USA > Indiana > Lake County > A standard history of Lake County, Indiana, and the Calumet region, Volume I > Part 41
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THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
In August, 1905, Rev. C. J. Sharp, of Hammond, began preaching the doctrines of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Odd Fellows Hall of Whiting, and in August of the following year he and his wife pitched a tent on Center Avenue and commenced a series of revivals, which resulted in the organization of a church of seventy-five members. In the spring of 1910 the brick basement now occupied was dedicated, having been built under the leadership of Rev. H. A. Carpen- ter during the same time he was building the church at Indiana Harbor.
SS. PETER AND PAUL CHURCH
The Church of SS. Peter and Paul was organized in June, 1910, and is composed entirely of American-Croatians. It is an offshoot of
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the Sacred Heart Church, and is presided over by Rev. Francis Pod- gorsec.
SECRET AND BENEVOLENT BODIES
On account of the large foreign element in the population of Wniting, the secret and benevolent societies which flourish in more Americanized communities have not obtained a strong foothold in the city. Most of the societies formed, in fact, are church auxiliaries. Both the Odd Fel- lows and Masons have had organizations for a number of years, the Masonic Lodge (Whiting No. 613) dating from 1897. The worshipful masters of the latter have been George W. Gray, Edward J. Greenwald, Charles C. Etheridge, James E. Evans, James Burton, Sr., George H. Hoskins, William Schneiderwendt, Alexander Vincent, Daniel M. St. John, John C. Hall, James W. Burton, Jr., Ray G. Walker, Edward C. Holmes, George M. Baum, Edwin B. Green and W. W. Holliday.
At Whiting are also organizations representative of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, Knights of Pythias, Knights of the Macca- bees, Knights and Ladies of Honor, Knights of Columbus, and other substantial orders, while the number of labor unions and other protective bodies is legion.
CHAPTER XXVIII
CROWN POINT
GENERAL ADVANTAGES AND SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS-TOWN CORPORATION -PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND UTILITIES-HEALTHFUL LOCATION- TELEPHONE SERVICE-BUSINESS MEN'S ASSOCIATION AND CARNEGIE LIBRARY-PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF CROWN POINT-CHURCHES-FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH-ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC PARISH-EVANGEL- ICAL LUTHERAN TRINITY-OTHER CHURCHES-LODGES.
Crown Point, the quiet and beautiful county seat, is a town of some four thousand people lying very nearly in the geographical center of the territory for which it is the chief headquarters for the administra- tion of justice and government. Most of its early history has already been given, as well as some of the late features of its activities connected especially with the finances and the press of the county. For this chap- ter is reserved the description of its life as a corporation, with a notice of its various departments and institutions, and sketches of its churches, industries and other matters of moment which have tended to make Crown Point a vantage ground of progress and culture, somewhat re- moved from the more strenuous energies of the Calumet region.
GENERAL ADVANTAGES AND SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
Crown Point has broad railway connections through the Erie and Pennsylvania lines, and also enjoys good county service through the Gary & Southern Suburban Electric Railroad. It is the center of a varied and fertile country of woodlands, groves and prairies, and is the objective of not a few summer tourists, as well as of many shy and sly couples who are drawn thither by its reputation as a Gretna Green. Besides its marital and natural attractions, it is also the headquarters of the county fair, whose beautiful grounds just south of its limits have been the scenes of many pleasant and well-attended gatherings for the past fifty-five years. Two and a half miles east is the County Alms House, which, since its late improvements, is well worth inspection. Crown Point is also only five miles from Cedar Lake, the most popular resort for summer visitors and residents, with sporting proclivities, in the county. With its 130 stores and business enterprises, three banks,
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two newspapers, and half a dozen churches, the town is able to make both its home people and its visitors comfortable, interested and happy. It claims, moreover, fully one hundred lawyers, doctors, teachers and other professional men and women, so that if anyone gets into bad com- plications, or becomes dangerously ill or lamentably ignorant-such a condition is difficult to explain.
According to the latest figures, the assessed valuation of Crown Point property is $1,138,545.
Most of the foregoing facts were presented to the writer by the Crown Point Chamber of Commerce, which was organized in January, 1914, and already has a membership of about one hundred and eighty. It is doing much to push along the practical interests of the county seat.
