GEORGETOWN, Ind. – A southern Indiana farm on land dating back to the early settlers is going to be preserved for future use by the public.

The 158-acre farm in Floyd County was left to the historic preservation group, Indiana Landmarks, by Zelpha Schoen Mitsch upon her death in 2015. She lived on the farm outside Georgetown from childhood until moving into a residential care facility a few years prior to her passing at age 94.

In October, Indiana Landmarks sold the property in the hilly terrain just north of the Ohio River to Floyd County government for $1.2 million. Use of the property is not set in stone, but the talk seems to revolve around greenspace in an area seeing rapid development and providing educational opportunities for youth in the 4-H program.

“We believe this use honors the legacy of Zelpha Schoen Mitsch and her commitment to preserving this beautiful property for future generations to enjoy,” said Greg Sekula, director of the Indiana Landmarks Southern Regional Office.

The property on Indiana 64 includes an early 1900s bungalow farmhouse, three barns and several outbuildings. There’s also a tenant house about the size of a one-room schoolhouse believed to have been constructed in the 1860s at the farm.

Sekula said the woman left the property to the not-for-profit organization for the purpose of protecting the land from future commercial or residential development and preserving the existing structures.

He said preservation covenants requiring future buyers to abide by her wishes were added to the deed.

The farm, less than 20 miles from Louisville, Ky., is adjacent to the Novaparke Innovation and Technology Campus being developed by the Floyd County Redevelopment Commission.

The vision is for businesses to locate at Novaparke and use the amenities there along with its culture of innovation to accelerate their growth.

One of the ingredients for success at Novaparke is recreation. Sekula said walking trails being created there for use by future employees could be extended to the recently acquired farm through a 70-acre wooded area between the properties.

Other forms of recreation at Novaparke could be tied into the farm but only on a small percentage of the ground. “The bulk of the property will be maintained as open space as kind of a recreational park for the community,” he said.

“We’re excited about the possibilities the Mitsch farm and farmstead offer as part of the county’s largest regional park,” said Don Lopp, director of operations and planning for Floyd County.

Sekula said the farmhouse is structurally in good shape.

After acquiring the property, Indiana Landmarks had a new roof put on the farmhouse and performed other exterior work to keep out the elements. He said repairs were also made to each of the barns and some of the other outbuildings on the property.

In addition, a lease was entered into with a local farmer who’s been raising corn and soybeans in the tillable soil.

Sekula said the three-bedroom farmhouse, looking much like a time capsule from the 1940s, and the tenant house still need extensive renovation.

Ideas on using those structures vary from administrative office space to overnight and vacation rental. A site manager living on the property and using the grounds to expand 4-H offerings has also been mentioned.

“Everything is in the very early stages at this juncture,” Sekula said.

Sekula said the farm is an area where the county’s agricultural heritage is quickly vanishing from construction of subdivisions.

“This provides kind of needed access to some green space and nature. A link to Floyd County’s past and heritage,” he said.

Indiana Landmarks, with nine offices statewide, is involved in the rescue and restoration of historic properties, including historic neighborhoods and downtowns.