Crawfordsville, IN

Frances Wooden Park

Frances Wooden Park, formerly known as Northside Park, has a rich history as a stop along the Underground Railroad in conjunction with the construction of the original Bethel AME Church in 1847 and the homesite of Crawfordsville’s second mayor, John Speed. It was a final stop, before reaching Sugar Creek, to continue northward along the route.

The design team collaborated heavily with the members of the adjacent Bethel AME church, local residents, and local historians to envision a space that would serve the church and neighboring communities and commemorate the rich history of the site. 

A new large shelter doubles as an outdoor space of worship for the Bethel AME congregation. A series of custom-designed benches denote important dates corresponding to site and local events preceding and following the passing of the 13th Amendment. The design of the playground structure and pathways within the park reflect the movement of water while musical play features mimic the sounds of water, strengthening the site’s connection to Sugar Creek.

Today, the site acknowledges and highlights the rich history of the past while emphasizing gathering and play for the present-day community. 

Connersville, IN

Offutt’s Park Improvements

HWC was hired by the City of Connersville to provide conceptual design, construction documents, bidding, and construction administration services for improvements to Offutt’s Park located on Virginia Avenue. The park updates include a walking trail with fitness nodes, housing equipment, and signage, a central shelter, and updates to the entrance drive and parking, advancements to the basketball court, pedestrian connections, a drinking fountain, a handwashing station, and hand sanitation stations. The project was funded using a combination of an OCRA grant and local funding. HWC coordinated extensively with the grant coordinator throughout the process. Construction for the project was completed by Dave O’Mara Contractor, Inc. in August 2025.

Crawfordsville, IN

Brickyard Park

The former site of the Crawfordsville Shale Brick Company, Brickyard Nature Park is a 104-acre property that the City wanted to make more accessible to the public for active and passive recreation opportunities such as walking, biking, hiking, nature viewing, and picnicking.

HWC worked closely with local leadership and an active, local mountain biking group to develop improvements for the park. Elements include a new entrance and trailhead with a parking lot, shade shelter, picnic tables, bike racks, seating, and trail map. A 1.1-mile walking path was established as well as 2.2-miles of bike trails. Additionally, an accessible, paved loop trail was installed to make the park more inclusive. To reduce conflict between use type, a clear signage system was created so trail users understand which trails are designated for hiking versus biking.

With a moderate budget of $500,000, HWC was able to accomplish all of the City’s goals for the project. The once best kept secret in Crawfordsville has now become an active park amenity that is open to the public year round.