The Historic Pipe Creek Falls

12/04/2024

Day Three: Whiskers twitching, tails flicking – these playful river otters bring magic to our creek, reminding us of the wild wonders just beyond our doorstep. 🦦✨

12/03/2024

Day Two: Pipe Creek Falls is home to some of the most beautiful nature in central Indiana.

Video footage by Levi Giles

https://youtu.be/GflLfVyh2ZU?si=l5PVK52Nwdn0YinT

some aerial footage of pipe Creek Falls in walton Indiana

12/01/2024

Welcome to Pipe Creek Falls - a national historical site and now our ambient residence. We have enjoyed seeing you all tag our page with your own memories of Pipe Creek Falls over the past 100 years.

Just for fun, we’ll be kicking off 25 days of Pipe Creek Falls on this page, and look forward to sharing memories new and old with you.

Day One: Quiet Evening Glow

06/10/2020

A beautiful photo of Pipe Creek in 2019 shared by Luke Kennedy.

06/10/2020

We're looking for historic photos of Pipe Creek Falls. Please share if you have any!

06/10/2020

This page was created by the current owner to share memories and photos taken at Pipe Creek Falls from year 1880 - present.

Pipe Creek Falls has been a scenic attraction for many years -- with photo evidence of picnickers on the rocks of the falls as early as the 1870s. The original grist mill stood on the property from 1854 - 1907. In 1914, Charles Bowyer rebuilt the mill and it operated as a cider and gristmill until the 1930s.

After the mill ceased operation, Bowyer turned the building into a restaurant. The kitchen was in the basement, and a dumbwaiter carried meals up to the main floor dining room. Illegal gambling was rumored to take place on the upper floors. The restaurant stayed in business until 1980.

One of the most important features of Pipe Creek Falls was the swimming area. When Charles Bowyer bought the property in 1906, a timber dam kept back the water for the swimming hole. Bowyer replaced this dam with one of concrete, and built additional facilities such as a bath house, carousel, and generator shed. The bath house featured numbered baskets for clothing and valuables of the swimmers. A concession stand operated in part of the building.

Photos from the 1920's show dozens of people riding the carousel, picnicking and swimming. In 1938, the dam was destroyed by ice. Although Bowyer rebuild the dam, the popularity of the swimming area waned after that.

Camping at Pipe Creek was at the height of its popularity in the 1930s and 1940s. In the 1980s, the new owners put in four mobile homes for summer visitors to rent.

From 1980-1996, Pipe Creek Falls was purchased by Harry Dishon and operated as a campground/resort.

In 1996, Thomas and Chanda Malott purchased Pipe Creek Falls and renovated the mill into their private residence. They raised three daughters in their home and maintain the dam continually.

While recreation at Pipe Creek Falls is closed to the public, its scenic views can be enjoyed by all. The current owners encourage all past visitors to share their photos and memories of Pipe Creek Falls!

(Source: National Register of Historic Places, 1995)