The United States Congress designated the Charles C. Deam Wilderness (map) in 1982 and it now has a total of 12,472 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Indiana and is managed by the Forest Service.
Settlers first arrived in Indiana’s only Wilderness in 1826. This was one of the last pieces of the state to have its steep hills and narrow ridge tops tamed by humans. As recently as half a century ago, 81 farms dotted the area, every ridge was planted in corn or hay, and 57 miles of roads traversed the higher ground. Although the landscape still shows considerable evidence of human alterations, the Wilderness is slowly returning to its natural wild state. Bird species, including flycatchers, scarlet tanagers, red-eyed vireos, hawks, and woodpeckers, now thrive in the gradually thickening forest. Among the reptiles you’ll find are the poisonous timber rattlesnake and the copperhead. (source)
