A 158-acre historic Floyd County farm just outside Georgetown will become a public park and site for 4‑H activities thanks to extraordinary foresight by the late Zelpha Schoen Mitsch and collaboration between Indiana Landmarks and Floyd County.

Built on land that originally belonged to some of the area’s earliest settlers, the Sillings-Schoen-Mitsch property includes a 1910s bungalow farmhouse with three barns, a tenant house, and a few outbuildings.

When she died in 2015, Zelpha Schoen Mitsch left the property to Indiana Landmarks so that the nonprofit organization could protect the land and buildings with preservation and conservation easements.

In 2022, Indiana Landmarks sold the property to Floyd County at a greatly reduced market value under terms that prohibit significant development on the site and establish covenants and a development agreement governing future changes to the property.

The county intends to preserve the historic farmstead for public use—including agricultural instruction for 4-H groups—and maintain an adjacent 70-acre wooded tract as a natural park with walking and hiking trails.

“Indiana Landmarks is grateful to Floyd County officials for their desire to maintain the farm as

greenspace and a recreational amenity for the residents of a fast-growing section of the county,” said Greg Sekula, director of Indiana Landmarks’ Southern Regional Office. “We believe this use honors the legacy of Zelpha Schoen Mitsch and her commitment to preserving this beautiful property for future generations to enjoy.”

Located at 7055 State Road 64, the farm sits adjacent to the 60-acre, $10 million Novaparke Innovation and Technology campus being developed by the Floyd County Redevelopment Commission.

“We’re excited about the possibilities the Mitsch farm and farmstead offer as part of the county’s largest regional park,” says Don Lopp, Director of Operations and Planning for Floyd County.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Greg Sekula, Director, Indiana Landmarks Southern Regional Office, 812-284-4534, 502-216-8998 (cell), gsekula@indianalandmarks.org

Don Lopp, Director of Operations and Planning, Floyd County, 812-948-4110, dlopp@floydcounty.in.gov

Indiana Landmarks revitalizes communities, strengthens connections to our diverse heritage, and saves meaningful places. With nine offices located throughout the state, Indiana Landmarks helps people rescue endangered landmarks and restore historic neighborhoods and downtowns. People who join Indiana Landmarks receive its bimonthly magazine, Indiana Preservation. For more information on the not-for-profit organization, call 317-639-4534, 800-450-4534, or visit www.indianalandmarks.org.