The Mail-Journal, Volume 8, Number 29, Milford, Kosciusko County, 18 August 1971 — Page 4

\. Summer Time In The Lakeland Area Is A Good Time To . . . j||||P^ Become Acquainted /I With Syracuse K

an 5522' ■ - r - ■■ SEES j ZSSSdI I I - : Tjß r FIRE-POLICE — Syracuse has one of the most up-to-date polic county. Roth are housed in this new building which is located on Soul town hall.

jj MK M I < »BSS< H H H 31 §••••••»• Syracuse is the largest of the three Lakeland towns and sits in the center of a triangle between Milford and North Webster. Her residents play hosts to thousands of visitors each summer who come to enjoy the recreational facilities offered by Wawasee and her sister lakes

Indiana Seawall Co. * i a • SIDEWALKS • DRIVEWAYS • PATIOS TERRY E. SMITH 834-2555 SYRACUSE. INDIANA ° LAKE WAWASEE GAMBLE’S Whirlpool Appliance Center Os The Lakeland Area l' Refrigerators i Air Conditioners i Freezers » Dehumidifiers Dish Washers Washers , Stoves \ r Dryers UPTOWN SYRACUSE Eat At The Sign Os The Little Pig! Old-Fashioned. Hickory-Cooked, Ribs And Chicken At jik wmx m (Just North Os Frog) % Wawasee Lake * CARRY-OUT A SPECIALTY! | Open Sundays and Every Day And Night Except Monday . Phone: 457-3207 <&

Syracuse lies in the northern part of Turkey Creek township and was first built on the banks of the creek and at the foot of the hill Swamp land was found between the two locations. Now the town has grown to the banks of Syracuse Lake where the town owned park and bathing beach are located on the east, far over the hill on the north, several blocks south beyond the creek and westward the same. Gone are the marshes of yesterday. In their place are homes and factories, stores and business houses. Turkey Creek township was suneyed in August of 1834 with the southern part being reserved for Flat Belly Indians, a tribe of the Potawatomie Nation.

S^nt^Pk, - : +J " ? ce and fire departments in the th Huntington street next t«» the In 1833 Samuel Crosson and Henry Ward came to the area and v built the first house near the ' proposed site of a grist and saw mill on Turkey Creek. A dam was erected and by 1836 a grist mill and saw mill were in operation. In July of 1833 a large part of the land owned by Crosson and Ward was purchased by the government. Two years later the tow-n was platted for them by a surveyor and was officially acknowledged. A justice of the peace was appointed on August 11, 1837. jj M fzfSS •+•33 These two men were ambitious not to build up their fortunes by clearing the land and tilling the soil, but rather hoped to do it byserving and furnishing means of sustenance far their neighbors; and by the “unearned increment" the settling up of the country would bring to their land

'''n |^^r a . By*** v SCOI'T CABIN — One of the busiest places in Syracuse is the scout cabin at Crosson Park. The park offers a peaceful setting for a family gathering and many clubs and organizations use the scout cabin for their activities.

Visit The New * at the LIQUOR LOCKER (Just across the railroad tracks) 1 VaTS ~ n 'w eblt er, !<? / / 1 CHAR-BROILED STEAKS I stTrc ■ , \ PRIME RIB OF BEEF / Syracßse, Ind. l varied selection ot sea foods/ \ HOOSIER fried chicken / Ph.: 457-3041 Ij j\ INDIANA'S FINEST SALAD BAR I I

However, the lots sold slowly until 1845 when Crosson and Ward were forced to give up their land. For several years the lots sold for a few cents to a few dollars apiece. Aboutiß4oor 1841 the mill sank into the quick sands of the creek bed. Flood waters hand weakened the dam which had been build across the outlet of Syracuse Lake and caused the destruction. Prior to 1846 a mill race was dug and a new mill erected at a new location. During this year the mill was enlarged and other industries began to locate. Besides two distilleries, an early industry was the manufacture of cowbells for shipment abroad. Barrell making was another early Syracuse industry. When the town was 30 years old, there were 12 acres of improved lots and 200 residents. In order to eliminate the barnyard from Main streejt and to control the liquor business, a petition to incorporate the town was drawn up in September 1876 with 65 voters favoring it. An election was held the following November 20 for the first town officials. Evan Miles was first president. His son-in-law, Edwin Forrest Holloway, was first clerk Town Named? A pioneer resident, George W. Miles, in 1909 wrote a unique history of the town as he

