Wabashiki or the Wabash River is the longest and most important river of the Indiana state and is considered one of the state symbols. The river played a great role in the economic development of the state and is the main reason for the existence of many cities along its shores. Being the largest city on the Wabash River, Terre Haute (meaning “high lands” in French) was founded and still exists primarily due to the employment of the river in the trade during the steamboat era (McCormick 7). Preserving and improving the ways the river and its areas can be used by the community is an issue of vital importance for the citizens.
Founded approximately ten years ago, Terre Haute Tomorrow is the local community organization engaged in developing and supporting important initiatives in the area, including the Wabashiki Wetlands project that has gained substantial development since the establishment of the River Committee by the organization. The initiative aimed at enhancing the use of the river suggested at first the acquisition of 7,000 acres of mostly agriculturally exploited and seasonally flooded lowland. By 2010 the acquisition has been generally completed through the freewill sales and donations, thus, emerging the possibility of the project expansion to the 43,000 acres of land, as suggested by the Governor of the state, Mitch Daniels. The new Wabashiki plan already grants public access to the vast territory covering 94 river miles of the Wabash Valley. Those interested in improving their health and spending free time outdoors on a beautiful natural site can now attend any place on the west bank of the river, from Shades State Park to Fairbanks Landing Fish and Wildlife Area supervised by the Terre Haute Park & Recreation Department. The visitors can take a river walk, gather in covered picnic pavilions, have fun on a playground and have a walk on the National Road Heritage Trail. (WabashRiver.us) The future growth of the project will make an impact on the preservation of the widely renowned local wild life that yearly attracts a great number of visitors donating to the community economic rise, which in turn is a main financial source for further improvements of the river use.
Works Cited
"ACCESS POINTS: Fairbanks Public Access Site." WabashRiver.us. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. <http://www.wabashriver.us/access_points/fairbanks_park/index.htm>.
McCormick, Mike. "A Child of The River." Terre Haute: Queen City of the Wabash. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2005. 7-16. Print.
"Wabashiki Fish and WIldlife Area." Wabash Valley Riverscape. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. <http://Wabashriverscape.org/wabashiki.html>.
