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.

Feb. 15, 1979 — Winona Lake residents have quenched their thirst on lake water for many years, but may be able to “wet their whistles” on alcoholic beverages at the turn of the decade.

Information for this retrospective series is courtesy of the Kosciusko County Historical Society. For more history of Kosciusko County in the news visit yesteryear.clunette.com.

Kosciusko County Alcoholic Beverage Board members set a precedent Wednesday voting 2-1 in favor of a liquor, beer and wine dealer license for Sonny Jay Nellans, Rt. 7, Warsaw. He proposes to open Nellans Wholesale Liquors, a package store, in a building on the east side of the Lakeview Shopping Center, 100 feet inside the corporate limits of Winona Lake –a town that has been “dry” since it was founded.

Ninety-one local residents, consisting of 43 remonstrators and 32 persons supporting the applicant, packed the commissioners’ room in the basement of the Kosciusko County Courthouse for a local hearing. Attorney James L. Walmer, who represented the Winona Lake Town Board, was quick to point out that only two of the 32 persons making an appearance on behalf of Nellans were Winona Lake residents.

Petitions were submitted by both the remonstrators and Nellans. Letters were also submitted by Winona Lake church officials and residents protesting the granting of a liquor license inside the town’s corporate limit.

Feb. 16, 1973 — In an effort to eliminate potential danger spots on the new U.S. 30 bypass, the Indiana State Highway Commission plans to illuminate several intersections and possibly install traffic control devices.

The action was taken by the commission during a meeting in Indianapolis Thursday and announced simultanously by David Wagoner, secretary of the commission, and State Representative Thames Mauzy of Warsaw.

The response by the highway commission is an apparent attempt to correct several problems on the bypass that have been the targets of criticism by the local populace.

Wagoner and Clinton Venable, chief of the division of traffic for the highway department, reported the commission approved the installation of overhead illumination at the U.S. 30 and Ind. 15 overpass; at the intersection of U.S. 30 and East Center Street near the Holiday Inn; and at the entrance to the Lakes Village Shopping Center on U.S. 30.

1927 — Early in 1927, the Zimmer Manufacturing Co. was organized by Justin O. Zimmer, president, William S. Rogers, secretary and treasurer, and William S. Felkner, vice president, all of Warsaw.

Zimmer had 20 years prior experience in selling fracture equipment. Rogers was a banker and Felkner was a former manufacturer and salesman.

Sales showed a phenomenal growth from the start and the firm weathered the Depression with flying colors. In fact, the factory had only two weeks of less than 40 hours work in its history, and those were 35-hour weeks. Most of the time in its first 27 years there were overtime work weeks due to the demand by the profession for its unique and improved products.

In August 1945, Felkner and Rogers sold their interests to various salesmen and employees in the plant.

During World War II, many hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fracture equipment was made for the armed services of the United States and foreign countries.

Feb. 16, 1859 — Until fall 1858, Warsaw citizens barely ever felt the need of a fire department. The occasional fires had been extinguished by a “hand-to-hand conflict” in which pails of water did the job.

The town, however, began building up rapidly with frame structures, and one or two fires which had been particularly troublesome to manage led to the discussion of an organized fire department.

A public meeting on the matter was held and on Feb. 16, 1859, a permanent organization was created. The name chosen was Independent Protection Engine Co. No. 1.

– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels