Earlier this month, in the midst of 90-degree weather, sweaty foreheads and students beginning to wonder why fall hasn’t put a chill in the air, the new second Brown County Leaf Cam was installed.
The Leaf Cam, comprised of two cameras this year, allows people to virtually witness the changing tree leaves in Brown County.
One camera is stationed at the Bean Blossom Overlook, which is located along State Road 135 North between Bean Blossom and Nashville, IN, said Aubrey Sitzman, public relations coordinator for Brown County Visitors Center. This placement allows people to see more than just the trees that line Brown County’s roads.
“They can kind of get a bird’s eye view down on a ton of trees in the valley,” Sitzman said.
The other camera’s location is unknown. The company that installed the camera won’t disclose the location of the device, and one possible explanation is the camera has been placed on private property, Sitzman said.
Sitzman said two cameras in different locations provides viewers with a new point of view.
“People obviously like the Leaf Cam a ton,” Sitzman said. “So, why not put two cameras up?”
The cameras’ footage can be found on Brown County’s website. There, two screens showcase the different views.
One screen has photos from seven hours prior to the moment the viewer visits the site and a captured image from the exact moment they view the webpage. The other shows all the dates during which footage was captured and gives you the option to view it.
The original camera is live year-round, but people tend to visit the site more often once the leaves begin to change, Sitzman said. The second camera was recently installed, so it only has footage from the time it was placed earlier this month.
Sometimes people will call the visitors center just to ask when the leaves will change, said Lori McGee, a staff member at the Brown County Visitors Center.
Because the timing of the color change depends on the weather, staff members never know the date of when the leaves will start changing.
“We have already started to have calls asking about the exact date that the leaves are going to change,” McGee said. “It’s a great resource to direct visitors to our Leaf Cam so they can look at it from the comfort of their own home.”
When October begins, people will be calling daily to ask about the leaves, McGee said.
Sitzman said she personally likes to view the Leaf Cam because it allows her to keep tabs on the overall color-changing process. The trees closest to property lines and roads tend to change first, so she likes to take a look at the trees she can’t see without the help of the Leaf Cam.
“I like to enjoy it like everyone else,” Sitzman said. “I think it’s something that makes Brown County special.”
