NEW PALESTINE — Ever since a new trailhead was dedicated along the Pennsy Trail at CR 400 West last month, people have been flocking to see what all the fuss is about.
Just west of the road sits the Eagle Station trailhead, which serves as a stop along the ever-expanding Pennsy Trail.
The trailhead celebrates the American Bald Eagle, complete with educational signage and a life-size depiction of the majestic bird with its wings outstretched.
The bald eagle was officially proclaimed the national symbol for the United States in 1782. Over time the eagle population gradually died out in Indiana, where the last nest was recorded in 1897.
Eighty-eight years later — in 1985 — 73 eagles were reintroduced into the state, with the first successful nest recorded in 1991.
Congress passed a Bald & Golden Eagle Protection Act in 2007, which spurred the eagle population throughout the country. There were reportedly 300 nesting territories in Indiana as of 2018, with two nesting territories reported in Hancock County in 2021.
Mary Ann Wietbrock, president of the Pennsy Trails of Hancock County organization, said the Eagle Station trailhead celebrates not only the bald eagle but the numerous community members who banded together to make the educational area possible.
Benches were built and donated by local resident Larry Sedam, while an outdoor classroom was installed by Ben Palmer as an Eagle Scout project.
The classroom consists of educational panels and a picnic table where visitors can learn more about eagles and native plants.
One panel encourages a variety of activities to be done right at the outdoor classroom, like brushing up on eagle facts and comparing one’s size to the eight-foot wingspan of an eagle.
The Eagle Station shelterhouse was constructed and painted by members of Pennsy Trails of Hancock County, along with other volunteers.
A volunteer group led by Hancock County Master Gardeners created a wildlife habitat restoration area along the trail to control invasive honeysuckle.
Wietbrock said the educational trailhead was a labor of love, built with hard work from local volunteers who are passionate about creating local trails.
Volunteers, scouts and corporate work groups worked countless hours clearing the path just west of South CR 400 West, which has has since become a well-traveled section of the Pennsy Trail.
To imagine how the now-paved path once looked, visitors need look no further than the east side of CR 400 West, which is still overgrown with weeds in the area trail advocates hope to one day turn into another extension of the Pennsy Trail.
Wietbrock said Pennsy Trails of Hancock County is working diligently to raise funds to complete the 2.5-mile gap in the trail from South CR 150 to 400 West, which would connect the east end of Greenfield to Cumberland and lead the way into Indianapolis along a series of paved trails.
“We are currently working to complete the purchase of 300 West to 400 West at this time,” she told the crowd June 20 at a ribbon cutting for Eagle Station and the newest trail connector from CR 500 to 600 West.
The Pennsy Trail is part of the National Road Heritage Trail, which is working its way across the state between Richmond and Terre Haute.
Just as trail users must take the trail one step at a time, the same is true for those advocating to connect the Pennsy Trail throughout the state.
Wietbrock said the one-mile section of trail from CR 400 to 500 West was acquired by donation from the Town of Cumberland and funds from the Indiana DNR’s Bicentennial Nature Trust and Indiana Heritage Trust. The trail was constructed in 2019 by INDOT’s transportation grant.
The land purchase for the newest section of the trail from CR 500 to 600 West was funded in part by NineStar Connect, the Community Foundation of Hancock County and donors to the Pennsy Trails of Hancock County nonprofit.
Trail construction was funded by the DNR’s Next Level Trails grant, with some work completed by Hancock County employees. Solar Crossing signals have been ordered and will be installed this summer at the 500W and 600W Pennsy Trails crossings, funded in partnership with the Pennsy Trails of Hancock County, the Town of Cumberland and the Hancock County Highway Department.
Funds for the Eagle Station outdoor education area, informational panels and parking lot were funded by Duke Energy Foundation and Cardinal Elements Weight Loss & Wellness.
