Size : 61 acres
Acquisition : 2005 gift from The Nature Conservancy
Features : "Flat Woods" consisting mainly of American
beech, swamp oaks, red maples, tuliptree and sweet
gum. A special array of wildflowers, ferns, sedges and
shrubs are found in the understory.
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County town of DuPont on the Jennings County side of the county line road. This 61
acres of good-sized sweet gum, red maple, swamp oaks, American beech, tuliptree
and other wetland species was cut hard at one time, but has had no trees removed
since the first quarter of the 20th century. One of the most fetching inhabitants is the
dainty dwarf ginseng found blooming in the early spring beneath these towering
giants.
How protection of this "flat woods" came about is the story of a man and a woman
and their love for each other and their native state of Indiana. William Guthrie and
Sarah Lewis grew up near Dupont, where Sarah's father practiced medicine.
Perhaps, it was their love of nature that brought them together in marriage in 1875.
This union was to last fifty years until Sarah's death in 1925 during a trip to Egypt.
William was good in both business and politics. During his life he held several
political offices including State Senator, delegate to the 1908 Republican National
Convention, and Elector to the Electoral College in the elections of 1916 and 1928.
He also was appointed by Governor Ralston to the State Forestry Commission, and
later the Conservation Commission. During his seven years in this capacity, he was
instrumental in the creation of McCormick's Creek, Turkey Run, Clifty Falls and
Dunes State Parks. The road we now know as State Highway 7 from Madison to
Columbus, was originally known as the GuthrieTrail, in recognition of William's
contribution to its construction.
Among his business accomplishments were Director of the National Branch Bank of
Madison, Director of the Union Land and Timber Company, Vice-president of the
Belt Railroad and Stockyards, and Fletcher Avenue Savings and Loan Association
of Indianapolis, to name a few.
Sarah's interests in history led her to be active in the John Paul Chapter of the DAR,
The Daughters of the Union, The Daughters of 1812, the Jefferson County Historical
Society, the Indiana Society of Pioneers, and the Colonial Dames. As one might
expect, she held high offices in many of these groups.
Both Sarah and William showed their interest in nature by belonging to the Nature
Study Club of Indiana, which was based in Indianapolis.
Guthrie Woods came down through Sarah's family and was jointly owned by Sarah
and her siblings. Upon her death, William purchased the interests of Sarah's brothers
and sisters and set about to create what we now call Guthrie Woods Nature
Preserve. This was an unusual move for this time in our state's history. In 1925,
preserving woods for nature study, and as homes for plants and animals was almost
unheard of. Our first state parks were less than a dozen years old and Pine Hills,
Indiana's first official State Nature Preserve would not come about foranother 34
years.
Whether Sarah and William had discussed the future of this woods, we'll never know,
but whoever came up with the plan to save it had a truly ingenious mind. This is
how it worked: Upon William's death in 1936, at the age of 85, the woods was
conveyed by trust deed to the Nature Study Club of Indiana with the admonition,
"that no tree be cut or no wildlife destroyed so long as this club or any nature
organization that might succeed it is in possession". In addition, the Madison Safe
Deposit and Trust Co. was named as trustee, to keep an eye on the Nature Study
Club of Indiana. Further, the John Paul Chapter of DAR of Madison was designated
as "board of visitors" empowered to report annually to the trustee and benefactors
on the upkeep and protection of the tract. For about fifty years, this arrangement
allowed this young forest to thrive and reach middle age, but things were changing.
The Nature Study Club was no longer able to visit the woods due to a shrinking and
aging membership. The Madison Safe Deposit Trust Co. had changed names at
least one time, and members of the DAR who knew of the arrangement were likely
gone. Thus, it was fortunate that about this time, The Division of State Nature
Preserves nominated the site to be included in the Registry of Indiana Natural Areas.
In 1980, Paul Carmony, an employee of The Nature Conservancy became involved.
He contacted John Tacoma of Indianapolis, who was President of the Indiana Nature
Study Club of Indiana. There were less than a dozen members left, and John was
worried about the future of the woods. He was glad to hear that other agencies were
interested in seeing it preserved. The bank, now Madison Bank and Trust, was also
pleased to learn that they could be released from their trusteeship. It then became a
fairly easy matter to transfer the woods to The Nature Conservancy for continued
stewardship.
Now, eighty years after Sarah's death, this now aging woodland with its tall trees will
have a new caretaker, Oak Heritage Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy has
chosen this local group to receive the honor and responsibility of seeing Sarah's
dream of allowing these 61 acres to mature into a beautiful, serene, oldgrowth forest
fulfilled.
Although there are no trails through Guthrie Woods, it is open to visitation by those
who share the vision of two Hoosiers of long ago. If you do visit in the spring, look
for the bloom of the dwarf ginseng and the plaque in the south east corner that
honors Mrs. Guthrie.
