Washington County: a southern Indiana wonderland.

IT'S BIG--514 SQUARE miles. Gorgeous--a geologic splash of rivers, lakes, caves, hills and forests. And proud--of its heritage, visitor attractions, thriving hardwood industries and potential for business growth.

This is Washington County, Indiana, founded in 1914 and named for President George Washington. About a half-hour from Louisville and an hour-and-a-half from Indianapolis, it's home to some 27,200 people. About a fourth of them live in Salem, the county seat; the rest in 24 small towns, several appropriately ending in "burg."

"This is a very close-knit community," says Salem mayor Judy Chastain. "We have lots of organizations, churches and community-minded people. We all pitch in and help each other."

Clark State Forest, Jackson-Washington State Forest, and county-owned Delaney Park and Lake are favorite outdoor spots, with waterways that include Elk Creek Fishing Area, Lake Salinda, Spurgeon Hollow Lake, and the Blue, Muscatatuck and White rivers.

From April to October, the Salem Speedway pulls in visitors for stock, midget and sprint races sanctioned by the USAC, ARCA, ASA, Midwest and IMCA on what's called the world's fastest half-mile--a 0.55-mile, 33-degree, banked asphalt oval. "It's one of our main event-driven attractions," says Bill Nolting, executive director of the Washington County Economic Growth Partnership.

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Tourism is about to get a new attraction, too, thanks to an infusion of capital from Bill and Gail Cook of Bloomington and The Cook Group, who are helping the Friends of Beck's Mill restore an 1864 corn and wheat grist mill on a 14-acre site. "Restoration is under way," reports Friends president Angela Beanblossom. "It opens in fall 2008 as a tourist and educational center."

The county is also home to the Stevens Memorial Museum, built in 1970 and expanded in 1995. Its features an extensive Civil War collection and replicas of early law and dental offices. And Salem's downtown square is "the prettiest of all the squares," Chastain says. "We have businesses, professional offices, retail, an old-time soda fountain, restaurants with outdoor dining and no empty storefronts."

On the industry side, Nolting reports that about 22 wood-related companies, most small businesses, operate in the county, They range from sawmills to finished-product manufacturers "and companies in between." "Washington County has one of the largest supplies of hardwood in the state, and a good quality poplar that is sought after," he says.

Flexcel, a division of Kimball International in Salem, is the largest industrial employer, with a workforce of about 450 making wood furniture.

Others capitalizing on the abundant forests: International Wood Inc. in Salem, which processes logs, recently added $300,000 in new equipment and has a workforce of about 40; and Salem Hardwood Lumber Co., also in Salem, which employs about 25 and just spent $1.2 million on a new kiln. It buys lumber from International Wood and makes furniture parts.

Wood industries also include Blue River Cabinetry, with 22 employees; Frank Miller Lumber Co., employing 26; and Saroyan Hardwoods, with a workforce of 36.

"We are working to help all companies expand," Nolting said. And he's eyeing bringing in new industries. He'd like to find a company or two that would use available wood byproducts. "We have a tremendous ongoing supply--a huge supply--of sawdust, bark and chips. We're looking to attract a wood processor that can use those products."

He's got plenty of space for new industries. One spot is the 140-acre J.F. Helsel Commerce Center in Salem. shovel-ready designation is pending on the park. That would A state of Indiana help expedite state construction approvals. "All the infrastructure is in," Nolting says, as well as the first tenant, Cornerstone Hall, a convention center.

Another key employer is GKN Sinter Metals Inc., employing some 280 in Salem. "They expanded over the last two years, making $30 million worth of investments in new equipment and adding 24 jobs," Nolting reports. The company makes powdered metal castings for the auto industry.

In Campellsburg, NetShape Technologies Inc., formerly Hawk Precision Components, employs about 250 in its precision component plant. And in Salem, Jeans' Extrusion Inc. employs about 110 at its vinyl products facility, producing compression gaskets, magnetic strips and gasketing, and PVC profiles.

To assure a well-trained workforce, the Washington County Community Learning Center was built three years ago in Salem. "We work with the community and businesses for specific training needed," says Beanblossom, the Friends of Beck's Mill president who serves as the center's coordinator. It also hosts about 15 onsite classes from Ivy Tech Community College and Indiana University Southeast each semester and provides Internet connections for distance-education opportunities. It serves about 230 students a semester, she says. "Our mission is to make higher education more attainable."

"We're a very friendly, relaxed community with lots of small, successful businesses and industries," mayor Chastain says. "And we're always looking to prosper."