This same year The Indianapolis News printed a very nice article about Shakamak. The following are some of the highlights from that article, which give us a good description of the park at that time:

     The park has three buildings: a bathhouse close to the lake, a shelter house and a community building. Within the shelter house are benches and chairs and a soft drink stand ran by Fred Cochran, concessionaire. Sandwiches of various kinds may also be obtained there.      The community building, completed a few months ago, includes a well-equipped kitchen, and a large mess hall or dining room. The building is made of huge logs, most of which were used in the houses vacated when the land was bought for park purposes. The roof is fashioned of clapboards or “shakes” and is supported by hewed rafters.
     Some of the doors have old-fashioned wooden hinges and latches. Latchstrings, which figured so prominently in the stories of early Hoosier hospitality, are found here.
The large chimney and fireplace are made of rough stone. A great deal of it found on the park site and the rest obtained from a community near Clay City. This building is ideal for groups and parties. Its floors of ash have been waxed and made suitable for dancing. The Community Building is likely to prove an attraction to visiting organizations.
It had been estimated that approximately 40,000 bass, bluegill and crappies had been planted in the lake.

A steady stream of cars with trailers and boats attached were to be seen coming into the park from 7:00 p.m., until early dawn. There were 22 boats stationed at the boat landing and fishing license for sale at the refreshment stand.

At 11:30 p.m. the crowd began moving toward the boat landing across from the spillway. State Game wardens were stationed at the landing to check the fishermen’s licenses. The signal to announce the appointed time to begin fishing was given promptly at 12:10 am. Boats with various kinds of lights, namely carbide lamps, flashlights, gaslights and storage battery lights were burning on the boats.

There was no record catch of fish that night, as I am sure these fishermen thought there would be. It seems that a group of local fishermen had been concerned about the sparse amount of food that might be available for the fish, in the new lake. Being the benevolent men that all fishermen are, they set out to remedy this terrible situation. On the night of June 19th they distributed upon the waters of the lake eight thousand pounds of rolled oats.

Surprising enough the first night fishermen expressed no disappointment at the small amount of fish they caught. As fishermen will do they found a reason why the fish weren’t biting. They decided they had scared them with their many boats and lights.
The night was not a total loss, some bluegill were caught that measured 13 inches in length and several good-sized catfish.

At 7:00 a.m. the next morning, fifty boats were at the park. About six hundred and fifty people had paid admission in that 24-hour period. Many local people decided that this was at least equal to the gold rushes of the early days.

On Sunday, July 17, 1932, 3000 people visited Shakamak State Park. This by far surpassed the hopes of those who had labored so long and hard for this park. This great crowd also emphasized the need of additional improvements, such as a road that would completely encircle the lake. Riding stables, and more facilities for picnickers. Family cabins were being rented as quickly as they could be built, and the beach needed to be enlarged.

By 1933, the Great Depression gripped the nation. Millions of workers were unemployed, banks were closing, and the American Dream seemed shattered. On March 4, 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated President of the United States. He was to create a series of public works projects, aimed at lifting the nation out of the depression, that would prove a great boon to Shakamak State Park.

Lee Deal of Brazil replaced William Wallace, the park’s first custodian or superintendent as it was later called. The salary - $110.00 per month.

On April 20th of that year, Mr. Spinks the concessionaire announced that a new pavilion and bathhouse was being constructed, at the beach, to accommodate swimmers and other visitors to the park. The cost of these new facilities was to be $8,000 when complete. They were expecting to be ready to serve the public by May 20th. Also new lights were installed in the parking area, and a gravel path was built extending from the new bathhouse to the water well. Paul Ambs of Bogle replaced Wilmer Hurst as gatekeeper.

The 1933 fishing season opened as it had the first year, on July 1st, minus the rolled oats this time. Forty boats were ready to shove off at midnight to take full advantage of the first day’s fishing. Although there was much discussion about it, the fishermen finally agreed that the largest bass taken that night weighed 4 pounds and the largest crappie caught was 15 inches in length, not counting the ones that got away, of course.
The growing popularity of the park was very well borne out when the Conservation Department released its attendance records for the past year. Shakamak ranked third in paid admissions among all the parks in the state.

In April of 1933, a new Federal Agency was set up called the Civilian Conservation Corps or CCC, for the purpose of establishing a program for the conservation of the natural resources of the countries timber, soil and water. This program would also provide work and training for unemployed young men between the ages of 17 and 23. These young men were paid $30.00 per month, of which they were permitted to keep $5.00 with the other $25.00 being sent home to their parents.

On Monday, November 27, 1933, a contingent of 199 of these youths arrived by special trains to set up a reforestation camp. They were all Indiana boys, who had just completed several weeks training at Camp Knox, located near Louisville, Kentucky. Their tasks would include building roads through the park to allow the public access to points not available to them at that time. Constructing two miles of trails along the lake and through the wooded area. The plans also included the reforestation of three hundred acres of park land and five acres of landscape development.

Prior to the arrival of the CCC, several new buildings were added to the group camp including a new recreation hall. These buildings, along with the already constructed 4-H Club camp buildings created an ideal campsite for the young men.

