Traders Point - A Branding Proposal

(Almost made it to Pecha Kucha Nov. 12, 2009 event - www.pkindy.org)

In 2009 an 1800 acre section of Pike Township known as Traders Point/Eagle Creek was designated a Rural Historic District by the National Parks Service. The award gives Indianapolis the distinction of having the largest Rural Historic District in a metropolitan area in the nation.
The Rural Historic District runs alongside Eagle Creek and is adjacent to one of the largest municipal parks in the country. The district is nestled within a concrete triangle of interstate highways. The entire triangle is often referred to by long-time residents as Traders Point. This “rural place in the city” is accessible, distinctive, and now, nationally recognized.
Yet, there is no signage at ground level to inform residents and travelers of the area’s significance. This is a request for signage to be designed and placed in coordination with the area residents who funded the award. The $10,000 gift is to be devoted to the creation, installation and maintenance of signs to be located throughout the triangle. Nationally known artist and area resident Nancy Noel has agreed to donate an artistic design for the signs, insuring a distinctive visual branding for the area.
Traders Point blends rural and suburban living just 15 minutes from the Mile Square. It has two family-operated dairies, including the Traders Point organic dairy which brings a national eco-tourism following. It also is known to competitive triathletes; challenged by the district’s terrain. The area boasts the historic Lafayette Road toll house, as well as a cemetery with the grave of a Revolutionary War Veteran, and a covered bridge original to the area.
The township’s first property owner, William Conner of Conner Prairie fame, also chaired the site committee that moved the state capital to Indianapolis. His only Marion County purchase, in 1823, was 80 federal acres where an Indian trail crossed Eagle Creek. A few years later, this path became the first road through the township, Lafayette Road. Conner’s parcel may have been a spot where trade was taking place between the Indians and the white settler. Nearly 150 years ago a few acres within the 80 acres were platted as a village named Traders Point. In the 1920s the area attracted urban motorists whose vehicles could be serviced in Traders Point by two separate service stations. Today motorists still enjoy its scenic, pastoral two lane roads named for area farmers. Important figures of their day lived here. Residents included J.K. Lilly, Jr., Industrialist Herman Krannert, William Fortune and artist Cassilly Adams. In 1963 the Traders Point hamlet surrendered to the creation of a public reservoir.
Today the name Traders Point, and the Eagle Creek Valley within it, have been recognized by the National Park Service. It is fitting that a brand identity campaign be embraced by thought leaders within the city. Artistically designed, professionally constructed and well-placed signs will call attention to one of the city’s largest geographical areas of national distinction.


http://www.in.gov/dnr/historic/files/hp-TradersPointEagleCreek.pdf

KIB Wendy Ford planting day October 24 Traders Point Salt Barn

Abusive Tree Trimming UPDATE

Greetings to all:
Here's an update on where we are in the effort to stop abusive tree trimming by electric utilities:


Attached below are several items of interest connected to the cause, for your information. Please take the time to review them


1 -- IURC hearings continue, 5 down, 1 to go
2 -- IPL requests all communications (from Charlie) connected with the petition/hearings
3 -- Indiana Tree Alliance formed as a lobbying/organizing entity.
4 -- Financial support for related expenses/legal fees needed.
5 -- Deadline for letters to the Commission has been extended through October


1 A huge thank you to all of you who have supported this effort with letters, testimony and interest. The Muncie hearing had about 21 citizens appear and testify, with at least
four times that number attending to listen. A recent and devastating cutting no doubt helped with motivation and brought out people for their hearing.. State Senator Sue Errington
solicited her constituents to appear, and appeared herself to support the process.


The Indy hearing had about 26 testify, which, again, was about a fourth of the folks listening. Senator Mike Delph, Senator Jean Breaux, and Representative Cherish Pryor all attended
and spoke to the Commission in support of their constituents and hopes for a positive outcome to the investigation. Notable by his absence was Sen. Merritt, the utilities committee
chairman, whose "6 Point plan" was part of the genesis of the investigation.


Testimony lasted more than five hours. It was informed, heartfelt, compelling and, at times, emotional. Several people, including adult men, had to stop to compose themselves
recalling the devastation they witnessed on their own property, or that of others. The Commissioners were attentive throughout, and Sen Delph stayed through all of it, demonstrating
strong support for a proper outcome to what he sees as a property rights abuse.


