
The Miami and Shawnee Indians named the Tippecanoe River Kithtippecanunk, or "place of the buffalo fish," which still can be found in the river. Its clear waters and wooded shores provide rich habitat for the abundance of fish, mussels and wildlife that live here. Very few streams in the upper Midwest can match the number of imperiled species or the overall species diversity that the Tippecanoe River supports.
The Nature Conservancy considers the Tippecanoe one of the top 10 rivers in America to preserve.