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Rustic River Outfitters provides canoe and kayak rental on the Salamonie River. It also provides a performance and event venue, and a wine bar with food. Trips are also available on the Wabash River by reservation. It is locally famous for its taco nights (watch for them on Facebook).

Rustic River Outfitters - canoes and mill dam

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Rustic River Outfitters provides canoe and kayak rental on the Salamonie River. It also provides a performance and event venue, wine bar with food. Trips are also available on the Wabash River by reservation. It is locally famous for its taco nights (watch for them on Facebook).

Rustic River Outfitters

Huntington County has an abundance of natural and man-made waterways and spaces. Canals, creeks, rivers, lakes, and dams have all played an important roll in Huntington's history. Explore some of the more interesting and/or existing places with this driving tour.

According to the 1887 county history:“one of the early industries of Markle was the large flouring mill, erected sometime in the [eighteen] fifties, by William Chapman. It was a three story frame structure, operated by waterpower, and for a number of years was one of the most successful mills in the eastern part of Huntington County. It has passed through the hands of different parties, and is now owned by M. King, who is remodeling it throughout and supplying machinery for the manufacture of flour by the roller process.”According to Ancil R. Thomas’ obituary, he and Enoch, his father, purchased the Huntington Mill on South Jefferson Street from Charles Nix and continued that business until 1881. They bought a mill at Red Bridge in Wabash County and milled there until 1889. In an 1892 newspaper article, it describes the sale of the mill from Will Smith to Mr. Ancil R. Thomas (1848-1931). “The Markle mill is a full roller mill with a capacity of about forty-five barrels a day”. After Enoch’s death, Ancil continued the business and his son Claude joined him. The flour mill existed until around 1964 when it burned.When visiting the Old Mill Park, you can see one of the three water mill turbines that produced electricity for the mill. These turbines would have been placed in a tunnel with an inlet gate, or penstock, which controlled the flow to first spin a grindstone, and after upgrades, to power a generator to in turn the rollers and associated equipment used in the milling of grain. By controlling the flow of water you can control the speed of the grindstone or the amount of electricity created.The park also has an early log cabin that has been relocated to the park. The cabin was discovered in late 2016 at 190 Draper St near the corner with Wilt. The building had been scheduled for demolition. When the siding was removed, the log cabin was found. The owner recognized the potential value and immediately various groups became involved to preserve the log cabin, including the Markle Historical Society. It was moved to its current location in 2017.

Near this location, there is a dam that ran the flour mill for the Markle area. Presently there is a nice park and log cabin. The dam is now behind a larger levee that cut off the section of the Wabash River where it is located.A generator which had been located in the river and help make electricity to run the rollers, is located in Markle Old Mill Park. The best view of the dam remnants is from the levee. Park at the end of Wilt St. and take the walking trail on the top of the levee for about ¼ mile. Or, park in the Old Mill Park and take the levee trail to the east. An early Markle log cabin, was discovered in 2016, saved from demolition, and moved to the park in 2017 where it is now on permanent display.

Markle Park n Thomas Mill Dam

A lake and a reservoir are frequently used as interchangeable terms, however a reservoir is a man-made lake created by a dam on a river, backing up the water and creating a reservoir.        The Huntington dam was one part of three Upper Wabash reservoir projects selected for construction under the Flood Control Act of 3 July 1958. Ground breaking began in June of 1965. Work was completed and the dedication ceremony in June 1971 included dignitaries, rolls and coffee and barbeque chicken.In July 1997, a dedication ceremony was held to rename Huntington Lake, J. Edward Roush Lake. Mr. Roush was a member of the House of Representatives. A large focus, of his time in Congress, was promoting and securing financing for the Mississinewa, Salamonie and Huntington reservoir flood control and recreation projects. Attending primary and secondary school in Huntington as well as Huntington College, this project was of special importance to him. He was also an advocate for a nation-wide emergency telephone number that lead to the 911 program we have now. In 2010/2011, the management of the J. Edward Roush Flake changed from state management by the Division of State Parks and Reservoirs to being managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. To the chargrin of many locals, this change made the area a fish and wildlife focus instead of a recreational area. With this change came the elimination of swimming, the Little Turtle Campground (but the smaller Kil-So-Quah campground remains), mountain bike trails, model plane airport and some pavilions. It did increase the ability to hunt, fish, boat and hike. For fishing, bluegill, largemouth bass, small mouth bass, catfish and crappie can all be found. Hunting includes furbearers (woodchucks not included), deer, rabbit, squirrel, waterfowl, dove, pheasant, and wild turkey.Admission is free to the J. Edward Roush Fish and Wildlife Area, however a fishing or hunting license is required if taking part in those activities. And, a cash fee is involved to camp.

