These include twin leaf, bloodroot, dutchman's breeches, hyacinth, phacelia, wood poppy, spring beauty and blue phlox.

The narrow, rocky ridges made for marginally productive farmland, but the inhabitants were able to scrape by until the Great Depression.

As the economy forced them out, the U.S. Forest Service acquired their property and, with the help of the Civilian Conservation Corps, began rehabilitating the area and managing it for recreation.

Since its designation as a wilderness area under Ronald Reagan in 1982, the only artificial improvements have come in the form of trail maintenance.

Claude Ferguson, former Supervisor of the Hoosier National Forest, was instrumental in establishing the Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area.