The location of Crown Point is not favorable to the establishment or development of industries. The most promising line is the manufac- ture of agricultural implements. The Letz Manufacturing Company has an established business in that line, employing about fifty men, and the Crown Point Manufacturing Company is talking of establishing a plant to manufacture farm machinery.
TOWN CORPORATION
Crown Point was incorporated as a town in June, 1868, three years after the Pan Handle Railroad had clinched the county seat to the rest of the world. In 1869 a fire company was organized, and substantial blocks of brick and stone commenced to be erected around the court- house square. In one of these, erected in 1873, was Cheshire Hall, afterward known as Music Hall. After the brick blocks and society halls came the banks, electric lights, telephone service and the waterworks, with a better class of school buildings.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND UTILITIES
Main Street was first paved with cedar blocks in 1891, and since that year both the business and residence districts have been improved to meet the wishes of the people. In that year, also, the first electric lights appeared. Since then the plant of the Crown Point Electric Company has been expanded into one of the most valued of the town institutions. It not only supplies electric light and power to Crown Point and Lowell, but operates the waterworks.
The water supply is from driven wells, and is good in quality and sufficient in quantity. Two modern pumps with a daily capacity of 750,000 gallons force the supply into a large standpipe. In case of fire the power plant can force streams of 120 gallons to the cubic inch pres- Vol. I-29
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sure into the mains of the town. So that the Crown Point Electric Company stands in the triply-important class of water dispenser, light and power supplier and fire protector.
HEALTHFUL LOCATION
Crown Point has always been acknowledged to be one of the most healthful localities in Lake County. Its location, high and dry and outside the malarial belt of Northern Indiana, was a strong inducement to the early settlers to bring their families thither and fix their homes where there was an unusually strong assurance of health and prolonged life. Crown Point is located on the watershed, 714 feet above sea level and 132 feet above Lake Michigan on the north and 90 feet above the Kankakee River in the south. It has therefore an excellent natural drainage, which has been well improved by the town authorities. One of the best evidences that the water supply and the drainage of the Crown Point district are what they should be, is that it has been free from epidemics and its schools have never been closed by reason of con- tagious diseases.
TELEPHONE SERVICE
The county seat has enjoyed the benefits and privileges of telephone service since 1896, when the Crown Point Telephone Company was organ- ized as an independent company, operating exchanges at Crown Point, Dyer and Merrillville.
The Northwestern Telephone Company, connecting with the Inter State Company, reaches all points in Illinois, Iowa and the greater por- tion of Indiana. It has exchanges at Crown Point, St. John and Lowell.
BUSINESS MEN'S ASSOCIATION AND CARNEGIE LIBRARY
A Business Men's Association was organized as early as 1896. Before it dissolved to give place to the present Chamber of Commerce it accom- plished a number of useful works. Its efforts secured the Carnegie Library for the town, paved two square miles of its streets and induced the Gary & Southern Traction Company to include Crown Point in its system. John Brown was long president of the association. The Car- negie Library Building was erected at a cost of $35,000 and is main- tained by the Town Board in the usual manner.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF CROWN POINT
The efficiency of the public school system of Crown Point has kept pace with its high sanitary standard. In 1880 there was erected what
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was then considered a very presentable union school. In 1911 a fine high school building was completed at a cost of $40,000 and the old union or high school became the North Ward Schoolhouse. The new high school is three stories in height and is constructed of pressed brick, with stone trimmings.
The development and the present status of the Crown Point public schools are thus traced by Superintendent W. S. Painter in his annual report for 1913: "Located in the geographical center of Lake County, the city of Crown Point is admirably located for the county seat of this progressive county. Two steam roads and one electric line give excellent
PUBLIC LIBRARY, CROWN POINT
connection with the larger cities along the northern end of the county and also Chicago, thirty-six miles away, while fine stone highways lead to all points of the county.
"Being the center of the earliest settlement of this section, it was but natural that the first schools of the county should be opened here. Many changes have taken place in the educational affairs of the county since Mrs. Holton opened the first school here in 1835. These changes came slowly as population grew, ideas changed and wealth permitted.