On the same day the CCC arrived, engineers from the Conservation Department arrived to tour an area of the park that was being considered as a possible sight for a second artificial lake. The engineers made this tour on horseback since there were no roads to follow. Four Jasonville businessmen accompanied them, each of whom were strong and faithful supporters of Shakamak. They were Garrett Schloot and Willard Humphreys; partners in the Jasonville Hardware and Ora Ax and John Fry, partners in the Ax and Fry grocery company.

The local members of the party were very enthusiastic over the project, which would be completed under President Roosevelt’s Civil Works Administration. Not only would the park be gaining a second lake, but also this project would provide much needed employment for many area men.

The plans for the new lake, which would later be named Lake Lenape, a word of
Indian origin meaning man or manmade, called for a dam 500 feet in length and 25 feet high to be built. When finished, the new lake would provide about 42 acres of water for fishing and boating. By December of 1933, 137 men, 26 teams of horses and 8 trucks were working on this project.

The CWA program ceased before the lake was finished, interrupting the work for several months. Fortunately another Federal agency called the FERA was able to take it over and complete the job. The lake, first referred to simply as the New Lake, and then Lake Jason, before it was officially named Lake Lenape, is located entirely in Greene County, and men from this county were used exclusively in its construction.

In 1934, Martin R. Goshorn of Clay City, replaced Lee Deal, of Brazil, and became the third Superintendent of Shakamak State Park. It is to be remembered that Mr. Goshorn was very influential in interesting the State in the park in the beginning. As a member of the State Conservation Commission he worked very closely with local committees in obtaining the park for this area. His long experience with the Department of Conservation, and his great interest in this area, made him an excellent choice for this position.

Pete Fields, principal of the Coalmont High School, was concessionaire in 1934. He also managed the bathhouse, rented the boats, and the cabins.

On Sunday, September 2, 1934, the first Swim Meet was held at Shakamak. The Amateur Wabash Valley Swimming and Diving Championship met there that day. Swimmers from Fairbanks Pool, in Terre Haute, captured the honors. The two men responsible for bringing this first Meet to the park were Ira Williams and Tom Ketcham, who were lifeguards there, at the time. Both men worked tirelessly in securing this event.
By the early spring of 1935, Shakamak State Park, was a virtual beehive of activity as many new improvements were being made. Under the very able management of Martin R. Goshorn, custodian, and Ed McQuade, of Linton, who was general supervisor of the improvement program, the park was fast taking on the appearance we are familiar with today.

The five-mile long road around the park was nearly complete. A three-mile water line, to hook up with the Jasonville water system, made possible the installation of drinking fountains around the park. The wooden frame gatehouse was replaced by a brick structure and moved 50 yards further inside the park.
Next year fishing is expected to be a popular sport at the park.  The lake has been well stocked: the fish placed there being taken from nearby bayous and streams.  According to William Wallace, custodian, between 6,000 and 10,000 “suitable size” fish: blue gills, crappies and bass—are now swimming in the waters. Awaiting the tempting bait of the Isaac Walton cult who will be admitted for the first time next summer.  By keeping the fishermen away for another year, it is believed that the fish supply is not likely to become exhausted soon, since ample time for marked propagation has been permitted.

Shakamak is particularly proud of its large camping area, which lies in the shade of tall forest trees.  Camping sites are paid for at the rate of 25c a day.  The park management supplies water and firewood.

Miles of trails wind through the woods and over the hills, luring the hiker farther away from camp.

Last year 50,000 evergreens and locusts were set out in the reservation and this year (1931) 15,000 locusts in the interest of reforestation will be set out.  Thirty bushels of walnuts were planted this year in the lowlands with a view to replacement of the hardwoods.

Later that year Park Custodian William Wallace announced that ample space had been cleared off for picnics, new ovens had been installed, a new well had been drilled, there were tables and benches and four small boats that may be rented at a small charge per hour.

On November 27, 1931, a decision was reached by the State Conservation Commission, to establish a state tree nursery at Shakamak State Park.  Col. Richard Lieber, Department Director made the announcement.

The trees grown at the new nursery were to be transplanted to the lands, which had been strip-mined.  Conservation officials estimated that there were 15,000 acres of this land to be planted.

The new parks proximity to these lands made it a very desirable location for the nursery.  In addition to that it was believed that the trees would have a much better chance of surviving if they were already acclimated to the area.

By May of 1932 the nursery was in full production.  Already 350,000 resets and 21.00 cuttings had been made, and 50,000 trees had been set out all over the park.  Many local people were employed at this task.

On June 29, 1932 the State Conservation Committee announced that the new 55-acre artificial lake at Shakamak State Park would be open to fishermen from July 1 to November 1.

Members of the Tri-County Conservation Club, representatives of the State Conservation Department and fishermen from all over the state assembled at the park Thursday evening, June 30, 1932, to await the opening of the fishing season at 12:00 midnight.

Early in the summer of 1930, Governor Harry G. Leslie and Col. Richard Lieber had come to Jasonville to release the first bass in the lake.  These fish weighed 3 ¼ pounds each and were caught by Frank Hastings, Jasonville mail carrier, for this purpose.
Governor Harry G. Leslie and Col. Richard Lieber
New Gatehouse
Left to Right: Ralph Cummick, Harley Hamilton, Unknown, Ben Stark, Martin Goshorn, Beanie West, Paul Ambs, Unknown, Unknown