Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve

Wesselman Woods is a 200-acre nature preserve within Evansville's city limits, containing a stand of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest — one of only a handful of such forests surviving anywhere in the United States, and almost certainly the largest within an American city. The preserve is designated a National Natural Landmark and is managed as an active wildlife habitat alongside a nature centre with educational exhibits.

Trails wind through the old-growth section, where oak, hickory, and beech trees have been growing undisturbed for centuries. The forest floor is dense with wildflowers in spring, and the preserve is an important stopover for migratory birds. The adjacent Wesselman Nature Society nature centre is family-oriented and offers programming for children and adults throughout the year. Entry to the trails is free; some programmes require registration.

things to do sight
A story
Wesselman Woods is an old-growth bottomland hardwood forest entirely within the Evansville city limits — an ecological anomaly of the first order. The trees in the core of the preserve were old-growth before European settlement arrived; the oldest are estimated at over 400 years. The surrounding city has been built up around the forest without disturbing it, making it one of the very few urban old-growth forests in the United States.