Old Lock & Dam Park

Old Lock and Dam Park is located at 525 East Highway 662 in Newburgh, Indiana.  Old Lock and Dam Park was acquired by the Town of Newburgh in 1979 after being surplused by the United States Government in 1978.  Old Lock and Dam Park, wish access from French Island Trail, is a 13.4 acre facility located adjacent to the Ohio River.  French Island Trail (State Route 662) splits the park into north and south sections.  The Old Lock and Dam Park south features include boat dock, parking, the Rivertown Trail and the historic Old Lock and Dam Building No. 47.  The Old Lock and Dam Park north features panoramic views of the Ohio River as well as a gazebo, two cottages, an historic log cabin with garden and the Little Red Brick Building.  The north side is all the site of the future Allen Family Amphitheater.

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Historically, this site has been defined by the sculpted bluffs constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers as part of the original Lock and Dam No. 47.  The May 2011 flooding and landslide have distressed many of these features.  

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Old Lock and Dam Building No. 47 

The Old Lock and Dam Building No. 47 was a

powerhouse for the old wicket type lock and 

dam system.  Constructed in 1921 it was fully 

operational by 1928.  In the 1950's the Corps

Engineers undertook the project of replacing

wicket type dams and in 1975 Newburgh's new 

lock and Dam was fully up and running.  The

original lock and dam system had a powerhouse

lockmaster quarters, storage buildings,

workshops and fuel equipment.  The powerhouse and lockmaster quarters are the only structures still standing.  The Old Lock and Dam Building No. 47 is a popular site and is rented almost every weekend for events.  For rental information on the Old Lock and Dam Building No. 47, please visit the Town's rental page.

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Lockmaster Cottages

The Lockmaster Cottages were used by

the Lockmaster and the Lockmaster

Assistant while the Locks and Dam No. 47 

were in operation.  Built in 1928, the

cottages received a renovation in 2009

and were made public for overnight stays.  

Each cottage comes fully furnished and

can sleep eight people.  There are three

bedrooms - one with a queen bed, one

with a full bed, and one with two twin beds. There is a full murphy bed in the living room.  There are two full baths and are ADA accessible.  The kitchen is fully equipped with dishes, flatware, pots, pans and cooking utensils.  For rental information on the Lockmaster Cottages, please visit the Town's rental page.

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Historic Log Cabin

The historic log cabin was donated to the Town in

1987 by the Kroeger family.  The log cabin was

originally located on State Route 61 just west of Alcoa.

The cabin was disassembled, each log was numbered,

repairs were done then the cabin was reassembled

down the bank from where John Sprinkle's (founder of

Newburgh) first cabin was built.  The cabin predates

the 1840's and the move and repairs were helped by donations.  The garden is maintained by the Southwestern Indiana Master Gardner Association.

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The Little Red Brick Building

The Little Red Brick Building, also known as the Ice

House, Tack House or the Morturary Museum; originally

sat at 519 W. Jennings Street but was moved to the Old

Lock and Dam Park in 2017.  The property on which the

Little Red Brick Building orginally sat was sold and the

new owners wanted to make use of the land, so they

donated the building to the Town with the condition that

the Town had to move the building.  The house is

believed to have been built as early as 1820 and throughout the decades, additions were built on to the structure and the original brick structure was not visible.  It is thought that a fire in the early 1960's helped unveil the building.

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The Little Brick Building was moved from its original location to the Old Lock and Dam Park in 2017 by public donations and grants.  The Little Brick House is still in its renovation phase and will eventually be used as the ticket house to the incoming amphitheater.

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Allen Family Amphitheater

For over 15 years, the Newburgh Parks Master Plan has

included an an amphitheater.  The amphitheater was a vision

of the Newburgh Arts Commission and the Newburgh Parks

Board to provide a cultural venue for the Town.  Through

private donations, sponsorships and naming rights the

amphitheater is set to begin construction late 2019/early 2020.  The goal of the Allen Family Amphitheater is to build a thriving music and art scene in Historic Newburgh that allows the expansion and creation of performing and creative arts.  Along with arts and culture, the hope for the amphitheater is to become a destination for weddings and a gathering space for the public to enjoy the park and scenic views of the Ohio River.  If you would like to donate to the amphitheater or to purchase a brick, please visit the donate page.

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Boat Launch & Dock

Use of the boat launch requires a permit, available at the entry

to the boat launch, or a season pass, available at Town Hall. 

Due to river levels, the boat launch can be closed and river

levels and/or access to the boat launch can effect when the

boat dock is in.  Click here to check river levels and boat

launch access.

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