Washington Conservation Club

WASHINGTON CONSERVATION CLUB

HISTORY

In 1944, funds of the Fish & Game Club were turned over to the newly-formed Washington Conservation Club. The Fish & Game Club was originally known as the Fish, Game, and Forest Protective Association when organized in 1930.

From 1944 until 1946, the new club met in the city council chambers.

On July 2, 1945, the Graham Brothers formed a stock company and sold a little over 80 acres to the new Washington Conservation Club, Inc., the stockholders who own the property.

Since the 1920s, the 80 acres had been home to the Graham Skeet Club. Located just south of Washington on Donaldson Road, it was across from the Jefferson School.

During the 1920s, a regulation skeet range was constructed just north of the clubhouse. Many years of use lay ahead due to the immense national popularity of the sport during that era. The intense competition drew shooters from throughout Indiana as well as from many other states. It was common to see as many as 100 shotgunners attending a shoot.

The club was very innovative in that it had lights which allowed shooters to compete at night. This was a very unusual feature in those days. The skeet shoots continued until the early 1960s. No trace of the skeet range can be seen today. The open field to the north of it is now a forest.

Remodeling of the clubhouse as well as work on construction of a 4.5 acre lake got underway in 1947. In 1952, the clubhouse underwent extensive remodeling and was doubled in size. The west wall, which had a fireplace, was knocked out, making way for a concrete block addition and a basement.

The clubhouse remained essentially unchanged until 1984 when a new kitchen was added along with central air-conditioning. In 1991, work began on a south wing which more than doubled the club’s floor space. During this construction a four-lane underground shooting range was added.

Many improvements to the property have been made in recent years. In 2007, new restrooms were added. A bow range was created in the woods. Primitive camping sites are now available. In 2009, the club began hosting 3-D bow shoots; new trails through the woods were made for this, providing excellent walking paths for members.

Over the years, some extra land was purchased, increasing the club’s total acreage to 92.6 acres, making it one of the largest such clubs in the state. In the early 1950s, trees were planted throughout the property by the Boy Scouts. Since the 1960s, 68.1 acres have been listed as Classified Forest and it receives regular inspection by the state’s District Forester.

For nearly 40 years, the clubhouse was made available free of charge for District 7 meetings of Indiana Conservation Officers. The club’s 100-yard shooting range has always been available free of charge to all city, county, and state law enforcement officers for training purposes.

In the 1990s, the Department of Natural Resources used the club as one of its test sites for the reestablishment of native prairie grasses. This area is to the north of the clubhouse and borders the woods.

The clubhouse continues to be one of the most popular sites in the county for wedding receptions, reunions, parties, and meetings of all kinds.

PURPOSE of the