Staff Report

WARSAW — This article contains a list of streets existing in Warsaw, dating from the founding of the town in 1835 up to and including the year 1894, with information related to why the streets were assigned the names by which they are known. Many new streets have been added since then and some names changed. 

When the town site was platted in 1835 by John B. Chapman, three students in civil engineering were engaged to assist in the work of survey. 

Their individual names have long since been forgotten, but their home cities were Buffalo, N. Y.,  Detroit, Mich. and Columbus, Ohio.

A suggestion was made that the engineers be given recognition by naming a street in complement to each of them. The names of the young men, however, were not thought to be suitable for street names, so the suggestion was made that a street be named in honor of the home town of each. Therefore, Buffalo and Detroit streets came into being. 

It was decided that to give a street the name of Columbus, the home of the third man, would bear too much similarity to Columbia, the name already assigned to one of the thoroughfares. So the young man was asked to suggest a name of his own liking. He replied that his home in Columbus was located on High Street in Ohio and he recommended that name be applied to one of the streets. Hence, Warsaw’s High Street.

A start was made on the west with what was then a short trail. It was named Union Street, as a tribute to the union of states, the spirit of patriotism in those days registering at high mark.

Next came Columbia Street, in honor of the Goddess of Liberty, recognized as the emblem of freedom.

Washington Street derives its name from George Washington, our first president.

Lake Street received its name by reason of its meandering course along the west shore of Center Lake and the outlet into Tippecanoe River.

Indiana Street was so-called in recognition of the Hoosier commonwealth.

Hickory Street is said to have derived its name because a grove of hickory trees had to be removed to permit construction of the street.

Cedar Street, extending north one block from Fort Wayne to Clark Street, gets its name from large cedar trees which once adorned the home of the late Rev. John Hatfield on that street.

Park Avenue came into being by the unification of three sections of streets formerly known as Oak, Landor and Larned.

Tamarack Street gets its name from the fact that when first constructed, it ran most of its length through a dense growth of tamarack trees.

Reed Street. Now we are entering one of the Kist additions. The late A. T. S. Kist named this street in honor of one of his sons, Reed Kist.

Cook Street runs north from Fort Wayne to the waters of Pike Lake and gets its name from the Cook family, early pioneers.

Wood Street extends a distance of two blocks south from Center Street to perpetuate the memory of the late A. G. Wood, former mayor.

Scott Street was one of the first thoroughfares to be opened in East Warsaw and originally was known as “Scott’s Road,” because of the fact that on one of the corners at the Center Street intersection lived a man by the name of George Scott, at that time one of Warsaw’s leading business men.

Funk Street, extending a distance of two blocks from Center Street south through the old fairground addition, is named in honor of the pioneer family of that name.

Morton Place is named for Indiana’s war governor, Oliver P. Morton.

Maple Avenue was known as Card Street prior to the opening of Oakwood Cemetery.

Bronson Street derives its name from the fact that in the early days of East Warsaw, a man named Rush Bronson owned a large tract of land in that vicinity.

Sherman Street perpetuates the memory of the gallant William Sherman of Civil War fame. 

Grant Street commemorates Ulysses S. Grant, commanding General of the Union army during the Civil War and twice elected to the presidency of the United States.

Colfax Street, named for Schuyler Colfax, Indiana statesman and vice president of the United States during Grant’s first term. 

Lincoln Street takes its name from the martyred president, Abraham Lincoln, the great emancipator.

The following streets derive their names from other former presidents: Cleveland, Harrison, Garfield and McKinley.

Argonne Road marks the eastern city limits and leads from Center street south through the subway beneath the Pennsylvania railroad tracks to the gates of Winona park. This highway was named by the local post of the American Legion in commemoration of the memorable battle in France during the World War. 

In Warsaw early days, no north and south streets existed between Hickory and Scott. Although the limits of the city extend to Walnut Creek on the south, Prairie Street is the last thoroughfare to be platted.

Jefferson Street gets its name in commemoration of Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence.

Market Street begins at its junction with Center Street, near the Walnut Creek bridge, and runs eastward to Argonne Road, the entire length of the city from east to west.

Center Street forms a junction with Market Street at the western city limits and the triangular tract thus created for a distance of a couple of blocks was in the old days commonly referred to as “The Flatiron.” Center Street is reputed to been given its name for the same reason that Center Lake is so-called, namely it is the geographical center of the county. 

This street traverses the entire length of the city from east to West and from Lake Street to the eastern city limits it is the route of the Lincoln Highway-U.S. Road No. 30.

This street called Main is said to have been the first regular thoroughfare established when the original plat of the village of Warsaw came into being. Measured by the present system, it was only about four or five blocks in length and was in reality nothing more than a rough country road. It was given the name of Main Street because it was at that time “the” street. Upon it were located the principal stores, post office, wagon shop, blacksmith shop, harness shop and shoe shop. 

Main Street was extended eastward to Tamarack Street. The growth of the city, however, demanded further expansion and Main Street was again extended, to Colfax Street, at which place it turns into Center Street, the Lincoln Highway.

Fort Wayne Street extends from West Street to Bronson. It derives its name from the fact that in pioneer days the eastern portion of the street was known as the Fort Wayne Road, all of the travel between Warsaw and Fort Wayne being directed over that room via Oswego and what is to this day known in the city of Fort Wayne as the Leesburg Road. 

Clark Street traverses the territory between the Big Four railroad and the eastern city limits and derives its name from S. B. Clark, who was one of Warsaw’s most highly respected citizens.

Canal Street extends from Buffalo to Detroit Street and passes the south boundary of Center Lake Park. This street formerly paralleled the canal, which years ago was constructed as a waterway to connect Center and Pike Lakes-hence its name.

Porter Street extends from Lake Street to West Street and takes its name from one of the pioneer families. Pike Street also traverses the territory between the same terminals.

Perry Street, extending from Lake to West Street, was named in honor of Commodore Perry, who defeated the British forces in the memorable battle on Lake Erie during the war of 1812.

On the east side of Center Lake and running eastward from Detroit street we have Arthur Street, named in honor of former president Chester A. Arthur.

Lyon Street runs from Detroit street to Park Avenue at the entrance to the Lakeside Addition, named in memory of an early settler. Lyon street is connected with Arthur by two short streets-Ellsworth and Gilliam, likewise named in honor of pioneers.

Pope Street extends from Detroit Street eastward to the Beyer Canal, intersecting Smith Street. Pope was a pioneer resident who conducted a general store in the area.

McClellan Street is named in honor of General George B. McClellan, of Civil War fame.

Segal Street derives its name from an officer who achieved fame during the Civil war. We also have streets bearing the names of Hackleman and Banks. In the southeast part of the city may be found Hendricks Street and Durbin Street, named in honor of Thomas A. Hendricks and Winfield T. Durbin, both former governors of the Hoosier commonwealth.

Near the extreme eastern city limits are Roosevelt, Taft and Adams streets, named for former presidents. In the vicinity in the southwest part of the city known as Prospect Hill, the plat shows streets designated as Morton, Logan, Wilson and Wheeler; also Harding Avenue. These names are derived from former presidents, vice president and governors. The plat also denotes Eagle and Godman streets, the latter being named to commemorate the memory of J. V. Godman, a former city engineer who lost his life in a sewer tragedy in 1904.

Smith Street skirts the southern city limits from Beyer Canal to the intersection with South Street. 

Information for this article is courtesy of the Kosciusko County Historical Society.

– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels