# Spring Mill State Park > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Spring_Mill_State_Park > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Spring_Mill_State_Park.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Mill_State_Park > Source revision: 1340222398 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|State park in Indiana, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox protected area | name = Spring Mill State Park | iucn_category = III | image = Spring Mill State Park settler village — Antique industrial.jpg | image_caption = The [watermill](/source/watermill) in the pioneer village | map = USA Indiana | map_width = 200 | map_caption = Map of the [U.S. state](/source/U.S._state) of [Indiana](/source/Indiana) showing the location of Spring Mill State Park | location = [Lawrence County](/source/Lawrence_County%2C_Indiana), [Indiana](/source/Indiana), U.S. | nearest_city = [Mitchell, Indiana](/source/Mitchell%2C_Indiana) | coordinates = {{coord|38|44|00|N|86|25|12|W|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | area_acre = 1358 | established = | visitation_num = 675,880 | visitation_year = 2018–19 | visitation_ref = {{cite web |title=2018 / 2019 Estimated Fiscal Year Visits for Indiana State Parks ~ Alphabetical |publisher=Indiana Department of Natural Resources |url=https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/files/sp-2018-19-State-Park-Visitation.pdf |access-date=November 2, 2021}} | governing_body = [Indiana Department of Natural Resources](/source/Indiana_Department_of_Natural_Resources) }} '''Spring Mill State Park''' is a {{convert|1358|acre|km2|0|adj=on}} [state park](/source/state_park) in the state of [Indiana](/source/Indiana). The park is located south of [Bloomington](/source/Bloomington%2C_Indiana), about {{convert|3|mi|km|0}} east of the city of [Mitchell](/source/Mitchell%2C_Indiana) on [Indiana State Road 60](/source/Indiana_State_Road_60). Established in 1927, it contains a settler's village, the [Gus Grissom](/source/Gus_Grissom) Memorial (with the accompanying [Gemini 3](/source/Gemini_3) space capsule), a nature center, and campgrounds.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=June 17, 2022 |title=Spring Mill State Park |url=https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/spring-mill-state-park/ |access-date=June 3, 2025 |website=[Indiana Department of Natural Resources](/source/Indiana_Department_of_Natural_Resources)}} The park is located on the Mitchell [Karst](/source/Karst) Plain, which allowed the park's [caves](/source/caves) and [sinkholes](/source/sinkholes) to form in the limestone. The caves include Bronson Cave, [Twin Caves](/source/Twin_caves), [Shawnee Cave](/source/Shawnee_Cave) (also known as Donaldson Cave), Hamer Cave, and others. A boat tour of Twin Caves is run by the [Indiana Department of Natural Resources](/source/Indiana_Department_of_Natural_Resources), which travels about {{convert|500|ft|m|-1}} into the cave. A portion of the park is [virgin timber](/source/virgin_timber), protected in the Donaldson Woods Nature Preserve. The Mitchell Karst Plain Nature Preserve is notable for its large number of sinkholes, more than 1000 per square mile. Many of the park's features were constructed by the [Civilian Conservation Corps](/source/Civilian_Conservation_Corps) in the 1930s, including the Spring Mill Inn, Spring Mill Lake, and most of the trails. The park attracts about 675,000 visitors annually. The park is one of 14 Indiana State Parks that were in the path of totality for the [2024 solar eclipse](/source/2024_solar_eclipse), with the park experiencing 3 minutes and 21 seconds of totality.{{Cite web |last=R |first=Mike |date=2021-07-14 |title=Indiana 2024 Eclipse State Park Resources |url=http://cosmospnw.com/indiana-2024-eclipse-state-park-resources/ |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=CosmosPNW |language=en-US}} ==Pioneer village== A reconstructed [pioneer](/source/American_pioneer) village lies within the park, featuring a historic [watermill](/source/watermill) and 19 other structures. It was the site of the original '''Spring Mill Village''' that developed around the mill from which it took its name, powered by a stream that arises from a spring in Hamer Cave. Heritage interpreters demonstrate crafts and skills from the 1860s. The Hamer Cemetery is located south of the village. This {{convert|295|acre|km2|adj=on}} area was purchased from a cement company for a single dollar in 1923. Restoration of the village was spearheaded by [Richard Lieber](/source/Richard_Lieber) and E. Y. Guernsey (employed by Indiana's Department of Conservation) in the late 1920s and early 1930s, using some original structures and other buildings brought from other parts of the state. ==Gus Grissom Memorial== Also of interest is a memorial to Mitchell, Indiana-native, [Gus Grissom](/source/Gus_Grissom), one of the original [Mercury Seven](/source/Mercury_Seven) astronauts, and who died in the [Apollo 1](/source/Apollo_1) accident. The memorial features the spacecraft from Grissom's [Gemini 3](/source/Gemini_3) space flight, nicknamed by Grissom the ''[Molly Brown](/source/Margaret_Brown)'' (after the play ''[The Unsinkable Molly Brown](/source/The_Unsinkable_Molly_Brown_(musical))''), as well as a short video about the life of Grissom and artifacts such as a spacesuit, helmet, and many personal effects. ==Other== A nature center is open from spring through fall and features live [snakes](/source/snakes), a bird-watching window, natural history displays, and a children's area. During the winter, a small "nature nook" is available instead the Spring Mill Inn. The campground features 188 Class A campsites with 30-amp electric service, a fire ring, and a picnic table for each site. Thirty-five primitive campsites and youth camping are also available. Four "comfort stations" are located in the campground, which includes modern plumbing, restrooms, and showers. A camp store is accessible from both inside and outside the campground. ==In popular culture== The park was the subject of a ''[Rescue 911](/source/Rescue_911)'' segment that aired on October 17, 1989, about a man who became trapped in Donaldson Cave and was later rescued. ==Gallery== Image:Spring Mill Inn.jpg|Spring Mill Inn Image:Spring Mill Gristmill.jpg|Water Mill at Spring Mill State Park Image:CabinSpringMill.jpg|Small village house overlooking north village garden in summer 2004 Image:Twincave.jpg|Twin Caves boat tour Image:AmishSpringMill.jpg|Amish family members walking through Spring Mill village Image:LeatherShopSpringMill.jpg|Village leather shop Image:Gemini3 Capsule.jpg|Gus Grissom and [John Young](/source/John_Young_(astronaut))'s [Gemini 3](/source/Gemini_3) capsule, nicknamed ''Molly Brown'' ==References== {{Reflist}} *[http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2968.htm Indiana Department of Natural Resource's official Web page] *{{cite web |url=http://www.topoquest.com/map.asp?lon=-86.42&lat=38.7333 |title=Spring Mill State Park, USGS Mitchell (IN) Topo Map |accessdate=June 29, 2008 |author=United States Geological Survey |author-link=United States Geological Survey |publisher=[TopoQuest](/source/TopoQuest)}} == External links == {{commons category|Spring Mill State Park, Indiana}} * [http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2968.htm Official DNR Web page for Spring Mill State Park] * [https://archives.isl.lib.in.us/repositories/2/resources/335 Spring Mill State Park collection], Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library {{Protected Areas of Indiana}} {{Authority control}} Category:Canyons and gorges of Indiana Category:Civilian Conservation Corps in Indiana Category:Grinding mills in Indiana Category:State parks of Indiana Category:Living museums in Indiana Category:Mill museums in Indiana Category:Museums in Lawrence County, Indiana Category:Protected areas of Lawrence County, Indiana Category:Nature centers in Indiana Category:Bodies of water of Lawrence County, Indiana --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Spring Mill State Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Mill_State_Park) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Mill_State_Park?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.