J. Edward Roush Lake (previously called Huntington Lake) is a flood control reservoir opened in 1967 that allows for boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and paddle boating. The surrounding park provides for terrestrial interactions with nature such as camping, hiking, hunting, picnicking and snowmobiling.

Huntington Dam / Roush Lake

While there are indications that a grist/saw mill was located in this area in the 1830s, the earliest map we have showing a mill is from 1866. A 1920 news article talks about David Finkle coming to Warren about 1850 and working in the mill for about 7 years before going elsewhere and then returning about 1862 as a half owner. The 1920 article commemorates the mill transitioning from a family owned business to a corporation. Construction on the mill now known as Salamonie Mills began after the flood of 1913, with materials from the McCoy mill (which was greatly damaged) being used to build the five story mill. The mill race was probably added about this time as well since it is not shown on a 1911 map, but is shown on a 1919 version. The mill was considered state of the art with its use of water turbines. Over the years the mill was sold allowing new owners to make improvements and additions.In 1957, Salamonie Mills acquired the East Plant/Hemp Mill. This plant had been built by the government in WWII to produce rope products during the war. After this, it became a plant that produced glass containers and mirrors until a 1955 fire almost destroyed it. The most recent use was for seed storage and maintenance shops.A third expansion occurred between State Road 5 and Main Street. This was originally the Warren Elevator Company (built in 1879) and would handle soybeans, wheat and dry corn. These would be stored temporarily and then transferred to rail road cars or trucks.In 2013, Salamonie Mills and AgLand Grain began working together. In March of 2020, their grain license were suspended and In April they voluntary surrendered those license. The company defaulted on approximately 8 million dollars in loans. First Farmers Bank &amp; Trust foreclosed on Salamonie Mills properties and in late July 2020, all locations were sold at public auction.As of September 29th 2023 the former Finkle/McDaniel Mill was purchased by Maurice Cossairt and re-opened in December of 2023. Maurice has historical family ties to the Warren Community. His ancestors, who migrated to Warren in 1828-1829 were said to have helped build the original mill. The retail operation of the mill, managed by Amy Ward, is open for business providing bagged feeds to livestock owners in the area. The anticipate launch of the custom grind feed mixes is early- mid 2024.

The Finkle/Salamonie Mill operated in Warren for over 180 years. Sometime between the 1830s and 1850 a mill was built on this site. It was in nearly continuous operation through floods and fires until July 2020.

Finkle/Salamonie Mills

Belleville was originally named for James Stewart, who was a Scottish immigrant, the local blacksmith, and a bell maker. The town began to form around 1834. In 1849, Gabriel Swihart built a log dam in the river to operate a saw mill. In 1849, James Taylor built a grist mill four stories tall. The main feature of Belleville was its mill. The mill changed hands many times over the course of its existence. Farmers would often spend nights in the mill, as they waited for their grain to be processed. The mill had several close calls with fires. A fire destroyed the top two stories of the building in 1930, however the mill continued operation until 1953. Another fire took the rest of the building in 1955. The dam was damaged in the flood of 1913, so it was replaced with a concrete dam close to the same site.Aside from the mill, Belleville also had a grocery store, a blacksmith shop, a school, and a church. Baptisms for the church were performed down by the river, which was said to be a very scenic location. According to local legend, a very sick person named Columbus “Lum” Myers was discovered to have not been baptized, so he was taken out in the middle of December to be baptized before he died. Strangely, the preacher seemed to lose his train of thought while in the middle of the baptism, resulting in onlookers shouting at him. Miraculously, Lum recovered and went on to live for several more years.The spelling of the town's name has been both Belleville and Bellville. The former is used here since it is the way it is spelled on the road sign that leads to its former location.

