: (317) 233-3597 web: www.in.gov/ocra Indiana National Guard Major General R. Martin Umbarger Adjutant General of Indiana Joint Forces Headquarters, Stout Field 200 South Holt Road, Indianapolis, IN 46241-4839 tel: (317) 247-3300 web: www.inarng.org Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affiars Lt. Governor Becky Skillman, Secreatry of Agriculture and Rural Development David Terrell, Executive Director One North Capital, Suite 600 Indianapolis, IN 46204-2288 tel: (800) 824-2476 or (317) 232-8911 fax: (317) 233-3597 web: www.in.gov/ocra Indiana Office of Tourism Development Lt. Governor Becky Skillman, Director One North Capitol, Suite 600 Indianapolis, IN 46204-2288 tel: (800) 677-9800 fax: (317) 233-6887 web: www.in.gov/visitindiana

Indiana State Department of Agriculture Lt. Governor Becky Skillman, Secreatry of Agriculture and Rural Development Andy Miller, Agriculture Director 101 W. Ohio Street, Suite 1200, Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 232-8770 fax: (317) 232-1362 web: www.in.gov/isda Indiana State Department of Health Judith A. Monroe, M.D. FAAFP, State Health Commissioner 2 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 233-1325 web: www.in.gov/isdh Indiana State Library Roberta L. Brooker, indiana State Librarian 140 North Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46204-2296 tel: (317) 232-3675 or (866) 683-0008 web: www.IN.gov/library Indiana State Police web: www.in.gov/isp Indiana Treasurer of State Richard Mourdock, State Treasurer 242 State House, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 tel: 317-232-6386 fax: 317-233-1780 web: www.in.gov/tos

Indiana University, Center for the Study of History and Memory Barbara Truesdell, Ph.D., Assistant Director, CSHM 400 N. Sunrise Drive, Weatherly Hall North, Room 122 Bloomington, Indiana 47405 tel: (812) 855-2856 web: www.indiana.edu/~cshm/ Lieutenant Governor of the State of Indiana Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Statehouse Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2797 tel: (317) 232-4545 web: www.in.gov/lg Purdue University Cooperative Extension Charles (Chuck) Hibberd, Director, Cooperative Extension and Associate Dean of Agriculture Agricultural Administration Building 615 W. State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2053 tel: (765) 494-8491 fax: (765) 494-5876 web: www.ces.purdue.edu/index.shtml Small Business Administration Indiana District Office 8500 Keystone Crossing, Suite 400 Indianapolis, IN 46240-2460 tel: (317) 226-7272 fax: 317-226-7259 web: www.sba.gov/localresources/district/in/index.html USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Indiana State Office Jane Hardisty, State Conservationist 6013 Lakeside Boulevard Indianapolis, Indiana 46278-2933 tel: (317) 290-3200 fax: (317) 290-3225 web: www.in.nrcs.usda.gov USDA Rural Development - Indiana State Office Robert White, State Director 5975 Lakeside Boulevard Indianapolis, Indiana 46278-1996 tel: (317) 290-3100 fax: (317) 290-3095 web: www.rurdev.usda.gov/in

Federal Resources Federal Emergency Management Agency R. David Paulison, FEMA Administrator 500 C Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20472 tel: (800) 621-3362 web: www.fema.gov

US Department of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson, HUD Secretary 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410 tel: (202) 708-1112 web: www.hud.gov

US Department of Transportation Mary Peters, Transportation Secretary 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590 tel: (866) 377-8642 web: www.dot.gov

Internal Revenue Service 575 North Pennsylvania Street, Room 573 Stop WI-665, Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 685-7500 web: www.irs.gov

US Department of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, Interior Secretary 1849 C Street NW, Washington DC 20240 tel: (202) 208-3100 web: www.doi.gov

US Fish and Wildlife Service Dale Hall, Director 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240 web: www.fws.gov

US Department of Agriculture Ed Shafer, Secretary of Agriculture 1400 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC 20250 web: www.usda.gov

US Department of Justice Michael B. Mukasey, Attorney General 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 tel: (202) 514-2000 web: www.doj.gov

US House of Representatives Congressman Joe Donnelly (D-02) Longworth House Office Building 1218 Washington, DC 20515 tel: (202) 225-3915 fax: (202) 225-6798

US Department of Labor Elaine Chao, Labor Secretary Frances Perkins Building 200 Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC 20210 tel: (866)-487-2365 web: www.dol.gov

809 State Street, Room 502B, La Porte, IN 46350 tel: (219) 326.6808 ext. 414 web: www.donnelly.house.gov

US Department of Health and Human Services Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary of

Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue SW Washington, D.C. 20201 tel: (202) 619-0257 or (877) 696-6775 web: www.hhs.gov US Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Security U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, D.C. 20528 tel: (202) 282-8000 web: www.dhs.gov

US Senate Senator Evan Bayh (D) 131 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 tel: (202) 224-5623 fax: (202) 228-1377 1650 Market Tower, 10 West Market Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 tel: (317) 554-0750 fax: (317) 554-0760 web: www.bayh.senate.gov US Senate Senator Richard Lugar (R) 306 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 tel: (202) 224-4814 fax: (202) 228-0360 175 West Lincolnway, Suite G-1 Valparaiso, IN 46383 tel: (219) 548-8035 fax: (219) 548-7506 web: www.lugar.senate.gov

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