Unfortunately, the hearing in Seymour gathered testimony from only three people. This certainly shows that, unless there is someone in the area who is quite motivated, the minimal
notification process followed by the IURC does not reach many people.


For the Merrillville and Ft. Wayne hearings, we were able to get some local press coverage prior to the events - a big Thank You to Susan Blair's daughter Drew for TV coverage in
Ft. Wayne. The resulting turnouts were smaller than Indy or Muncie, but the Commissioners heard testimony from customers of other utilities, telling the same kinds of stories that
were told here.


2 IPL has requested, through the discovery process, all communication between Charlie (and by proxy me) and all those who signed the original petition, or who have testified.
They must hope to show that we were telling people what to say. We didn't. This tells me that we are getting somewhere! Unfortunately, it's a pain in the...


3 Several of us who have been engaged in this cause have joined to form the Indiana Tree Alliance. At present we are operating as a steering committee, with exploring how
to be the most effective as our first objective.


Our efforts will not stop with the conclusion of the investigation. We will continue to work for legislative changes necessary for achieving our goals.
Anyone interested in joining in and helping out should let us know.


4 Almost all the expenses of conducting this effort have come from one individual, Charlie Goodman himself, who cannot continue to be the bank. Since the Senate Utility Committee
meeting last Oct. 9th, he has paid for all typing, copying, materials, enlarging, and postage, etc, out of his own pocket. Additionally, we are now beginning to have some legal expenses.
When you consider how many legislators there are, and how much material he has sent, "it can add up".


Remember that he is the single individual who has made the contacts to get this issue statewide attention. Without him, we would be a collection of angry neighborhoods, getting nowhere.

We have had a generous individual offer to match the funds that we can raise by soliciting our mailing list, so your contribution will matter by double.


If you would like to support this effort, please send checks made out to: Indiana Tree Alliance - 8561 Moore rd. Indianapolis Ind. - 46278 --
I will keep a record of all contributions, should we have excess funds in the future, they will be returned in proportion.


5 The number of letters received by the OUCC seems to have motivated the IURC to leave open the allowable time for letters to be mailed in.


If you would still like to be heard, please continue to write, fax or email letters to the OUCC


Consumers may also submit written comments for the case’s record to the OUCC by mail, fax or the Internet:
Please send a copy of your letter to Charlie Goodman or Jerry Baker at the addresses above.
Mail: Consumer Services Staff; Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor
115 W. Washington St., Suite 1500 South
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Fax: (317) 232-5923
E-mail: uccinfo@oucc.IN.gov
OUCC Website: www.IN.gov/OUCC
Written comments should include the consumer’s name, mailing address, and a reference to IURC Cause No. 43663.
Additional information on this case, including a link to the OUCC’s testimony, is available at
www.in.gov/oucc/2555.htm.


Thank you all for your support --
Jerry Baker
Charlie Goodman-- 356-2499

Zionsville Times Sentinel story on Traders Point

Land receives historic designation

By Nick McLain/Times Sentinel writer

The pastoral countryside known as Traders Point is not only beautiful, but historic.

Two areas, totaling 2,600 acres, were recently named to the National Register of Historic Places.

The northern section, known as the Traders Point Hunt Rural Historic District, roughly encompasses the area bounded by Ind. 334, I-865, Old Hunt Club Road and County Road 850 East. It falls almost entirely in Eagle Township.

The southern zone, known as Traders Point Eagle Creek Rural Historic District, lies mostly in Marion County (Pike Township) and is bounded by I-865, I-465 and Lafayette Road.

The two districts double the amount of rural historic districts in the state, which now number four.

Cindy Lamberjack, a resident of the district in the Zionsville area, helped lead the charge to have the area designated as historic.

“We want to let people know there are a lot of real special rural characteristics to this area,” Lamberjack said.

She said that they wanted to form just one rural district, but the “powers that be” told them that it would have to be two, as it was divided by I-865.

“We want everyone to think of it as one district,” Lamberjack said. “We’re referring to both as the Traders Point Rural Historic District.”

The Traders Point area is generally described as being located within the “triangle of concrete” of I-865, I-465 and I-65, according to Ross Reller, who lives in the area and is its unofficial historian.

The name Traders Point traces back to its history, when it was a spot of trading between Miami Indians and white settlers in the early 19th century, Reller said.

Lamberjack was assisted in her efforts by Fritz Kunz, owner of Traders Point Creamery. The creamery is located within the district.

