Mid-States Corridor could make century-old farm disappear

HUNTINGBURG, Ind. (WEHT) – The LCBar Farm in southern Dubois County has been in Cathy Wagner’s family for 111 years. And while they are looking back to celebrate their accomplishments over the past century, they are looking ahead to a future filled with uncertainty. The farm sits on more than 400 acres adjacent to the Huntingburg Airport. It also sits right in the center of the proposed path for the Mid-States Corridor. Wagner grew up on the farm and says the new highway would cut their acreage in half.

“They are going to devastate over 100 homes, put people out on the street, destroy almost 2,000 acres of cropland,” says Wagner. “And for what? So trucks don’t have to stop at a stoplight in Jasper?”

The planned corridor is currently in tier 2 , with a survey study focused on Dubois County. Nicole Minton with the Mid-States Corridor project says her team understands emotions are high, but reminds residents that not everyone will be affected.

“Many letters went out to people in that 2,000 feet-wide study area,” explains Minton, “most of them won’t be impacted. When you think about it, we only need the 200 to 500 feet of width.”

In a bittersweet moment at the Indiana State Fair, the LCBar Farm received Hoosier Homestead status, a designation given to farms owned by the same family for over 100 years. Wagner fears their days are numbered, but Minton says providing that type of information can help determine the highway’s path.

“Right now, the property owner survey form is a really useful tool for people to let us know about Heritage Homestead farms and other concerns that they have for their properties,” says Minton.

Wagner and her family know the fight will continue for years, if not decades, and they are prepared to stand up for their kids and grandkids who will one day take over the farm. “I pray to God they can sit down and eat affordable food that was grown by an American farmer, and the farmer has to have land to do that,” says Wagner.

More information on the Mid-States Corridor can be found on their website.

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