A Drive for Historical Markers (Or How I Got Hooked on Collecting Markers)

Kosciusko, Noble, and Whitley Counties, Indiana

Somehow, after clicking one link to another in the World Wide Web, I discovered the Historical Marker Database (HMdb). The database is a website collection of historical and other markers and monuments that have been visited by self-directed volunteers who document the markers and monuments and post them on the website to share with everyone. With my interests in the past and geography, I have always been interested by and drawn to roadside markers and soon became mesmerized by the cornucopia of information readily available in the HMdb. With the bicentennial of the War of 1812 upon us and the resources of the HMdb at my fingertips, I thought the time was right. The time to put together a tour of Native American sites in the counties south of Elkhart via historical markers.

My historical marker itinerary would take me to the upper Eel River in Kosciusko, Noble, and Whitley counties and launch me as a contributor to the HMdb.  Using the information in the HMdb on the markers in these counties, I plotted a driving route to take me to each marker in a most efficient manner. My driving route started in Goshen and took me south on US 33, County Road 33, and State Road 13 and to my first historical marker of the day.

First Day, Stop #1

My first marker was in Syracuse in Kosciusko County and is titled Indian Hill. The marker is approximately 100 feet north of the bank of Syracuse Lake in a single family residential neighborhood. Although located in the street right-of-way or a public utility easement, the marker is incorporated into a flower bed in the front yard and next to the driveway of a lakeside home. Across the road from the marker is the “hill”, a small knoll with a single family house on the top of the hill. You can understand why this hill was a burial place for the local Indians. It was located away from the Indian villages along Lake Wawasee and Syracuse Lake, but was easily accessible from the villages by canoe.

Indian Hill Marker

Papakeechie's Reserve Marker

First Day, Stop #2

Staying in Kosciusko County, I headed to the marker for Papakeechie's Reserve. The marker is in a similar setting to the previous marker, around 100 feet from the bank of Lake Wawasee in the front yard of a single family house next to the driveway in a landscaped area. The marker and a portion of the landscaped area is located in the street right-of-way or public utility easement with utilities box and a fire hydrant next to the marker. The marker denotes the western boundary of the reserve, but I don’t think there are markers denoting the other boundaries of the reserve. The Indiana Historical Bureau reviewed the accuracy of the historic information on the marker to determine if revisions are needed. It issued a preliminary advisory memo on the marker with a strong recommendation that the marker be removed.

First Day, Stop #3

The third stop of my tour brought me just across the county line into Noble County for the marker Chief Papakeecha's House. The marker is new, a replacement for the marker which was damaged by storms in 2010 or 2011. No changes have been made to the text, and the replacement was installed one or two weeks before my visit. After the marker was previously damaged, it was removed, and there was no indication of a marker at that location until the replacement marker was installed.

Why is this marker here? The house site is located a quarter mile to the south on a County road. Was it because County Road West 200 North was more heavily traveled? Was it because County Road North 1150 West is too narrow? County Road 1150 is narrower by several feet to County Road 200 and does not have a striped centerline. Does the Indiana Historical Bureau have guidelines regarding location and placement of markers? Why does this marker spell his name Papakeecha and the previous marker Papakeechie? Lots of questions, but I was ready to head to my next stop.

First Day, Stop #4

Stop #4 was just down the road in the hamlet Indian Village for the marker Indian Oven. This marker is also new, a replacement for the maker which was damaged by the storms in 2010 or 2011, and no changes have been made to its text. Since I previously passed by Indian Village a few days before, I knew the replacement was installed either the previous Thursday afternoon or Friday. In my previous visit, I knew the damaged marker was removed, and there was no indication of the marker except a supporting pole that was cut off below the surface.

This marker directs the reader 80 roads east for the site of the Indian Oven. Why did they use rods to indicate the distance to the Indian Oven site? Does Joe and Jane Public really know that a rod is an historic surveying length not even in use today? One rod equals 16.5 feet, and 80 rods or 1,320 feet to the east takes you to the east shore of Village Lake.

Unlike the Chief Papakeecha’s House marker, the location of this marker makes sense. Although it is 1,320 feet away and across a lake, it is next to State Route 5, there are no major roads to take you closer to the site of the Indian Oven, and the location picked for the marker allows the reader to park their car and enjoy the lakeshore (albeit on the other side of the lake where the Indian Oven was located).

There were no heads up signs on State Route 5 telling you that an historical marker was coming up. I could understand that there is not a heads up for markers on County roads, but why not on State roads? The Papakeecha’s House marker is less than a mile from State Route 5, why is there not a directional sign on State Route 5 directing travelers to that marker? More questions.

First Day, Stop #5

A long drive to downtown Columbia City for my fifth stop and the marker Wm. Wells. The marker is at the Whitley County Historical Museum which is also the house of Vice President Thomas R. Marshall. There’s a marker for Vice President Marshall clearly visible from the street, but I could not see the marker for William Wells. Because it is an interesting site and the Indiana Historical Bureau marker website said the Wells marker was at 108 W. Jefferson, I walked around the house. Along the east side of the house shielded from the street I found the marker.

It is your standard Indiana State historical marker, however, the marker was framed by wooden posts and sunk into the ground only a foot or so above the surface. It is in an area that also houses a millstone with an historical plaque for the millstone. This is definitely not the original site of this marker. Where was it located originally and why was it moved? The museum was closed that day, no one to ask. In reading the narrative on the marker, it mentions Fort Wayne but it does not mention Columbia City. Why is this marker located in Columbia City? Was it originally located somewhere else away from Columbia City.

