Wabash River Enhancement Corporation Project Area

When the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation (WREC) was founded in 2004, our project area was set as a four county area consisting of Warren, Fountain, Tippecanoe, and Carroll counties. The project area consisted of the four counties within the seven county North Central Health Services (NCHS) service area where the Wabash River flows. NCHS funded WREC’s first five years of operation and is committed to assisting with funding future planning, development, and land acquisition efforts of the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation. The WREC Board chose to focus initially on Tippecanoe County as project resources, support, capacity, and awareness were already in place. The WREC board is comprised solely of Tippecanoe County leadership at this time. The Board understood that prior to the project being extended into adjacent counties relationships and leadership must be fostered with, and from, the other counties to enable sustainable enhancement efforts to be undertaken in these counties. It was felt that work in Tippecanoe County would serve as a pilot project within the region for initiating enhancement of the Wabash River throughout the four county project area. WREC’s watershed work is progressing into adjacent counties assisting with relationship develop in adjacent counties and fostering leadership in these counties.

History of Pre-European, European, and American Settlement in the Region of the Great Bend of the Wabash River

The Region of the Great Bend of the Wabash River is replete with historical significance. When the area was settled, three main tribes of Indians remained - the Potawatomi, the Shawnee, and the Miami. The Potawatomi tribe covered much of the eastern Tippecanoe County; while the Wea, a branch of the Miami, covered the western portion of Tippecanoe County, and the Shawnee covered much of the southern portion of Tippecanoe County. In the 1700’s, the Wea had a large village with a population numbering in the thousands at the confluence of (present day named) Wea Creek and the Wabash River. This location is across the river from the site of the first permanent fortified European site at Fort Ouiatenon. The Wabash River was a key section of the French trade route connecting the French trading colony in Montreal/Quebec, Canada with its sister colony based at New Orleans. Vincennes, located to the south in present day Indiana, was the northern terminus for the New Orleans colony, and Fort Oiuatenon was the southern terminus for the Canadian based colony. Rivers were the interstate highway of the day and this route was at the epicenter of the French-British conflict to control North America reap its significant economic benefits. French records indicate that settlement of Fort Ouiatenon occurred in 1717. The present day Fort Ouiatenon county park is immediately east of the location of actual historic site.

Other historically significant locations from succeeding eras are located at present day Prophetstown State Park and throughout the town of Battle Ground. These sites relate to the continuing conflict to control the region and the river trade route, this time stemming from conflict between the British, Native Americans, and the newly founded United States. The state park is the historical site where in 1810, Shawnee Indian Leaders Tecumseh and his brother the Prophet founded the capital for the multi-tribe Indian confederation they formed to oppose the loss of Indian lands to the United States. Nearby, on the southern border of the present day town of Battle Ground along the eastern banks of Burnett Creek is the site of the last significant battle between Tecumseh’s Native American forces and US forces led by William Henry Harrison. Harrison became aware of Tecumseh’s efforts to resist American settlement and he marched north from Vincennes to put down the resistance. His army arrived at Prophets Town in early November, 1811. Tecumseh was not present and Harrison agreed to meet with his brother, the Prophet, the following day. The Native American forces attacked during the night and were defeated by Harrison. This battle resulted in the ultimate defeat of Native American forces in the Indiana Territory and paved the way for further settlement of the territory and the creation of Indiana as a state in 1816. The battle site is now a National Park Service Memorial and Monument and county park. Prophet's Rock is another historical site related to the battle. It is near the battle field site and commemorates the location from where the Prophet launched the attack.

Historical Land Use

During its early days, much of Tippecanoe County was resplendent with large trees and prairies as far as the eye could see. Early historians described the region as prairie with black and white walnut, bur oak, pignut, bitternut, shagbark, and scale hickory, wild cherry, sugar maple, and beech trees. Willow, dogwood, hazelnut, crabapple, plum, pawpaw, buckeye, and sassafras were also prevalent. The low water mark of the Wabash River historically measured 504 feet above sea level with numerous clear, cold streams and springs carrying water to the Wabash River.

The first settlement (post statehood) in Tippecanoe County occurred in the 1820s. Peter Weaver is recognized as the first settler creating a homestead on the southern end of the Wea Plains. Several others followed and by 1826 Tippecanoe County was incorporated. The county and many of the towns can trace their founding to the Wabash River and the Wabash and Erie Canal. Lafayette was founded at the navigational headwaters of the Wabash River as a steam boat port town in 1825. Platting of several towns soon followed with Romney in 1831, West Point in 1833, Granville in 1834, Clarks Hill in 1850, Chauncey and Kingston in 1850-55, and Battle Ground in 1858. The Wabash and Erie Canal was built through Lafayette in 1843 with the previously mentioned Granville and Americus being founded as canal towns. Upon the canal completion to Lafayette, travelers could reach New York City in a mere 14 day trip via the canal. The canal’s heyday lasted approximately 10 years as the railroad reached Lafayette in 1855 signaling the end of the region’s reliance on the river. The Tippecanoe County courthouse was erected between 1881 and 1884 with development of the current downtown occurring over the next few years. In 1888, Chauncey and Kingston merged to form West Lafayette. Industry soon moved into the area with Lafayette Box-Board and Paper Company being one of the largest enterprises of its day (1856 approximately). The paper mill remained in continuous operation until 2006. By 1905, eighty factories operated within Lafayette and by 1909 the city was home to 23,000 individuals, contained 4.2 miles of asphalt and 2.5 miles of brick streets, 1.4 miles of sanitary sewers, 13 hotels, 34 churches, and 2 public parks.

Purdue University was founded across the river in present day West Lafayette in 1869 as Indiana implemented the 1862 Morrill Act, which called for a Land Grant university to be established in each state. The first class graduated in 1872. Purdue University being located in Tippecanoe County is another example of the region’s development being related to the Wabash River. John Purdue, one of the state’s leading mercantilists was based in Lafayette and made his fortune shipping goods to and from Indiana via the Wabash River. Purdue offered to donate funding to buy the property, construct the first buildings, and hire its staff for the Tippecanoe site. This enabled Tippecanoe County to be selected as the location for Indiana’s new land grant university. It was then named for its prominent benefactor, who remained actively involved on its Board of Trustees for years to come after its founding.