HomeMy WebLinkAboutDocument 12812 THROUGH THE YEARS
iversitymarks foundingof New Cirlisle.
By KATHLEEN STISO MULLINS - In 1868 plank sidewalks were
There is evidence that once a built on the main streets of New
vast river covered what is today Carlisle. and,the first brick or con-
the Terre Coupe prairie. As centu-
ries passed,the great rivers reced- '` 1908 a brick street was laid try hand
ed, leaving behind old shore from Arch Street to Meridian
shelves.New Carlisle is situated on Street.
the last of these great shelves. 71^ Busine.•ses in New Carlisle grew
The lands of New Carlisle, and over the decades. There were nu-
the Terre Coupe Prairie it over- merous dry goods stores and mil-
looks, were included in the lands linery stcres which did a thtiving
ceded to the United States by the > business. Many of the town's gto-
Potawatomi Indians on Oct. 16, = cery stories stayed open until mid-
1826. night so the men could shop a fter
In the 1830s Olive Twp., where r the saloons closed.
New Carlisle is located,was known ''
as Deschemin Twp. The belief is In the laters years of the 19th
that this nameactually a " �M~ century, New Carlisle enjoyed fine
was
French name, as . Hudson entertainment by New York theat-
Lake was once called Lac Du rical companies. Performances
Chemin, which means"Lake of the were arranged based on the size of
a town. I
Road" no doubt deriving its name
from government,census
from its close proximity to the A view of E. Michigan St. in early New Carlisle. report of 1870, the population of
Great Sauk Trail. New Carlisle was 550. This was er-
Charles Vail came to Indiana roneousl5 copied by a dramatic
stage as Richard Risley and to which stood on the southwest cor agent as 5500,which gave New Car-
from New Jersey in 1828.In 1830 he have owned a small circus. He nev- ner of Arch Street, housed a dining lisle the henefit of excellent,enter-
married Olive Stanton of LaPorte. er returned to the town named af- room, saloon, barber shop and a tainment, for in most instances the
They settled on government land ter him. gambling room(without windows). actors did not discover the mistake
known as Trail Creek. It was for In 1836 the Mathews family was The main street is wider at the until they were off the train..
Olive that the township of Desche- involved in the great westward mi- point where the hotel stood be-
min was renamed by the early gration from New York to the new cause the huge coaches, drawn by In 1860 the Northwest e9nfer-
commissioners of St. Joseph Coun- lands. Young Schuyler Colfax, who four to six bourses, had to have ence of the Methodist Church rec-
ty. would become Speaker of the plently of room to turn around. ognized the need for a school that
Many of the New Carlisle's early House and Vice President of the The first train came through would provide a quality ackdemic
settlers were from New York state, United States, was along on this educatior. and thus, the Carlisle
Ohio, southern Indiana and Ken- trip with his mother and stepfather. New Carlisle on Jan. 1, After Collegiate Institute was organized.
tucky. They brought with them a this, the stage coaches maadede fewer Tuition ranged from $2 to $5.50 per
diverse culture and background. The Mathews family lived in a trips between Chicago and Detroit, term, bas:�d on course of study. -
In 1834 Richard Risley Carlisle one-story frame building on the and the hotel was no longer profita- In the 18 n the school was
came to Olive Twp. from Philadel north side of Michigan Street. ble. It continued to operate, under tranferred to the town of New Car-
phia. In June, 1835 he purchased a There George Mathews opened the several different owners, until it lisle for operation as a free school
section of land known as Bourissa second store in the village of New burned in 1913. of Indiana
Carlisle. Mathews was appointed
Hill for$2,000. Saturday was Farmer's Day in -
By Aug. 15, he had platted the postmaster and elected Justice of New Carlisle. The main street was New Carlisle citizens have al-
town which he renamed New Carli- the Peace within a year of the fam- crowded with buggies,lubmer wag- ways been committed to their
sle and had named the streets after ily's arrival. He set up a post office ons and carts, all full of goods to town, an( to the quality of life
his native city of Philadelphia in his store,which also doubled as a sell. Indians living in the area came available for those who call- it
Richard Carlisle remained in courtroom when necessary. to town on this day to sell their home. They are proud of their heri-
New Carlisle for only a few years. Early travel between Chicago wares. tage, which they celebrate.yearly
There were rumors that he had and Detroit was by stagecoach. A The town of New Carlisle was through the New Carlisle Histori-
toured England, there after return- hotel built in New Carlisle in 1838 incorporated in September, 1866 cal Days.
ing to America, became a theatri- by Cole Kramer was a regular sta- and by December it had been divid- Kathleen St:so Mullins is the director of
cal man Ile was thought to be on tuon alone the aka-, The hotel, ed into five ti•:+rciti treNnr!itierf.indianaH,sinncaisoclety