From the files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society

This is a history column that will appear a few times a month.

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

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 Phillipson’s 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.

Early 1900s — In the early 1900s, the ice business was one of the largest industries in Warsaw.

Two local ice companies took care of the Warsaw and Winona Lake area and a wholesale outlet shipped to all parts of southern Indiana the year round.

Local ice companies were operated by Ernest Clase and Dr. W.L. Hines, who operated the Warsaw Ice Co., and John Collins, who operated the Collins Ice Co.

The Warsaw Ice Co. was on Center Lake on the north end of Buffalo Street, and the Collins plant was on the east side of Center, near the site of the Band City Oil Co.

The wholesale ice company, owned by Henry Kithmer, of Indianapolis, shipped ice in large refrigerator freight cars. His ice houses were on the east side of Center, the west side of Pike Lake and the west side of Eagle Lake.

1848 — The first courthouse was completed in 1848 at a cost of $4,200. Located on the courthouse square, the building was of wood construction and though inexpensive, it presented a pleasing appearance and was a great improvement over the building earlier used as a courtroom. Previously, a structure was used temporarily on Lot 101 at the northeast corner of Center and Indiana streets, and then a two-story house was built on the same location after the first building burned down.

– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels