Between the Lakes
WACF Between-the-Lakes Preserve
Early in 2016, the WACF acquired the waterfront property on the main channel between Wawasee and Syracuse Lakes and across Pickwick Road from the Channel Marker restaurant. For decades, this beautiful location was the Searfoss family homestead, featuring a variety of native trees, including Chinkapin Oak and Bald Cypress. The property is now known as “WACF Between-the-Lakes Preserve” and offers many opportunities to WACF with its water frontage on the main channel and Mud Lake. The property is 7 acres, including approximately 1,600 feet of waterfront. The site had originally been planted in turf grass, and with the help of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, it has since been converted to native plantings. Early projects on the property were made possible by a donation from Jim and Sally Hubbard dedicated to the improvement of Between-the-Lakes. They provided the ‘seed’ money for the start of improvements and maintenance of the property.
Joan Slocum sponsored the construction of the Buletty Pavilion on the site. The pavilion hosts WACF events, including the Annual Lakes Celebration on the last Saturday of July, and offers excellent views of the wetlands and main channel.
The property also features the Quinn log cabin donated by Brad & Cindy Quinn and Jeff & Clare Quinn.
The tamarack log cabin and the wetlands together are a symbol of WACF’s preservation mission. The Quinn Families also organized the relocation and the restoration of the cabin. WACF utilizes the cabin as a historical center for small meetings and gatherings for school groups. The Log Cabin was originally located at 6097 E Island Ave. Property records and historical information showed the cabin was owned by George W. Miles. George W. Miles acquired 25 acres, known as Kale Island, on April 7, 1896. County property records indicate that the log cabin was built between April 1896, when it was acquired by George Miles, and March 1899, when he sold it. Eli Lilly’s journals in Early Wawasee Days note that Kale Island was a “rough and tumble” place with a “sketchy” hotel and a poor reputation from 1860 to 1880. Lilly wrote, “The Island was finally acquired by George W. Miles, a respected citizen of Syracuse, who saw that it was developed into the present high-grade community” (Lilly, 1960). George grew up in Syracuse and around the lake. In those days, it was considered that there was only one lake, Nine Mile Lake. Not until the construction of the B&O Railroad circa 1875 was a division, and two lakes were named. At the turn of the century, a substantial influx of poachers came to the lake area to trap animals and harvest fish, called market hunters. Regulations were established, but there was very little budget to support game wardens enforcing the rules. George Miles was very concerned about this. He became a game warden. He was vocal and made suggestions and requests to state officials. In 1910, he was appointed Commissioner of Fisheries and Game in Indiana by Governor Thomas Marshall.
Another feature of the Between-the-Lakes property is a new Kayak Launch. Larry and Pam Palmer have sponsored a Kayak Launch in honor of Larry’s parents with a Kayak Kiosk supported through the K21 Health Foundation. The kayaks and paddleboards will be available for the community to paddle in and around Mud Lake. The Kiosk is open from Memorial Weekend to the first weekend in October.