"At present there are two buildings in use-the North Ward building and the new Crown Point high school building. The North Ward build- ing was erected in 1880 and is still in good repair. The large grounds surrounding it furnish ample playgrounds. Playground equipment is being added from time to time, and soon there will be enough material and of sufficient variety to attract all children who care to play.
"The finishing, material and workmanship of the high school are of
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the very best and the plans embody the very latest and most approved ideas in school house construction. Crown Point is justly proud of this fine building, though it is none too large for present use, and additions are likely to be needed in a few years. In addition to the high school pupils the primary pupils of the South Ward of the city go to this build- ing. A nice playground surrounds the building, but does not give room for the athletic sports of the high school boys.
"Semi-annual promotions have recently been installed in the grades. This is expected to save much time for many pupils, as it permits of more rapid advancement by the stronger pupils and necessitates less loss of time by the weaker ones who do not always make their grade. De- partmental work has also been recently organized in grades six, seven and eight. This allows of some specializing by the teacher and promo- tions by subjects rather than by grades till the end of the eighth year. Drawing, penmanship and music are well supervised by special teachers.
"Without being radical or extreme the course of study is made as practical as possible with the size of the school and the funds available. So far as it seems wise, work is being shifted towards vocational lines, and while little of it is yet truly vocational, the start is made in that direction with the hope that circumstances will permit of other advance- ment along that line in the near future.
"In the department of chemistry study and experiments emphasize the facts that all need to know and use in daily life, such as food adulterations, testing drinking water, 'doctored' meats, milk, etc., san- itation, and other kindred subjects.
"A year of agricultural botany includes trips into the fields to study the growing crops, methods of cultivation, pruning of fruit and shade trees, grafting and budding and berry culture. At other times people who are well versed in special topics come before the class and teach such things as seed selection and testing, spraying, etc. Large boxes of soil are kept in the laboratory in which experiments of a practical nature are tried. In the spring gardening is taken up and the pupils are encouraged to plant gardens at home, thus working out in practice the things taught at school. While, in order to make this truly voca- tional, a farm with a full complement of tools, stock and buildings would be necessary, yet for those pupils interested in that kind of work it is a step in that direction.
"A three years' course in wood or bench work is taught to both grade and high school pupils, it being optional to the latter. This depart- ment is partially self-supporting. Using the detailed plans and sug- gestions of the Industrial Education Company, useful articles needed in every home or wanted by every boy are made. These are sold (the boys making them having first chance to buy) at a reasonable figure,
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thus yielding some return for the expensive material used. If pieces of lumber furnished are spoiled by a boy he pays for the spoiled material before he can have another piece to replace it. Thus they are taught the value of material and extra care is taken with each piece.
"Three years of sewing are taught in the grades. Very little atten- tion is paid to fancy sewing, but the cutting and making of common
VIEW ON COURT STREET, CROWN POINT
articles of clothing in daily use by every girl or things needed in every home is emphasized. A room in the new building is planned for a kitchen where cooking can be readily taught, and it is expected that this room will be equipped for classes in the near future.
"In the teaching of German and Latin the present idea in the Crown Point High School is that the greater value in the study of these languages comes from the greatest possible familiarity with the language and its literature, from the study of the life depicted by the classics rather than in the technical grammar which the study offers. In the study of English the attention of the pupils is directed to the broader
By Courtesy of Frank F. Heighway, County Superintendent of Schools.
PRESENT HIGH SCHOOL
OLD HIGH SCHOOL, CROWN POINT
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reading, writing and speaking of good clear English rather than technical rhetoric and logic ; not so much to know that certain forms are right and good grammar as to get the habit of using the correct forms readily. It is not so important to know the names of the works of a large number of different authors and in what year these authors died as it is to get the liberality of mind, largeness of heart, broad sympathy and general clear understanding and accurate perception that a familiarity with the writings of these men and women tends to give.
"The high school maintains a literary society which familiarizes the members with the more common forms of parliamentary usage. Care- fully prepared programs are presented at the meetings which are held every two weeks. These consist of debates on live subjects, readings, dramatic work, extemporaneous speeches, music, etc. Each pupil must appear on these programs at some time in the year and is carefully drilled for his part by some member of the faculty.
