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OA48 A00fovo No. :024-0018 <br />NPS Form I O�900-a <br />(8-861 <br />United States Department of the Interior <br />National Park Service <br />4lational Register of Historic Places <br />Continuation Sheet <br />Section number 8 Page 3 <br />m_iz,iiawaKa rtaservoir carecaKer's residence St. joserin Count,,, :\,4 <br />In December 193/7 the WPA authorized the fund for the project that would <br />emr,lc.y/ approximately thirty men, but actual construction did not be -.in <br />until March 1938. The original proposal estimated the total cost of the <br />project at slightly over ten thousand dollars, but the city requested and <br />received an additional supplement of nearly $2100. most of which went for <br />labor. While the total figure seems a bit hefty for a modest house in <br />the 1930s. the dwelling, with its solid brick walls and seven-inch Doured <br />concrete floor over a full basement, was substantial in its constr,_%­t ion. <br />The mission of the WPA was labor-inteiisive, and the house, with details <br />like the fieldstone chimney and the limestone project marker plaque. <br />reflects the fact that a number of skilled workmen were eMD10-yed on it. <br />The limestone marker, incidentally. was carved in Bedford, giving work <br />through the WPA to unemployed stonecutters- there. -Die house was <br />completed by the end of the year, and in February the Mishawaka Board of <br />Public works completed a lease aareement with William D. Buckles. .410 was <br />past severity years or age. Buckles and his wife would reside in 11 --he <br />house by the reservoir in return for his service as d "watchman and <br />caretaker." ?hey lived there about four years. apparently moving !_*o <br />their son's residence sometime before the death of Mrs. Buckles in i943. <br />The Floyd Swartz1ander family next moved in with their three children in <br />Febn.ia--y 1944. but their stay was brief, ending tragically. Mr. <br />Swartziander was a lineman for the city. and succumbed to the injuries he <br />sustained in a work-related accident in October of the same Year. A <br />middle-aged. couple. Night and Mabel Snyder. began their long res­-4Z1-cv <br />l <br />In the iouse shortly after. The Snyders' leaseagreementreq_uir6d a ery <br />modest monthly rent of $15 along with Mr. Snyder"s watchman,, caretaker <br />duties. Interestingly, Snyder was also a lineman for the city..aryl <br />indeed. was a pallbearer at Floyd Swartz"lander's funeral. 11he seemi:xr <br />coincidence may be as simple as the fact that the city's water and <br />electric services were in -one devartment, under Superintendent A.R. <br />Klein. who had first proposed the caretaker's house as a 1WPA <br />7 Sn,,-drers lived there for i-lecades and were t: .e last occllzcan-ts r <br />:,ouse in its oriainal location. Dwight Snyder died in 19,z-9: 7:1he <br />all(_,w,:xd his widow to remain in the house 4s Long ao ane wished. <br />_urned H to out be years. <br />� t- - <br />C, <br />- _�r.,T before Mabel Snvde.- v-acated the residence ,n 1`990. l -he. :-d <br />iolermined a cai-e-taker was no loryaer reedFld and lei: the maintenance <br />:he iloi_­e. which 4or'Unately was wenderfully !ix-und. 'lie <br />department did. howpver. "Loax-d it wh-:n ift lxcame emou/,. ["ari.na th,� -arly <br />1.690s rhe fate ot ti e car!_­Iakt�r's residence waS burl, . . , �.Jj: e C! <br />Presei-,tationists were. boui-d to su_- til, ina b <br />ave the ixila-, 7w <br />- <br />