MONUMENT CITY -
An Indiana town that disappeared decades ago is showing itself again due to the drought.
The residents of Monument City evacuated when the state built the Salamonie Reservoir between Huntington and Wabash counties, flooding the town of about 100 people.
Officers with the Department of Natural Resources are patrolling downtown Monument City.
"This time of year, it is very rare to see any of the spots where the town used to be, because we just didn't get the rain this year," said Teresa Rody, Salamonie Interpretive Center.
The Interpretive Center at Lost Bridge West illustrates it best. Tiny lights on a display show where the reservoir usually is during winter. By this time of year, the reservoir normally gets much higher, engulfing Monument City.
Now, for the first time since the dam was constructed on Salamonie Reservoir, the town that was submerged for a half-century is re-emerging.
"Any structure covered by water was to be removed at the time of the construction of the reservoir and a few favorite places were removed to a different spot. That school was impossible, so it was removed," Rody said.
"Lot of friends, lot of nice creeks and puddles and plenty of river," said Mary Jo Boles, a former resident of Monument City.
Boles tells the story of the town that has been submerged for 50 years in a special display at the Salamonie Interpretive Center.
"For the summer, I wore a bathing suit, coveralls, my fishing pole and my dog. I was set for the day," she said.
With the reservoir now some 13 feet below where it would normally be, visitors are getting a perspective you wouldn't normally see. People are taking advantage of it.
Now, the DNR patrols the area, because visitors were canvassing the area for old artifacts from the town.
"We don't want anyone to go over and attempt to collect any items that might be there. There is very little, as you can see," Rody said.
There used to be some 20 homes in Monument City, a general store, a car repair shop and a church. The church and the Civil War Monument were moved to higher ground. Everything else was torn down and then submerged, until now.
"The stories are in the memories, not in the actual structures," Rody said.
Now those stories are emerging once again - just like Monument City.
The remains of Monument City are reappearing as water levels fall.
Visitors are being kept at a distance by DNR officers.
A cemetery, monument and other landmarks were moved before the town was flooded.
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