"The new gymnasium affords an excellent place for physical train- ing and exercise. Twice a week the girls of the high school have an hour of exercise under the direction of a capable instructor. Both grade and high school boys have regular periods for basketball or other games. In the evenings organized classes or teams from the city have their special nights for recreation in the gym.
"Although a good sized class of capable boys and girls graduate from the high school each year, comparatively few of them are to be found in the city. Each year finds an increasing number of them in various colleges, universities and technical schools. Many are teachers and others have found business openings in other places more attractive.
"It is true that many changes have beeen made in the city schools in the last decade, but it now seems that other more radical changes will be necessary in the near future. While the cities at the north end of the county are establishing vocational schools for the large number of people who are entering the various manufacturing industries located there, there is little call for such schools here. The number from Crown Point who would likely enter such trades would be, at the most, a mere handful in any one trade. It would not be wise to establish such schools and courses here when it would be comparatively cheap and easy to transfer the few pupils who do want vocational training in these trades to the larger schools near by. The very conditions that make the location of this city so fine for a county seat, coupled with the fact that an excellent farming district surrounds the place, make it the logical location for the much-needed county agricultural school. The attractions of country life along an electric car line and on a stone road a few miles out from the city will prove irresistible to an ever- increasing number of boys and girls in the future, if they can in a few
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years' school work, before they are old enough to go into business for themselves, learn from a practical as well as a scientific standpoint such industries as market gardening, dairying, general agriculture, etc.
"Holding that mere scholarship or efficiency is dangerous in the hands of unscrupulous men and women, it is the intention of the teach- ing corps to train not only for these things so much sought after in the business world today, but also to send out from the school what is even scarcer and just as truly demanded, men and women of integrity and character ; citizens who will succeed in business, be of importance in the political world, and at the same time helpful in the social world and with enough moral force and stamina to exert a powerful influence for more consistent living upon their entire community."
CROWN POINT CHURCHES
Seven churches now attend to the spiritual and moral needs of Crown Point-the First Presbyterian, St. Mary's Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran Trinity, Methodist, Free Methodist, Evangelical St. John's and German Methodist.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The First Presbyterian Church, the oldest of these religious bodies, was organized April 27, 1844, by the following members: Cyrus M. Mason and his wife, Mrs. Mary McGee Mason; Elias Bryant and Mrs. Ann Bryant, his wife; Mrs. Anna Farmer and Miss Eleanor T. Farmer ; Mrs. Ruth Eddy, Mrs. Maria Fancher, Mrs. Harriet Holton, Mrs. Harriet Russell, Mrs. Amanda Carpenter, Jacob Gilbert and Mrs. Nancy Gilbert, his wife; Mrs. Sydney Hoffman, Mrs. Mary Wright, Jacob Har- ter and Miss Julia Harter, Mrs. Charlotte Holton. At the initial meet- ing the members elected Cyrus M. Mason and Elias Bryant, elders, and Rev. I. C. Brown acted as moderator.
The list of the pastors from the founding of the church to the present time is as follows: Rev. Wm. Townsley, 1844 to 1859; Rev. Joseph Laney Lower, 1859 to 1865; Rev. A. Y. Moore, 1865 to 1871; Rev. Samuel Fleming, June 1, 1871, to October 11, 1874; Rev. R. Beers, 1874 to 1877; Rev. W. J. Young, 1877 to 1883; B. E. L. Ely, Jr., 1883 to 1886; Rev. E. S. Miller, 1886 to 1889; Rev. L. W. A. Lucky, 1889 to 1893; Rev. John A. Cole, 1893 to 1896; Rev. Walter O. Lattimore, 1896 to 1899; Rev. J. P. Hearst, 1899 to 1904; Rev. E. R. Horton, 1904 to 1910; Rev. Howard Billman, 1910. Present membership, 170.
ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC PARISH
St. Mary's has been a Catholic parish at Crown Point since 1865, when Father Wehrle performed the first baptism according to the rites
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of his church. In 1890 Rev. Philip A. Guethoff erected a substantial church of stone and brick, with a 145-foot tower, at a cost of $30,000. This is the present house of worship of St. Mary's Church, which is still in charge of Father Guethoff. Most of his parishioners are German and they number some one hundred and fifty families. Connected with the church is a large school conducted by sisters; both they and the resident priest have substantial and comfortable residences.
