Size : 33 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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one of the few remaining examples of old growth "flat woods" in Indiana today. About
33 acres in size, this grove had been in the Tribbett family since 1857. When I first
visited the Tribbett home in 1980, the last two members of this lineage, Ida and
Clifford Tribbett, were still living across a field just east of the woods. Born around
the turn of the twentieth century, this brother and sister, neither of whom had
married, had known this woods all of their lives. Clifford liked to tell of the many
squirrels he had taken from its hickories. Ida's memories included the drought of the
30’s when their father dug a small pond along one side of the woods to water the
cattle, which were allowed to graze among the trees at that time.
In 1980 they were no longer farming, but Clifford still milked one cow and Ida
churned the cream and made butter. She also kept a small flock of ducks and geese
and raised a garden. An outhouse was still in use and a pendulum clock ticked off
the minutes as we rocked and talked about their lives and the affairs of the world.
The conversation often turned to the woods. What would happen to it after they
were gone? The tillable land and the buildings would go to the family who had taken
over the farming when Clifford retired, but the woods was a different matter. Even
though they were not "well off", they did not want to sell it. They would have
preferred to make a gift to The Nature Conservancy, but were not covered by Social
Security and felt they might need extra income if they required long-term medical
care. How could they solve this dilemma?
Bill Weeks, who was the State Director of The Nature Conservancy, came up with a
plan. First an appraisal of the trees was done to determine their value. Then TNC
set aside this amount in an account that could only be used for medical
emergencies. This wasn't a sale, nor was it a gift and it suited the Tribbetts.
Unfortunately, Clifford passed away before the woods changed ownership, but Ida
continued to live in the home for several more years. She was at peace knowing that
the stately beech and chestnut oaks would be spared and the money was there if
she needed it.
Ida and Clifford's home still stands across that field and I like to think that their spirits
revisit it from time to time to sit on the porch.
