From the Files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society

Editor’s note: This is a retrospective article that runs a few times a month on InkFreeNews.

July 3, 1954 — The city, as well as the neighboring communities, looked forward to the opening Sunday of Warsaw’s big Lakeland Festival Centennial celebration, which will last through July 10, with a full schedule of entertaining events.

Sunday was set aside as religious dedication day and everyone was urged to attend church services in the morning. A vesper service, “Centennial of the Faith,” was at 4:30 p.m. at the county fairgrounds, featuring Merv Rosell, America’s great evangelist, as guest speaker.

On Monday, there was an official festival opening at the courthouse lawn and a fish fry on North Buffalo Street. A gigantic parade highlighted the festival ceremonies Monday afternoon, and the night featured stock car races at the fairgrounds with a big fireworks display.

Farmer’s day on Tuesday will feature an address by Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson at 1:30 p.m. on the courthouse lawn.

Other Tuesday features will include a tractor driving contest, threshing demonstration and at 7:30 p.m. the judging and crowning of the centennial queen at the fairgrounds.

Feature events will continue each succeeding day and great crowds are expected in Warsaw.

July 4, 1853 — Etna Green’s history as a community began July 4, 1853, when lots in the town site were first offered for sale.

Miami Indians first occupied the Etna Green territory but they had permitted the more aggressive Potawatomies to gain a foothold and gradually take over their lands and hunting grounds. In 1832, when the Treaty of Tippecanoe was signed, the United States government recognized the Potawatomies as legal owners. Here they lived until 1834 in undisputed possession of villages along the lakes and rivers.

Early residents recalled that such a settlement was located east of Etna Green near Huffman Lake and apparently the Indians spent much time along the banks of the Tippecanoe River.

Previous county histories have named the original settlers in the area around Etna Green as Robert Reid, Solomon Klingerman and Charles Rockhill, who were said to have arrived in 1843. Court records do not verify this.

June 29, 1836 — Turkey Creek Township abounds with lakes, some of which are more than 100 feet deep.

Syracuse Lake, one mile long and three-fourths of a mile wide, lies directly east of the village, and Nine-Mile Lake (Wawasee), about five miles long and one mile wide, is a beautiful body of water.

Turkey Creek was organized as a township June 29, 1836, and prior to 1838 comprised the territory which afterward formed the townships of Van Buren, Jefferson and Scott.

The first settlers were Henry Ward and Samuel Crawson, who, in 1832, constructed a dam across Turkey Creek, intending to erect a mill as soon as the lands were open for settlement.

The mill was completed in 1833 and in 1836, the same parties built a sawmill.

– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels