Timeline From The Past: International Palace Of Sports, Picture Of Warsaw
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.
June 17, 1974 — The International Palace of Sports, North Webster, a non-profit public foundation dedicated to inspire youth to higher achievement and better citizenship through sports, has enshrined sports figures in a wax museum that is now open to the public from 2 to 10 p.m. each Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The foundation is housed within an impressive castle-like structure carrying out the tiny community’s multimillion dollar rebuilding program on the legendary theme of Camelot.
Sixteen sports figures of the 20th century will be permanently recognized as all are inducted into the foundation’s museum as a part of the grand opening and dedication ceremonies set for June 29.
Attending will be Johnny Weissmuller, swimming; Pancho Gonzalez, tennis; Jesse Owens, track and field; and Dick Weber, bowling.
June 14, 1963 — An interim board has selected “Whitko” as the name for the new metropolitan school corporation that includes Washington, Monroe and Jackson townships in Kosciusko County and Richland and Cleveland townships in Whitley County.
1954 — Seventy-seven years ago, a man by the name of D.D. Morse drew a picture of the town of Warsaw looking toward the northeast. It shows all the buildings that made up the town at that time.
Not much was on Center Street east of the tracks, the most pretentious house being that of Judge Frazier.
The old Center Ward School is shown, with the Episcopal Church northeast of the school.
There were no brick buildings then south of the old Globe room, and the Phillipson corner is shown as a frame with frame awnings out in front. Their building was built by Chapman in 1884-85 and Phillipsons moved to the present site June 1, 1888.
The Wright Hotel and the Kirtley Hotel are shown east of the courthouse and the old Baptist Church to the east. North of the frame courthouse is shown a brick office building.
On south Washington Street is shown the Bung Factory.
Facing Columbia Street just north of the railroad is shown the Lesh Factory, which later extended east to Washington Street.
Many houses are shown north and west of the courthouse. On the Widaman corner two houses are shown, both facing Buffalo Street.
The depot for the Pittsburgh Railroad is shown on Union Street west of the flour mill. Where the Central School was later built is shown a part of Conrad’s Wagon Factory.
There are ice houses at different points around the south and east sides of Center Lake and a steamer is shown on the lake, together with some sailboats. Before 1886, Warsaw had no parks.
The old Thrall’s brick plant is shown southeast of West Ward School and a factory south of the present Fred McKown home.
North of the mill on Union Street is shown a cooper shop, where barrels were made.
All in all, the picture is an interesting reminiscence of a bygone age and will always be a valuable curio that should end up in a county museum.
– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels