Allen County, Indiana Genealogy

Lake Everett

The only natural lake in Lake Township, Allen County includes Spring Lake Woods and Bog, an ACRES Landtrust preserve, that includes a sphagnum bog with native flora including five foot tall cinnamon ferns giving a lush tropical feel in a northern muckland woods. Not open to the public as of summer 2014.

April 27, 2023 post by ARCH, Inc. on Facebook:

Lake Everett has long eluded the plans of lake developers and, curiously, could have been home to much more. In 1914, Fort Wayne businessman Henry M. Williams tried to develop it into an amusement and Chautauqua park, with rail lines feeding it and five fountains. An article in The Fort Wayne Daily News described the plans for an amusement park near a wooded hill on its southeast shore that Williams named Chautauqua Ridge. Six rail lines were planned to Fort Wayne and other northern Indiana towns. Williams, owner of the Fort Wayne Traction Company, died in 1923. His grandiose plan died with him, and a new development company soon was looking for buyers for a housing development of lake homes. ARCH is proud to present this edition of Throwback Thursday, part of its service as the historic preservation organization serving the greater Fort Wayne area made possible by ARCH members and donors. Thank you. Photo courtesy of the Allen County Public Library, 1960.

Everett Lake is the only natural lake in Allen County, according to the DNR, and features a species of fish only seen in a handful of Indiana waters: muskie.

Posted by WANE 15 on Friday, April 12, 2024

Friday, April 12, 2024 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:

Everett Lake is the only natural lake in Allen County, according to the DNR, and features a species of fish only seen in a handful of Indiana waters: muskie.

As we continue celebrating Ohio Native Plant Month, we turn to one of the most fascinating plants found in Ohio—the...

Posted by Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves on Thursday, April 20, 2023

Thursday, April 20, 2023 post by the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves on Facebook:

As we continue celebrating Ohio Native Plant Month, we turn to one of the most fascinating plants found in Ohio—the carnivorous northern pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea). This highly evolved plant has found a unique way to thrive in bogs, which can be tough habitats (think low nutrients) for some species. More on that later.

The northern pitcher plant has pitcher-like modified leaves which can range in color from green to red with some lovely color and pattern variations. Its flowers appear in late spring or early summer with scarlet red petals and an umbrella-structure made of the sepals. Native pitcher plants may be found growing in the small number of specialized bogs and peatlands remaining in northeastern Ohio. Unfortunately, poaching and habitat loss has led to the decline of these distinctive plants; the northern pitcher plant is listed as threatened in Ohio.

Back to the pitcher plant’s carnivorous nature. Once the pitcher-like leaves collect with rainwater, insets unwittingly fall in and drown, creating a kind of “bug soup.” The hood of the pitcher has stiff downward pointing hairs preventing any trapped insects from climbing out.

Younger pitcher plants are known to produce some digestive enzymes to breakdown the insects, but in actuality, most of the work is done by larvae from mosquitoes and other insects living in the water-filled pitchers. Their waste settles to the bottom of the pitchers and the plant absorbs the remaining nutrients. It’s always fun to look inside the pitchers to see what’s on the menu for their next meals.

Check back tomorrow for another wildflower species profile. Throughout April, we will be introducing you to many of our favorite spring, summer, and even fall wildflowers as we continue our celebration of Ohio’s Native Plant Month! 

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