B&O Info Desk>News Updates>Land Purchased

B&O Trailhead Land Purchased (January 2001) - 39 acres of land west of North Salem has been acquired for the B&O Trail to use as a trailhead. The land was purchased with help from the Heritage Trust Program administered by Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Approximately 20% of the purchase price was paid by Rail Corridor Development Inc (RCDI) and Hendricks County Trail Development Association (HCTDA), the trail developers. As required by the Heritage Trust Program, a conservation easement with the state was placed on the land to assure that the land is only used for conservation and recreational purposes. The plan is to use the land for trail parking, restrooms, a picnic area, and possibly a shelter house and playground when the B&O Trail is developed.

The land is bordered on the north by the B&O rail corridor, on the west by scenic Big Walnut Creek, and is less than a mile west of North Salem. This is an ideal location for both a trailhead and a park for a variety of reasons. Trail users will appreciate the proximity to North Salem businesses for food, drink, and supplies. It is located in a part of the county that the Hendricks County Comprehensive Plan identified as desirable for preserving greenspace from development. The Comprehensive Plan states, "Big Walnut Creek area is clearly the most scenic and topographically interesting area of the county and is thus well suited for this use [park]."  View pictures of this new property.

The land will eventually be expanded to 59 acres. In the land sale, the seller who is an excavator, retained possession of 20 acres to use for wetland mitigation projects with the agreement that he would donate this land to RCDI when wetland restoration was completed. If the wetland restoration is successful, the park could provide a unique opportunity for visitors to observe a wetland habitat.

We are very grateful to the seller who had the perspicacity to foresee the benefit of preserving greenspace for residents and wildlife. We also want to express our thanks to the Heritage Trust program, Outdoor Recreation Director Emily Kress of Indiana Department of Natural Resources and some Hendricks County residents who helped us receive this grant and connected us with the seller.

RCDI and HCTDA will be seeking broad community input on the development of the land. A committee will be formed that will include representation from the County Park Board and the community-at-large. Anyone interested in working on this committee may contact Jeff Smallwood at 839-8736.