Welcome to the Friends of Potato Creek State Park website!

Ph: 574-656-8186

The purpose and mission of the Friends of Potato Creek State Park, Inc. is to develop and support projects and events that help preserve, restore, manage, and interpret the natural and cultural heritage as well as the recreational opportunities of Potato Creek State Park.

Become a member and:

  • Support the conservation and enhancement of the natural resources that are unique to Potato Creek State Park
  • Support interpretive and educational programming that encourages land use ethics
  • Encourage a greater appreciation for the social and cultural history and the natural beauty of Potato Creek State Park
  • Support scientific and historical research of the Park's resources
  • Support the design, construction and maintenance of facilities that enhance the experiences of Park visitors
  • Generate funding, separate from the revenue and legislative appropriations, to be used for conservation of resources, facilities and interpretation
  • Provide an avenue of volunteer service for Potato Creek State Park
    • friends of potato creek state park image

    As a member you will:

  • Receive a newsletter with information about the Park and Friends activities
  • Network with other Friends members
  • Be a voice for Potato Creek State Park
  • Have opportunities to participate in special park-related projects
  • Have fun volunteering and meeting interesting and like-minded people

    • Open Letter to the Director of Indiana State Parks October 2025

    Letter pdf file

    President's Letter - April 2025

    Letter to the President of Indiana State Parks regarding the removal of red barn on Potato Creek propery.

    Letter to Indiana Director of State Parks

    Upcoming Events:

    November 15, 2025 - Invasive plant symposium

    Join us for a comprehensive, practical training led by natural resources professionals. Click the link below to register.

    friends of potato creek state park image
  • April 12, 2025 - Volunteer Egg Stuffing - 1-4 p.m.
    Naturalists will be on-hand during the hours to test your bird egg identification skills in this fun spring-themed game. Prizes awarded. After learning about bird eggs please join the Friends of Potato Creek members in this fun yearly tradition of stuffing plastic eggs with treats for their upcoming Easter Egg Hunt event on April 19th. Meet in the Nature Center Auditorium to help them fill over 6,000 eggs!
  • April 19, 2025 - Easter Egg Hunt
  • May 10th, 2025 from 2-4 pm at the Potato Creek State Park Nature Center - World Migratory Bird Day
    • World Migratory Bird Day Flyer
  • August 2, 2025 - Darcey Days
  • September 13, 2025 - Archaeology Day
  • October 24-26, 2025 - Halloween Happenings

    • 2025 Summer Concert Series

    Bring a chair or blanket and join us for a fun outdoor concert on Potato Creek State Park’s Beach. These concerts are FREE after paying our park’s gate admission. All times are EDT.

  • May 24 - Kennedy’s Kitchen w/Spraoi agus Rince dance troupe 3pm - 5pm
    • Kennedys Kitchen Event Flyer
  • June 28 - Riely O’Connor & Molly B. Moon 6:30pm-8pm
  • July 5th - Blue Hollar Band 6:30pm-8pm
  • August 2nd - High 5 Band 6:30pm-8pm
  • August 16th - Storytellers in Action "Native American Themes" 2pm-4pm
  • August 30th - PT & The Cruisers 6:30pm-8pm
  • August 31st - Valerie Ingle Band 6:30pm-8pm

    • Concert Flyer - Showing all events

    Volunteer Opportunities

    What skills can you lend to the Friends group?

  • Volunteering of talents / resources
  • Grant Writing, fund raising
  • Becoming a member of a committee
  • Writing for the newsletter
  • Use the contact form or email us with your interests

    • Help us save the Naragon Barn
    at Potato Creek State Park

    The barn is slated to be torn down in the fall of 2025.

    The Naragon Red Barn has been an integral part of the park's landscape, telling the story of how the land was converted from farmland to parkland for the benefit of untold number of visitors.

    The barn, which was built by Charles Naragon in 1908, sits on the edge of Lake Worster. It stands as a quiet testament to the hardworking farmers who tilled the soil for generations before the creation of the state-owned park.

    Please reach out to the individuals on the pdf file and let them know your concern about removing this piece of historty from Potato Creek State Park. We feel the barn can be renovated and re-purposed for many uses.

    What We Do



    Conservation

    Support the conservation and enhancement of the natural resources that are unique to Potato Creek State Park.

    Education

    Support interpretive and educational programming that encourages land use ethics.

    Appreciation

    Encourage a greater appreciation for the social and cultural history and the natural beauty of Potato Creek State Park.

    Science

    Support scientific and historical research of the Park's resources.

    Facilities

    Support the design, construction and maintenance of facilities that enhance the experiences of Park visitors.

    Fundraising

    Generate funding, separate from the revenue and legislative appropriations, to be used for conservation of resources, facilities and interpretation.