Indiana widow's 20-year fight for 120 acres, part of which became protected land

In the early 1900s, Drusilla Carr, an Indiana widow, embarked on a tenacious two-decade struggle to retain ownership of 120 acres of land bordering Lake Michigan. Carr had resided on the property for years before its value surged as the city of Gary expanded. The lakeshore, once considered mere sand and swamp, became a prime target for development, including parks and housing.

Born in 1856, Carr faced hardship early, becoming an orphan and, according to the 1870 census, was illiterate and worked as a domestic servant at 13. By 1872, she moved to the Lake County shoreline, working at a fishing shack. The area then was a stark contrast to its present-day developed state, characterized by sand dunes, swamps, and abundant wildlife.

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It was near to where the Gary Marquette Park is and close to the lagoon. I cooked for them.

Carr married Robert Carr in 1875, and they built their lives around the lake, relying on fishing and foraging for sustenance. She recalled plentiful catches of sturgeon, but noted the sharp decline in native fish populations due to overfishing, with commercial sturgeon harvests closing by 1929. As Gary grew, the landscape transformed.

Carr's claim to the land began around 1876 when a man named Bingham, unhappy with his own land claim, reportedly offered her the property if she occupied it. She copied his land description, expecting a new deed, but never heard from him again. Despite this, she continued to live on and develop the property, raising a family and continuing their traditional way of life.

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that is the reason there are no more cranberries here.