First Day, Stop #6

Now I was ready for the markers around Columbia City along the Eel River. The next stop was on State Route 9 south of the city for the marker The Island. It was difficult to see the marker as I drove down the highway since the speed limit was 55 mph, there was lots of traffic, and it is was a pole in a sea of grass. Once I saw it, I was already by it and it was difficult to find place to pull off the road. I drove down the highway, doubled back, then parked on a tilt on the grass just off the road. I got honked at by a truck with a trailer since I guess the driver thought I was too close to the road.

The marker is on slightly elevated land south of the Eel River, and you can visualize what the marker is talking about. If the river flooded, this piece of elevated land most likely would be an island surrounded by water. It looked like desirable land for an Indian village—close to the river, elevated from most flooding, fertile soil near water between the elevated land and the river.

First Day, Stop #7

My tour would be take my upriver along the Eel, but I had to take roads that took me south, then east, then north to get to the next marker Eel River Battlefield. Whereas I could easily visualize the “Island” relative to the location of its location, was this marker really at the location of the battlefield or just near the battlefield? There was a flat area along the river which could be the battlefield, but it looked kind of small. Maybe it was part of the battlefield. I returned to my truck, and then the truck would not start. This was the end of my trip, at least for today.

An Unplanned Break

I fortunately parked my truck at a wide spot next to the intersection near the marker. I turned the ignition and nothing but a click. I knew most likely it was the battery. I called AAA, and after some major jump cabling, the AAA guy got my truck started. However, I could not stop the truck until I was at a spot to get a new battery. My tour of historical markers was stopped for the day, but I would continue the tour a few days later.

Second Day, Stop #8

I started my second day of touring at the marker Seek's Village Indian Reserve. For this and the next two stops, I traveled on a county road named Old Trail Road. This marker was different than the others I have seen on this tour and elsewhere. The marker was installed by the Daughters of the American Revolution, and it appears to have been recently re-installed or refurbished. The marker does not tell or show you the location of the village or reservation or the marker’s relative location in the reservation. The marker lacked the information necessary to envision the location and size of the reservation.

Seek's Village Indian Reserve Marker

Site of Little Turtle's Miami Village
The marker is behind the grove of trees on the right

Second Day, Stop #9

I continued along Old Trail Road and came to the marker Site of Little Turtle's Miami Village. The marker is next to a mobile home and propane tank just outside the Miami Village Mobile Home Park. I could not see the Eel River from the marker, but it was less than a half mile down the road. As you drive down the road, you can start to visualize the site (as it was similar to the “Island”)—elevated land from the river with good soil between the river and the village. The view of the village site is better if you travel on Hartman Road. Could the location of this marker be better? Would the marker be in a better location on the west side of the mobile home parker closer to the Eel River?

Second Day, Stop #10

The next marker was not on my list but was definitely part of my theme as it deals with a Revolutionary War skirmish involving the Miami Nation. It is highly visible on Old Trail Road when I turned left to go to my next listed marker. Colonel Augustin La Balme was installed by the Sons of the American Revolution but its shape and colors were the same as Indiana State historical markers. It was recently installed in 2010, but at a location about ½ mile south from Eel River where the skirmish occurred. Although the marker does not mark the location of the skirmish, it does as a waymark and introduction to the markers found further up the road. Also, it clearly shows how the County road I turned onto, East Dela Balme Road, got its name.

Second Day, Stop #11

A half mile drive on East Dela Balme Road brings me to the Eel River and the Last Home of Chief Little Turtle and the Eel River Post-Fort. The markers are found at the first bend of the road in the front yard of a rural single family home. They are upriver a short distance from Little Turtle’s Miami Village. The Chief Little Turtle marker is a rock with a bronze tablet and marks the location of a British fort and Chief Little Turtle’s home. There is no date or installer listed on it, but it appears old with the inscription “Presented by Charles H. More”. The Eel River Post-Fort sign provides additional information on the British fort and was funded by the Daughters of the American Revolution and installed by a Boy Scouts troop in 2001.

The rock monument states the fort site started in 1752 while the information sign indicates the trading post started in 1762. A good example of how historical markers may not necessarily get their history right. Also, the information sign uses rods—ten rods equaling around 170 feet—and is a good example of why historical markers need to update some of their information to present times.

The Eel River is getting smaller and smaller as we go upstream. It appears that the fort / trading post and the downstream Miami Village are the location of the west end of the portage between the Eel River and the confluence of the St. Joseph and Maumee rivers in Fort Wayne.

Second Day, Stop #12

The next marker was the last marker on my itinerary and marks the site of the skirmish between de La Balme and his men and the Miami but what soon became to be known as the La Balme Massacre Site. The skirmish site is marked by a bronze tablet mounted on a rock that was installed by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1930. It is located next to the road at the point where the road is closest to the Eel River. It is on top of a bank with the river less than 10 yards from the marker. It is also located in front of a house with a “Private Property” sign on a tree directly behind the marker. A marker to be enjoyed from the road.

Second Day, Stop #13

I returned to the Whitley County Historical Museum to inquire further on the William Wells historic marker. I asked the docent about the marker—its original location, why it was moved to the Marshall house, when, etc. He did not know anything about it. He called the assistant director who previously looked for but did not find any historical society documents on it. An unknown at this time for the museum and myself.

HMDB Contributor

Because I used the HMdb to plan the route and stops of my trip, I knew the new replacement markers for Chief Papakeecha’s House and Indian Village were not noted on the HMdb pages for those markers, and there was not a record in the HMdb for the Wm. Wells marker. Before I took this trip, I had in the back of my mind a thought to make these additions to the HMdb and so I photographed and documented the markers as necessary to do this.

Now was the moment to decide whether to become a contributor to the HMdb. After some reading on how to modify and add markers to the database, I made my first entry on the Wm Wells marker and updates to a couple of markers I met on the trip. They were accepted by the volunteer editors of the HMdb and published on August 6th. I was hooked on collecting historical markers.