New Sign up at Wes Skiles Peacock Springs

[Walter Pickel]

A friend of mine, who is far smarter than I, helped me understand the park's renaming. No one has helped me understand this thus far (the renaming has been shrouded in secrecy) so I appreciate immesely him educating me.

According to Woody Jasper; the Wray's owned Peacock and had plans and a developer ready to create a housing development. Wes got the Wray's and the State together for the purchase.

Regardless of whether or not Wes and I agreed on bottling water, this now makes sense.

[Tegg]

A friend of mine, who is far smarter than I, helped me understand the park's renaming. No one has helped me understand this thus far (the renaming has been shrouded in secrecy) so I appreciate immesely him educating me.

According to Woody Jasper; the Wray's owned Peacock and had plans and a developer ready to create a housing development. Wes got the Wray's and the State together for the purchase.


Regardless of whether or not Wes and I agreed on bottling water, this now makes sense.

What is odd is why this information seemed to not be said by anyone previous to your post... if that is what he did, why not just say it and put it out there earlier and with the announcement... ?

[Walter Pickel]

What is odd is why this information seemed to not be said by anyone previous to your post... if that is what he did, why not just say it and put it out there earlier and with the announcement... ?

I was curious about that as well. I'm not sure many people know.

[Rubis]

Not sure many people know all what Wes did to protect the caves either. Looks to me that he was quite humble. He did talk a lot about his photography, obviously to promote it and make a living. This is how I perceived him when I had been fortunate enough to talk to him.

Very fitting tribute indeed ... Wes you are missed.

[FW]

...Regardless of whether or not Wes and I agreed on bottling water....

Wes was very torn about water bottling. In a perfect world, he would have been against it, but he felt controlled bottling was the least of the evils.

[JCGoodwin]

Thanks TJ for the update. They were working while we were at Peacock but we did not see the completion.
I appreciate the other information as well, Wes was always working to promote the springs and cave diving.
It seems even behind the scenes many of his deeds were unknown.
One more challenge to the rest of us to step it up!
Even I up here in hoosier land have began to think about water conservation!
Just goes to show one person can make a difference!

JCG

[phreaticus]

I have an actual overhead view of the layout of the roads and lots (somewhere, I'll need to look in the 20 year old archives) that Bob Wray had planned for the Peacock property.....it was pretty troubling at the time. I even think it was Wes that showed it to me, at Peacock one day.
I'll look around, I think it's on a slide I shot, so would have to digitize it to view online. That part of the story (attempted developement) is absolutely true....and, knowing Wes, the later part (State aquisition) would make total sense.

[ScubaRob]

The signs looks good, but I would rather still have Wes around.

[diverdarren]

Thank you very much for clearing up the mystery of what Wes had to do with Peacock. I once read that Sheck Exley's first cave student was Wes Skiles and that Wes Skiles first cave student was Lamar Hires. Can any of you elder statesmen confirm this? always curious, always learning Darren

[FW]

.... I once read that Sheck Exley's first cave student was Wes Skiles and that Wes Skiles first cave student was Lamar Hires....

The second part is for sure true. I never heard the first part.

Hmmm, Wes told me who his instructor was... can't remember his name, but he was a big guy.