# A Standard History of Lake County, Indiana, and the Calumet Region/Volume 1

A STANDARD HISTORY OF
Lake County, Indiana
AND THE
Calumet Region
Under the Editorial Supervision of WILLIAM FREDERICK HOWAT, M.D. Hammond, Indiana
Assisted by
* A. G. Lundquist
* C. O. Holmes
* Capt. H. S. Norton
* A. M. Turner
* George W. Lewis
* John J. Wheeler
Albert Maack
VOLUME I
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO AND NEW YORK 1915
Preface
In many respects the territory, the people, the institutions and the activities covered by this "History of Lake County and the Calumet Region" constitute a remarkable exposition of American amalgamation and development. In the Calumet Region, or Northern Lake County, has occurred, within comparatively recent years, one of the greatest industrial expansions of modern times, and, parallel with that magic growth, some of the most intelligent and original minds of the country have promulgated systems of practical public education which have been of untold benefit to thousands who come to that section from many foreign lands. Not only have they been given employment and abiding places, but they and their children have, at the very threshold of their American experience, been taught the advantages of mental, industrial and moral training. The two most striking features of the Calumet Region center in its gigantic industries and in its public schools, libraries and other uplifting institutions. If the melting pot was ever busy it is now turning out sturdy products, both of metal and of men, in the Calumet Region, and it is no more wonderful that $200,000,000 should have been drawn thither within a few years than that 40,000 men should have been absorbed, not only without friction, but with advantage to the communities at large.
What makes Lake County almost unique, also, is that outside of the Calumet Region there seems to be such a distinct cleavage in the texture of the population. With such towns as Crown Point and Lowell as centers, the citizens and rural residents, many of them descendants of the pioneers, are prone to be rather quiet and conservative in their dispositions. A strong element in these rural communities, especially in the western and southwestern sections of the county, is German and Dutch; and it is a matter of universal history and present-day knowledge that no nationalities in the world have furnished more substantial colonists than those mentioned. Generally speaking, the old-time American settlers from the Eastern United States located in the central and southern townships of Lake County. They are also more conservative ​than the business, financial and industrial leaders of the Calumet Region; or, it may be more correct to say, that the more enterprising have drifted to Hammond, East Chicago, Indiana Harbor, Whiting and Gary, and given their substantial talents, with those of Chicagoans and other metropolitans, to the development of Northern Lake County.
All of these matters, with many more of like interest and diversity, have been traced in detail in the work which is herewith issued; and the total is such a large and complex subject that its thorough treatment would require the services of a wonderful linguist, a deep judge of human nature, an expert in all matters business, industrial, chemical, sociological, educational and religious. Although we have not been able to engage the services of such geniuses, we have enjoyed the cooperation of many faithful and able assistants, both as wise advisers and valued contributors. In that class we unqualifiedly place our advisory editors, A. M. Turner of Hammond, Capt. H. S. Norton and C. O. Holmes of Gary, George W. Lewis of East Chicago, John J. Wheeler and Albert Maack of Crown Point, and A. G. Lundquist of Indiana Harbor.
Many outside of our "official staff" have been of much service, such as Frank F. Heighway, Crown Point, county superintendent of schools; C. M. McDaniel, Hammond's superintendent of schools; William A. Wirt, superintendent of the Gary schools; W. W. Holliday, superintendent of schools, Whiting; Carroll R. Woods, secretary of the Hammond Chamber of Commerce; S. E. Swaim, editor of the Hammond News; Edwin H. Farr, of the Whiting Call; A. J. Smith, Hobart Gazette; Ray Seeley, Hammond, county surveyor; Dr. E. M. Shanklin, Hammond, and A. D. Schaeffer, secretary of the Gary Commercial Club.
It would be inexcusable to omit indebtedness to the publications of the late Rev. T. H. Ball—especially to his "Lake County History of 1884," his "Northwest Indiana of 1900" and his "Lake County History of 1904." Certain reports of the Old Settler and Historical Association have also been of assistance. The municipal officers of both Hammond and Gary have been most courteous and have furnished much invaluable information. Of the publications issued within recent years there is none upon which we have more relied than upon "The Calumet Survey," published by the Northwest Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The title of that publication is inadequate—that is, from a glance at the title page one would be misled as to its scope, which is remarkably broad; and the generous plan of the work has been well and practically developed.
Finally, we wash to thank the clergymen of Lake County as a class for their prompt responses to our requests for information. If sketches ​of certain churches or other organizations are not found in the pages of this work, the explanation cannot be traced to any negligence on our part, but to the fact that, despite our efforts, we have not been able to obtain the data from the principals themselves.
That the work may display some errors is not to be denied; it is but another evidence of human fallibility; but that the number of these errors has been reduced to a minimum is largely due to the indefatigable efforts of H. G. Cutler. He has been painstaking and conscientious, and through his experience the work has progressed much more smoothly than if it had been left entirely to our editorial labors.
We have every reason to believe that the conclusion of our labors, which is the history itself, will be received with the same good will which has been continuously extended to its representatives in the progress of their work.
W. F. Howat, Supervising Editor.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
NATURE IN LAKE COUNTY
CHAPTER II
RELATED GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
CHAPTER III
PIONEER BUILDING
CHAPTER IV
PIONEER MEMORIES
CHAPTER V
PIONEER MOTHERS OF THE COUNTY
CHAPTER VI
COUNTY ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER VII
CALUMET TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER VIII
CEDAR CREEK TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER IX
CENTER TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER X
EAGLE CREEK TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XI
HANOVER TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XII
HOBART TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XIII
NORTH TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XIV
ROSS TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XV
ST. JOHN TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XVI
WEST CREEK AND WINFIELD TOWNSHIPS
CHAPTER XVII
SCHOOLS OF LAKE COUNTY
CHAPTER XVIII
PROFESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
CHAPTER XIX
THE MILITIA AND WAR
CHAPTER XX
MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION
CHAPTER XXI
CALUMET REGION INDUSTRIES
CHAPTER XXII
BANKS AND BANKERS
CHAPTER XXIII
HAMMOND AS A CORPORATION
CHAPTER XXIV
HAMMOND'S CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES
CHAPTER XXV
THE CITY OF GARY
CHAPTER XXVI
EAST CHICAGO (INDIANA HARBOR)
CHAPTER XXVII
CITY OF WHITING
CHAPTER XXVIII
CROWN POINT
CHAPTER XXIX
TOWN OF HOBART
CHAPTER XXX
TOWN OF LOWELL