Arthur Franklin Mapes was an American poet. Among his works is the poem entitled "Indiana", written in 1963. and adopted as the Indiana state poem the same year. In 1977, he was unofficially designated Indiana State Poet Laureate

Indiana State Poet Laureate

The Indiana State Poet Laureate is the poet laureate for the U.S. state of Indiana. Senate Enrolled Act No. 433 created the made the position effective July 1, 2005, but Indiana had a well-established unofficial position of state poet laureate since 1929. Laureates serve a two year term...

, a position that was not recognized as official until July 1, 2005. Much of his poetry reflected his humble beginnings and the love he had for his hometown, Kendallville

Kendallville, Indiana

Kendallville is a city in Wayne Township, Noble County, Indiana, United States. The population was 9,862 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Kendallville is located at ....

, and state. His poetry also reflected his feeling on God, his spiritual journey, the landscape, and nature. Many of his poems were printed in national and international publications.

Arthur Franklin Mapes was born and raised in Kendallville, IN in a family of eight children. He married Ruth Acker and had ten children. He worked at Flint & Walling, Inc. for many years as a mechanic. During his career, he won eight awards at the state, national and international levels, which include The Golden Quill Award of 1965 which was given to Mapes for Winter Cavern and the status of Indiana’s Poet Laureate in 1977. Additionally, he was a member of the Indiana Poetry Society, the Poets Corner, and was a columnist for Cornucopia Poetry Magazine.

Works

Poems

The Blacklegs

'The Big Tornado(unpublished)

Bixler Lake

Conner Prairie

I Remember Indiana (unpublished)

Indiana

My Hoosier Hills

Our Town

These Hills

Wabash River

Winter Cavern

Collections

Poems of the Hoosier Hills

The Hoosier Way

Indiana Memories