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN TRINITY
In August, 1868, the Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church was organized under the following: John Mangold, William Struebig and Leonhard Bierlen, trustees; J. C. Sauermann and F. Hildebrandt, elders; Valentine Sauermann, secretary. Rev. C. F. W. Huge was called to the pastorate in 1869, and was succeeded in 1871 by Rev. George Heintz. In May, 1887, was completed the church edifice still in use. Succeeding Mr. Heintz were Rev. August Schuelke, 1890-1906 ; Rev. Arthur H. C. Both, 1906-10; and Rev. August Biestler, the present incumbent, since the latter year. Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church has a voting membership of 109; communicants, 600.
OTHER CHURCHES
The Evangelical people in and about Crown Point first organized and built the St. Paul's Church, six miles southeast of town, in 1883. Henry Seegers, Christopher Ziesenirs, William Riechers and August Schmidt were the first trustees. Rev. F. A. Reimann was the first minister, and he was followed by Reverends Neuhaus, Schlesinger, Blum, Weil, Reller, Pfeffer and Klug. In 1905 another Evangelical congregation organ- ized at Crown Point and a former Baptist church was bought, in which the society conducted services under the name of St. John's Congrega- tion. For a number of years both organizations were maintained, but in 1910 a union was effected under Rev. J. Lueder, Crown Point was made the center of the work, a parsonage was purchased, and since then St. John's Church has been one of the religious bodies of the county seat. Present number of members about seventy.
The Methodist Church mentioned is in charge of Rev. C. W. Stock- barger, and is old and well established.
LODGES
Crown Point has several lodges which are progressive and fairly strong, among which are representatives of the Foresters, Masons, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias.
Altogether, the town is one of the most desirable of the smaller places in Northern Indiana.
CHAPTER XXIX
TOWN OF HOBART
INCORPORATED AS A TOWN -- INDUSTRIES OF THE PLACE-LIGHT AND WATER SUPPLY-HOBART TOWNSHIP PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM- CHURCHES OF HOBART-ST. BRIDGET'S PARISH-SWEDISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERANS-THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH-THE LODGES.
Hobart, the thriving town in the northeastern part of the county, is south of the sandy region of the Calumet rivers in the midst of a rich dairy and stock growing section. It is surrounded both by prairie lands and belts of timber and lies chiefly east of Deep River.
Hobart is one of the oldest towns in Lake County, having been platted as early as 1849. Its founding and early history have been given. As its population is now about eighteen hundred, obviously its growth has been slow. The town's first real impetus was received when the Pittsburgh & Fort Wayne line reached it, in 1858, and the coming of the Nickel Plate, nearly twenty-five years afterward, and its still later connection with the Chicago Outer Belt Line, have given it thorough facilities for shipping and transportation.
INCORPORATED AS A TOWN
Hobart was not incorporated as a town until 1889, and since then has made steady progress. Its site is sufficiently elevated so that good natural drainage is afforded toward Lake Michigan (eight miles to the north) by means of Deep River and the Calumet. Her citizens have therefore always claimed that there is no location in the county which so thoroughly combines the advantages of health, adequate transportation. residence advantages, good manufacturing sites, comparative nearness to Chicago and adaptability to agricultural pursuits, as Hobart and the adjacent country.
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INDUSTRIES OF THE PLACE
Within the limits of the township are also hundreds of acres of superior clay lands, whose utilization has long been a large source of income and prosperity to Hobart as a community. It has obtained quite an extended reputation for its production of brick, terra cotta and pottery, these lines of manufacture being more than thirty years old. For many years Hobart's largest industry was W. B. Owen's Hollow Porous Clay Tile Works, which were established by Mr. Owen in 1886. At one time its kilns covered thirty-five acres and the daily capacity of the works was seventy tons of finished product. Its busi- ness has been succeeded in 1902 by that of the National Fire Proofing Company, which is managed by the son of the founder, also W. B. Owen. At the change of ownership important additions were made to the plant. About one hundred and thirty men are employed at the factory.
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