. — s 'BESS LIBRARY —• The Syracuse Public Library is shown above. It is located on Main street and offers a quiet place to read for all who will but open the front doors. A children’s reading program is run in the summer by the children’s department of the library. AH property owners of Turkey Creek township may use the library’s facilities free of charge. Visitors to the lake area may purchase a library card for a small fee.

remembered it. One paragraph read as follow-s: “And I wonder why they named their new town Syracuse; whether they came from the vicinity of Syracuse, N. Y., or had some knowledge of the city of that name in ancient Sicily, or whether they were prompted to do it as was the old lady who named her daughter Neuralgia because she thought it sounded pretty.” The Baltimore and Ohio railroad built its line from a point in Ohio to Chicago through the town and in September 1874, the first train was run over the road. The town now had 490 inhabitants. The greatest boon to the tow-n came in 1900 when a cement factory located in Syracuse, taking the marl from the Syracuse Lake bed as a base for

the product. This business flourished for a number of years until 1920 when the marl was exhausted. The town observed the 100th anniversary’ of its founding on October 5 and 6. 1935. The highlight of the celebration was a huge parade showing pioneer life and growth of the town. Exhibits of relics and keepsakes were displayed in the stores and library. Back Into History If you want to take a stroll back into history stop at Crosson Park along highway 13 (Huntington street) for a minute or two. This park with its picnic area and scout cabin marks the spot where the old mill stood years ago. Paved streets have replaced the mud and dust of other years and electricity has replaced the candle, however, the memory is still there for those who seek it. timttH < ► j £!£3#2#o If you are a history’ buff Eli Lilly’s books on the history of Wawasee are interesting and shed a little light on the early days of Syracuse as well as happenings around the lake. Syracuse Today Today Syracuse offers a modem school system, three 18 hole golf courses, churches.

a baton twirling school and high school band summer camp. Many fine restaurants, service stations and marinas, 24hour fire protection, 24-hour police protection, a public library, public parks and public fishing sites. The school system is one of the best in the state of Indiana. Kindergarten through eighth graders attend classes at the Syracuse elementary and junior high school while high school students attend the new Wawasee high school located just south of the city ; limits. Three 18 hole golf courses and the public parks in the area help add to the recreational facilities of the Lakeland area. South Shore, Maxwelton and Wawasee are all excellent courses and offer the finest facilities. The Syracuse city park on Syracuse Lake offers a picnic area, bathing beach and playground area for the younger set. Like other churches in the Lakeland area those in Syracuse open their doors to visitors each

Ok CAR HOPS MARYANN DRIVE-IN • TRY OUR '/ 3 LB. MARYANN BURGER • CHICKEN AND SHRIMP BASKETS OPEN 11 A. M. EACH DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK (IN SUMMER) Call SYRACUSE 457-4322 i CARRY OUT SERVICE WAWASEE VILLAGE — SYRACUSE MEET YOUR FRIENDS at during THE SUMMER i COME BY LAND OR WATER . . . JUST COME

summer and welcome all who attend. The library on Main street is open to the public with only a small charge being assessed to persons who do not own property in Turkey Creek township. The fire and police departments are located in a .new building on South Huntington street. The town hall is next door. Syracuse is truly a “Hyannis Port’’ with its recreational facilities and there’s a car in every garage, quite often two cars, the modern school system and public library also add to the town's qualities. For those who like there is a theater in town, an outdoor theater a short distance to the south and Enchanted Hills Playhouse is located on the south side of Lake Wawasee. The town has a weekly newspaper, several protestant churches and a Catholic church, several small industries but the main attraction for the town remains the beautiful lake, Syracuse, Wawasee and Papakeechie, and their recreational advantages. LAKELAND LOCAL Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wise and family of Milford, attended a camp-out at LaPorte over the week end with their euchre club. Others attending were Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Stump and family, Mr. and Mrs. Duane Conrad and family, Mr and Mrs. Jim Hepler and family and Mr. and Mrs. Terry Rickard and family, all of New Paris.