ENAbout
Sparked by the federal government’s Swamp Lands Act of 1850 which gave federally owned lands to the individual states to aid in increasing flood control and land reclamation, Indiana’s swamp lands began being sold to private individuals in 1852. The aim was for the proceeds of land sales to pay for the dredging of existing rivers and the creation of ditches to drain the newly privatized lands for settlement. Any excess money from the project would be put towards state funds for public education. The state auditor, along with a land surveyor within each county, was tasked with selecting lands given by the federal government to determine what was appropriate for selling and then auctioning the parcels to the public. While heavily concentrated in the northern part of Indiana in an area called the Grand Kankakee Marsh system, referred to as the “Everglades of the North,” swamp lands were put up for sale throughout the state. Swamp land sales continued until 1859 and totaled 1,257,588 acres sold at a price of $1,759,752.
Many lasting changes occurred due to the selling of Indiana swamp lands. Draining the swamps would take decades to complete but resulted in stark differences to the ecosystem. Indiana’s largest lake, Beaver Lake, completely disappeared. Beaver Lake was notable for being shallow, with the depths not exceeding ten feet. Rich farmlands along the Kankakee River, once underwater, now allowed for cultivation by hoosier farmers. Many areas of future population growth were made habitable, including prime locations in current-day Whiting, East Chicago, Hammond, and Gary. Modern efforts to convert lands back into natural habitats has resulted in the Kankakee Sands nature area and even the reintroduction of bison.
