Small Town Breakdown No. 62: Winona Lake, Indiana
For this week’s small town breakdown we’re going from Arcadia in Hamilton County to Winona Lake in Kosciusko County. Winona Lake is 1 hour southeast of South Bend and 50 minutes west of Fort Wayne.
What’s it like in Winona Lake, Indiana?
Originally developed as a resort town, Winona Lake, Indiana is a small town with an elite shopping district, great eateries, and high school history on its side.
The History of Kosciusko County and Winona Lake, Indiana
The county boundary of Kosciusko County was established in February 1835, and the county was organized in 1836. It was named in honor of Polish man Thaddeus Kosciuszko, who came to America and served under General George Washington for America’s freedom.
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Winona Lake’s founding as a resort town is fascinating. In 1881, three brothers – J.F., J.E., and C.C. Beyer – bought land near Eagle Lake, now Winona Lake. The dairy farmers initially used the area’s artesian springs as a source of natural refrigeration for their business, but then in 1887, they built a resort called Spring Fountain Park, complete with a racetrack, roller coaster, hotel, and place to host Chautauqua programs – a series of concerts, plays, and speakers.
Presbyterian church leader Dr. Solomon Dickey bought the resort in 1894, named it Winona Assembly and Summer School Association while continuing the Chautauqua programs and adding summer Bible conferences and schools, and improved the resort with the building of homes, cottages and a canal. Many famous people performed there including Indiana poet James Whitcomb Riley and Helen Keller, and former Chicago White Stockings ballplayer and noted evangelist Billy Sunday moved there in 1911, with his presence making Winona Lake a haven for religious community. In one early 1910s summer alone, 250,000 people came to the Winona Assembly. Today, the area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Winona Lake became known as such in 1905 before becoming incorporated in 1913.