Belleville was formed around 1834, located at around S Belleville Road and West 700 South. Once a scenic location with a prosperous saw mill, and later a grist mill, Belleville is no more. The four-story grist mill burned down in 1955, and though the dam remains, it is no longer in use. Indiana DNR recommends using caution around any low-head dams like this one as they can have tricky undercurrents that can trap individuals under water.In an article in 2005, it was stated that some logs from the original dam may remain as well as a fish ladder on the end of the dam.  If you pull off to the road and look west (downstream), you should be able to see the rapids formed by the dam.Please do not go closer as you will be trespassing on private property.

Belleville (named place)

Pirates Cove Marina is a full service marina and boat rental business located on Salamonie Lake near the Interpretive Center. Most rental boats are pontoons, but fishing boats, kayaks and paddle boats are also available. Some boats are available at an hourly rate, others for a day rate or both.

Pirates Cove Marina

According to an 1897 news article, Silver Creek received its name after a theft of silver that was to be used to pay the Native Americans in accordance with the treaty. One box of silver coins went missing. After much looking and interrogation of one of the members of the party, the box was found in the little stream that flowed through the northeastern part of Lagro Township and Huntington County covered by some flat rocks.The Wabash &amp; Erie Canal website explains the aqueduct works: “The purpose of an aqueduct is to carry the canal and its towpath over a river, a ravine, a railroad, or a road. Typically, the towpath is carried across an aqueduct on stone arches, while the canal itself is carried across in an adjacent heavily-braced wooden trough resting on stone piles.”The arch began as a wooden structure over Woodworth’s Creek (later named Silver Creek) but in the 1850s was changed to a stone structure to improve and strengthen the structure. In 1984, a newspaper article spoke of the Silver Creek bridge/aqueduct to be over grown with trees and shrubs. Richard Ness, who owns the land, worked to restore and preserve the bridge structure. In 2013, Mr. Ness received the Virginia R. Miller Award from the Huntington County Historical Society.

Please stay on the U.S. 24 bridge above Silver Creek. Much of what you can see is private property.The stone arch and broad straight &amp; smooth grassland running east towards Huntington comprise a remnant of the Erie &amp; Wabash canal. The arch was restored around 2012 by the property owner. It is all that remains of the towpath of over Silver Creek.Canal aqueducts can bend your mind a bit since they represent a water “road” going over a natural water way. They are also sometimes called water bridges.

Silver Creek Canal Remnants & Legend

Forks of the Wabash is the area in which the Little River (also known as Little Wabash and La Petite Rivière) and the Wabash River meet. This area has been known since the early 1600s by traders as part of the shortest route between the lower Great Lakes (Lakes Erie and Ontario) and the Mississippi River. It was a village and headquarters for the Miami Indians after Chief Richardville’s death in 1941. Beginning in 1818, the Miami ceded portions of their land to the United States government, first to the south of the Wabash and then to the north. A few places were “reserved” for use by various individuals, families, and groups. Even these diminished, so that by 1840 only individual and family lands remained and most Miami were forced to relocate to Kansas and then Oklahoma. While the marker stands on the east side of State Route 9 in a grassy area off the shoulder of US 24, a trail head is nearby that offers a paved path to walk (handicap accessible) in the area of the Forks. Continuing on US 24 west, on the left side of the road after passing over State Route 9 is the Historical Forks of the Wabash.Historic Forks of the Wabash is dedicated to honoring prior generations and educating visitors about those generations. The Chief’s House has been restored to 1846. While there is some conflicting information on whether the house was built by Chief Jean Baptiste Richardville or by this son-in-law Chief Francis LaFontaine, there is no doubt of the historical significance of the house. Also located on the property is the Nuck log house, an 1841 pioneer log cabin and a schoolroom furnished to the 1880s. In the 1990s, Ball State University did excavation work during a restoration of the Chief’s House. The full report of their findings can be viewed at the Keefer Center at the Huntington City Township Public Library.

