Nevada Mills

Nevada Mills is a community on Jimmerson Lake rich with history. If you follow this blog you know my cousin Cindy lives there and we dock the family yacht there. Our trucks can frequently be spotted at Floyd and Rose Curtlands' farm where we load up on various soils, rocks and straw, we have a long association with "Uncle Floyd". There is a history of the area penned by longtime resident and fellow landscaper Lynn "Doc" Munger, Doc is in his 80's now and resides at Heron Hill Nursery in Fremont. Autographed copies are available at Betty Perry's Damn Store across from Uncle Floyd, the book has some great stories and photographs.


Since we are boat owners again and cruising the James chain for the first time in many years I have noticed some changes. One was the abundance of hibiscus sprouting from the shorelines and even on the small spits of land. The perennial hibiscus I do not believe to be a native Indiana plant and suspect that the origin of this species comes from the Farver property next to the damn. When I first began boating in Steuben County in the early 80's I remember seeing the hibiscus that grew along the road side of the house and thinking they were quite remarkable and unusual. Now some 26 years later hedges of hibiscus surround properties around the damn and their spawn are evident throughout the chain. That is my theory and I think it rings true, I'll have to ask one of the DNR dudes about it next time I get the chance.


There has been some form of a small nursery near the river for over three generations all Mungers I think. The water that leaves Nevada Mills continues and is our south property boundry as it spills on to the Fawn River. The main attraction of course is the damn itself. Before its renovation two years ago the damn attracted more than its share of late night skinny dippers, party makers and adventure seekers. People were known to perform all sorts of foolish diving feats off both sides of the damn which included swan dives from a three story tree. The area was finally cleared, posted as restricted and better policed slowing down the sometimes circus atmosphere of years past and protecting people from themselves.

I really like this end of the lake near the damn, brings back some good memories. When I ride my bicycle past the church, over the roaring water along the heavy shaded roads I get a sense of the past and the character that is the mill pond, it is relaxing and energizing.


The guy on the yellow motorcycle is accompanied by his dog Bull, I see this man riding all over near Angola and finally got a photo in the Wal Mart parking lot. Talk about characters. The dog barked viciously at me when I got too close.