“It’s a little bit like having a nature preserve in your backyard in getting this special designation that not every area can get,” Kunz said. “It adds a bit of prestige to the area.”

The process of becoming a historic district was a difficult one and took almost five years to see through to completion. Lamberjack and Kunz were assisted in their efforts by Camille Fife, a consultant with The Westerly Group of Madison, as well as the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, a private non-profit that is the state’s largest preservation group.

Mark Dollase, vice president of preservation services for Historic Landmarks, said the designation will provide some protections for the area.

“In the cases where state or federal funds are involved, anyone wishing to do something in the area must go through a Section 106 review process,” Dollase said.

In the case of a Section 106 review, they must take their proposed plans to the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology for their review.

Dollase mentioned a recent example where Section 106 review will be used for the Traders Point area. The Indiana Department of Transportation has been discussing the possibility of putting closed circuit television towers on I-865 near the Ford Road overpass, the Cooper Road overpass and one in the intersection of I-65 and I-865.

Because it is a state project and state funds are involved, INDOT must go to the DHPA. The DHPA will review the plans and decide if other alternatives exist that would be less of an impact.

“There are some neighbors who are not particularly happy about these very large towers coming up that would loom over their homes,” Dollase said.

According to Paul Diebold, team leader for survey and registration with the DHPA, the designation provides other benefits to property owners within it; namely, potential tax credits of up to 20 percent of the cost to those who want to do rehabilitation work on their historic homes, barns, etc. Any rehabilitation must retain the historic aspects of the property.

Kunz said preservation grants could also be available for some properties.

“That’s the other neat thing about this — it allows people to fix up rather than tear down, and it encourages that,” Kunz said. “Rehabbing is twice as expensive as new construction. You might have an old barn on your farm, and you couldn’t afford to fix it up, but now you can because the funds are available. It’s a huge benefit.”

Kunz added that in many other historic districts around the country, property values went up as a result of the designation.

The DHPA had to approve the rural district request at the state level, and Diebold said the area clearly qualifies as historic.

“You have a really diverse mix of architecture, from rare 19th century barns to early 20th century rural estates,” Diebold said. “It, to us, has design qualities that are pretty well-qualified and something you don’t see much of anymore.”

The costs for making the area a rural historic district were paid mostly through fundraising from the Oktoberfest event at Traders Point Creamery. Creamery Marketing Director Gail Alden said the event raised more than $20,000 in the last two years.

The third annual Oktoberfest fundraiser will be from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. There will be live music, hayrides, bonfires, cow milking, pumpkin patches and traditional German food, beer and wine. Advance tickets are $8 and tickets at the gate will be $10. Children younger than 10 years of age are free. Visit www.traderspointcreamery.com for more information,.

The money from that event, Lamberjack said, will go toward the purchases of signs to put around the district letting people know of its new status as a historic place.

Reller publishes updates on Traders Point news at www.historictraderspoint.org.

Eagle Creek's new bird center opens Wednesday

September 29, 2009 by Gretchen Becker | Star staff
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Bird lovers can flock to the new Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center.

Photos
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A goldfinch eats from a feeder at Eagle Creek Park's new Ornithology Center.(CHARLIE NYE)
Transformation has been underway for two years for the center, located in the former nature center.

The park will hold a grand opening and ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

“This is a unique project in many ways that has attracted so much enthusiasm,” said Michelle Cloud, Eagle Creek Park Foundation president and Northwestside resident.

Indy Parks naturalist Kevin Carlsen has spent two years creating the bird watching and information center with the help of volunteers. They have transformed the former nature center into a paradise for bird watchers and those interested in learning about them.

“We hope to increase our school education program,” Carlsen said. “They can come learn about birds here and reptiles and amphibians at the Earth Discovery Center.”

The center features rooms where visitors can push buttons and use displays and topographical maps to learn about birds in the park. The exhibit hall will feature 70 taxidermied birds in their habitats including grasslands, wetlands, ponds and forest.

Guests can also sit in the peaceful bird sanctuary and listen to the sounds of nature piped through speakers into the building from microphones outside.

Outside the exhibit hall guests can watch birds feed and bathe in a pond, and kids can sit and create crafts.

Throughout the year Eagle Creek Park is home to 260 of 400 bird species seen in Indiana, Carlsen said. The ornithology center should help draw national and internationally attention to the park.