The junction of the Wabash and Little rivers, 100 yards south, was the western terminus of the Maumee-Wabash long portage and, in 1835, of the first section of the Wabash and Erie Canal. During the 18th century French and English traders passed this way and, in 1778, Henry Hamilton brought 171 British troops and 350 Indians with 40 boats through the portage enroute to retake Fort Sackville at Vincennes. Three Miami villages were located here and Chiefs Richardville and LaFontaine once lived here. The Forks was the scene of many Indian councils and the Miami Treaties of 1834, 1838 and 1840.

Forks of Wabash

The Wabash &amp; Erie Canal was 4 feet deep and 100 feet wide at the Huntington Landing. Other locks were at First St. and Byron St. The Canal was completed from Fort Wayne to Huntington on July 4, 1835, and from Toledo to Evansville, 459 miles, in 1854. The Canal preceded the railroad to Huntington by 20 years, spurring early settlement. The Canal was abandoned in 1873.The 1866 map of downtown Huntington shows where the Wabash and Erie canal crossed Jefferson Street just above Washington Street, about where Nick’s Kitchen is today (FYI they have really good pie). As you stand near the marker, make sure to look up and see the dates on tops of the buildings, especially those on the corner of Jefferson and Park, near the Rotary Centennial Park.Jefferson Street was the Huntington segment of a pioneer route - the Fort Recovery to Goshen Road - travelled by settlers from Ohio to Lake Michigan and northwest areas in the 1830's. Jefferson Park Mall was a result of volunteer efforts in 1969 to create a non-drive through area for shopping and dining. There was a play area, benches and a fountain. The area was reopened to one-way traffic in 1991.

The Huntington Landing started 120 feet west on Washington St. and continued to the lock at Cherry St.Jefferson Street was closed to motor traffic and transformed into a landscaped and lighted walkway by private financial contributors in 1969.

Canal Landing/ Indiana's First Tax Free Mall

From the 1879 Combined Atlas: “July 3, 1835, the water of the St. Joseph River Reached Huntington in the canal, and, on the evening of the same day, the canal-boat “Indiana,” Capt. Fairfield, an “old salt” in command, arrived from Fort Wayne and landed at the upper lock, then known as “Burk’s Lock,” bringing a large and very enthusiastic party of gentlemen from Fort Wayne, who, on their arrival, were greeted with loud cheers by and equally enthusiastic assemblage of people of Huntington , and repeated salutes with the cannon which Dr. George A. Fate had brought from Dayton, Ohio, expressly for the occasion of celebrating the opening of the canal to Huntington. After the interchange of enthusiastic greetings and partaking of the hospitalities prepared by the citizens of Huntington, the party returned to Fort Wayne early in the morning of the “Glorious Fourth,” with a large number of people of Huntington, including Dr. Fate with the cannon, the booming of which announced their arrival, to the delight of the boys and the great sacrifice of glass on Columbia Street of that City.”Locks are one of the features of a canal which allows the passage of canal boats to travel on uneven terrain. One of the pictures shows the basics of how locks work. Just 8 years after the first landing at Huntington, the canal was open to the navigable section of the Wabash at Lafayette. The canal’s heyday was short-lived. Twenty years after the Huntington to Fort Wayne section of the canal opened, the first rail line connected the same two cities.

