When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark began their famous 1803 expedition to chart an overland route to the Pacific Ocean, they didn't start out in St. Louis, but rather, from the Falls of the Ohio. The Falls provided a natural stopping point for all river travelers in those early days. Native Americans, explorers, pioneers, and travelers loved to stop and marvel at the "petrifications" at the Falls.

Interest and intrigue intertwine with nature and history at the Falls of the Ohio. The most prevelent comment from visitors to the state park is "I've never seen anything like it." However, don't come looking for dinosaur bones and large waterfalls - the living coral reef formed some 200 million years before dinosaurs existed, and the cascading falls have changed a little since earlier years. In addition, Falls of the Ohio State Park, in contrast to others around the state, does not feature campgrounds. Like every state park, the Falls of the Ohio will require much nuturing during the developmental stages. The work has just begun.

Our 16,000 square-foot interpretive center opend its doors in 1994 and contains more than $1 million in exhibits and displays about the prehistoric and historic past of the area. A 100-seat auditorium features an introductory audiovisual presentation to highlight the history and excitement of the Falls. The educational classroom, a research library, wildlife viewing room, river viewing room, and a gift shop also await visitors.

Millions of years in the making, the Falls of the Ohio holds the key to the rich geologic and historic tapestry that is Indiana.