Richard Lieber facts for kids

Richard Lieber (born September 5, 1869 – died April 15, 1944) was a German-American businessman. He is known as the "father" of the Indiana state parks system. By the time he died, many people saw him as a leading voice for protecting nature in the United States.

Richard Lieber's Early Life

Richard Lieber was born in Düsseldorf, Germany, in 1869. His family was wealthy. When he was a child, he was often tutored at home because he was sick after a chest injury. He was also a bit of a rebel and often got into trouble.

Learning in London and America

After finishing high school, Richard went to London, England. His parents wanted him to learn English. While there, he visited many museums and historical sites. He had plenty of money from his parents, which allowed him to explore and learn.

In 1891, he moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States. Two of his uncles already lived there. His parents agreed to the move because they worried he was picking up socialist ideas in London. His first job in America was as a reporter for the Indiana Tribune newspaper. He later married Emma Rappaport, whose father owned the paper. After the newspaper was sold, Richard started his own businesses. He loved the freedom he found in America and gave up his German citizenship.

Becoming a Conservationist

Richard Lieber became interested in protecting nature after visiting Yosemite National Park in 1900. His interest grew even more after a long trip through the Rocky Mountains in Idaho and Montana.

He attended a special meeting at the White House about conservation. This meeting was organized by President Theodore Roosevelt. After meeting Roosevelt, Richard started writing articles to promote conservation. Indianapolis hosted the Fourth National Conservation Congress, and Richard was the chairman. This showed that he was a very important person in the conservation movement. There, he also met Woodrow Wilson, who later became president. They worked together to help protect America's natural places.

Starting Indiana's State Parks

Lieber (front right) with NPS Director Stephen Mather at what would become Indiana Dunes State Park in 1916.

In 1916, Indiana was celebrating 100 years of statehood. Richard Lieber believed Indiana needed its own state parks, just like other states had. He convinced Indiana Governor Samuel M. Ralston to create the State Parks Committee. Richard was chosen to lead this committee.

Opening the First Parks

With his committee of twenty men, Richard began to get land for parks. They succeeded! McCormick's Creek and Turkey Run both opened on December 11, 1916. What's amazing is that no state money was used to buy these lands. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a big private donor, giving a lot of money.

In 1917, when America joined World War I, Richard was given several important jobs. He became the secretary of the Forestry Board, the director of the Indiana State Parks Committee, and the Military Secretary to the Governor. He was also made a Colonel, and people called him "Colonel Lieber" from then on. Governor James P. Goodrich gave him these jobs. This was a brave decision by the governor. World War I caused strong anti-German feelings in Indiana, and Richard was German. Plus, he had three brothers who were colonels in the German army!

Growing the Park System

Richard convinced Governor Goodrich, who was a close friend, to create a Department of Conservation. This new department would bring together all the different state groups working on nature issues. The idea was stopped in 1917 by one group of lawmakers. But in 1919, a new group of lawmakers created it.

Richard was the chairman of the Conservation Commission until 1933. During his time, ten new state parks and five state memorials were created. Very little state money was used. Richard was very good at inspiring regular people to donate money. This money was used to buy land for parks, which was then given to the state.

Park attendance grew a lot! In 1919, about 33,000 people visited Indiana state parks. By 1932, that number jumped to 623,000. In 1934, the National Park Service said Indiana had one of the three best state park systems in the country. This was impressive because Indiana didn't have as many people or as much wealth as other states.

National Influence

Richard Lieber was often asked to help with national projects. Indiana's park system, thanks to him, became an example for other states across the United States. In 1921, Richard and Stephen Mather (who led the National Park Service) organized the first meeting for state park workers from all over the country. This meeting took place at Turkey Run State Park.

Richard was a Republican, but politics wasn't his main focus. He often turned down job offers in Washington, D.C. However, in 1933, the new Democratic governor, Paul V. McNutt, decided to close the Conservation Commission. This meant Richard was moved to a lower position. Richard resigned on July 15, 1933. After that, he worked as an advisor for parts of the National Park Service and led the National Conference on State Parks.

Richard Lieber passed away in 1944 while staying at the Canyon Inn in McCormick's Creek State Park. His ashes, along with his wife Emma's, are buried at his beloved Turkey Run State Park.

Richard Lieber's Legacy

Richard Lieber believed it was important to charge fees for entering state parks. He thought this made visitors value the parks more. To help parks earn their own money, he also had inns built inside various state parks. Both of these ideas were new and different for their time. By 1942, the parks were able to pay for themselves. Another new idea he had was making sure each park offered a "nature guiding program" to help visitors learn about the natural world.

A famous quote from Richard Lieber shows what he believed: "Our parks and preserves are not mere picnicking places," he said. "They are rich storehouses of memories and reveries. They are guides and counsels to the weary and faltering in spirit. They are bearers of wonderful tales to him who will listen; a solace to the aged and an inspiration to the young."

He wrote a book called America's natural wealth: A story of the use and abuse of our resources in 1942. Several of his speeches were also published. His wife wrote a small book about him in 1947.