Jackson: Lakes, Trails, and History

Jackson can be explored through a range of different themes: Starve Hollow Lake offers opportunities for water activities, while trails and historic sites provide other points of interest. The area’s history also goes back a long way—from Fort Vallonia to the events surrounding Freeman Field during World War II. Those planning a trip can focus on both outdoor experiences and regional history.

At Starve Hollow Lake and on the trails

Starve Hollow Lake, which covers 145 acres, is located in the Starve Hollow State Recreation Area. Fishing and boat rentals are available there; the area also includes a large sandy beach where swimming is possible. The recreation area covers about 280 acres in total. The lake and beach offer different ways to enjoy a visit to the water.

Hiking and mountain biking are also possible on nearby trails. The combined Jackson-Washington State Forest and Starve Hollow State Recreation Area offer a total of 12.2 miles of mountain biking trails at two locations. This figure applies to both areas combined, not just the State Forest.

Jackson-Washington State Forest covers nearly 18,000 acres in Jackson and Washington Counties in southern Indiana. For another look at its trails, about 13.9 miles of marked trails are available in two separate areas. The landscape also has its own regional character: a distinctive topography in part of southern Indiana is known as the “knobs.”

The Sawmill Hollow Interpretive Trail combines exercise with information about multiple use and resource management in Jackson-Washington State Forest, and offers a brief overview of its history. Allow at least two hours to hike the trail and visit each station. This makes the trail a longer activity, while the mountain biking routes offer a different kind of experience.

Places and traces of regional history

Fort Vallonia was a stockade fort built in 1812 on an old Indigenous trail to protect settlers in the area. In 1813, the fort was occupied by Major John Tipton and his militia rangers. The two dates mark different phases in its history: its construction and its later military use.

The Medora Covered Bridge crosses the East Fork of the White River one mile east of Medora, Indiana, on State Road 235. It is closed to vehicular traffic and is suitable for exploring on foot. The history of local brickmaking can also be traced over time: the Medora Shale Brick Company was founded in 1904; construction of the plant, with six beehive kilns, began by 1910 along the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad. By 1927, the Medora brick plant had ten kilns, and ten remained there in 2007.

Another historic site is Indian Treaty Corner. It marks the junction of the 1805 Grouseland Treaty line and the 1809 Fort Wayne Treaty line. The two dates help distinguish the lines chronologically.

Freeman Field: Training and protest

Training operations at Freeman Field were activated in December 1942. By February 1945, they had trained more than 4,000 pilots to fly twin-engine aircraft for the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. A later chapter is commemorated by the Freeman Field Mutiny marker: in April 1945, the Tuskegee Airmen of the 477th Bombardment Group protested racial segregation in the officers’ clubs.

The protest is part of a broader historical context. The Tuskegee Airmen’s resistance to racism, together with their combat record, contributed to the desegregation of the U.S. military in 1948. In Seymour, the Freeman Army Airfield Museum offers visitors another place to explore: it consists of two buildings, each about 3,000 square feet, across from the Freeman Municipal Airport terminal. Both are wheelchair accessible and ADA-compliant.

The Jackson County Visitor Center is also housed in a historic building: the Southern Indiana Railroad Freighthouse, a freight depot built around 1890. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 22, 2003. In Seymour, the John Mellencamp Mural is on the west side of This Old Guitar Music Store.

Local experiences

In Freetown, Salt Creek Winery produces wines from grapes as well as fruit wines, including blueberry, strawberry, cherry, plum, raspberry, blackberry, and black currant. The public is welcome in the winery’s Tasting Room. For motorsports enthusiasts, Brownstown Speedway is a local Jackson County attraction that draws participants and fans from across the United States.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Medora, Seymour, Floyd County, Perry County, Shelby County, Boone County, Noble County, Vanderburgh.

For the broader travel overview: Indiana.