At the southeast corner of the intersection.Inscription: 1835-1873    The canal boat "Indiana" docked here on the evening of July 3, 1835, opening the Wabash and Erie Canal to traffic from Fort Wayne to Huntington. This was the first section of the canal opened in Indiana. John Burk, for whom the lock was named, was a member of the first Board of Commissioners of Huntington County.

Burkes Landing Marker

Flint Creek was submerged and an aqueduct built just north of the corner of First and Tipton. This vital creek provided the fresh water needed by the Huntington Brewery and flows past the Court House, under the City Building and exits into the Little River behind the Duke Energy Building. Today, stonework that might date back to the time of the canal can still be seen if one looks closely.“‘How did the canal cross Clear Creek?’ Mr. Crandal was asked. ‘They build aqueducts over the creeks,’ he explained. ‘There was one at Clear Creek and one at Silver Creek. There was one at the place where Flint creek enters the sewer and another at Roanoke. The aqueducts were water-tight and worked all right.’” Canal aqueducts can bend your mind a bit since they represent a water “road” going over a natural water way. They are also sometimes called water bridges.

Flint Creek Aqueduct was the fourth aqueduct built on the canal starting at Fort Wayne and moving southwest. It allowed Flint Creek to flow into Huntington city unhindered by the canal. The original aqueduct had a total length of 28 feet.We don't know how much of the current entrance to the underground is from the canal and how much is modifications made when Flint Creek was covered over in the late 1800s, but the construction of the arch and the materials on top of the arch are believed to be in the original style at least.

Flint Creek Aqueduct

The Erie Stone Company was organized in February 27, 1906. At the location that is now Lake Clare, stone was quarried by hand and only two sizes were made, railroad ballast (the support base for railroad tracks and ties and crusher run (blended mix of course and fine aggregate used frequently in cement and for gravel roads). Operations at this site were discontinued in 1934 and the area was allowed to fill with water. A 1935 newspaper article speaks of the lake reading 40 feet deep in some spots and the conservation department was going to stock fish (Black bass, bluegill, rock bass and some sorts of trout) in the lake.C. H.W. (Clare Hobart Williams) Bangs (1890-1973) was a mayor of Huntington, president of Huntington College, lawyer and editor of Huntington News. In 1933, he was charged with criminal libel and continued to run the paper from jail. In 1934, he was elected mayor of Huntington, Indiana, but he continued to serve jail time sporadically before being released in December 1940. Lake Clare was named after the mayor.The Works Project Administration (WPA) began improvements to the land surrounding the abandoned quarry in 1937-38, while Mayor Bangs was still in office. Among the first enhancements added after basic grading and landscaping were the entrance pillars, a children’s wading pool, and an artificial beach. Later the beach became the basis for a larger swimming area. The park became extremely popular with residents and remained so for over 30 years. A change in management and land ownership/rental issues caused the park to close in the fall of 1968 except for special events until the park was purchased by Huntington Township in 1979.Besides fishing, which continues to be popular in the stocked lake, Lake Clare has hosted motor boat races on and off since 1937. The latest series of races began in 2010 and are held annually. They are sponsored by the Indiana Outboard Association and named in honor of Harry Brinkman, a long-time racer. Starting in 1957 and running until 1986, Lake Clare hosted annual distance swimming races for the Amateur Athletic Union. Known as the “Huntington Mile Swim,” these races brought the best swimmers from around the country. Periodic attempts to revive the meets have been made since 2010.In 2017, a fitness park was installed on the lake’s north side with 20 obstacles of varying difficulties. The inability to maintain this area because of vandalism caused it to be shuttered after only a couple of years. However in July of 2021 it was revitalized, reopened and can be used.

Sometimes spelled “Lake Claire.”A flooded stone quarry named for former Mayor Bangs that has a fitness park, picnic tables and fishing. It occasionally hosts motor boat and swimming races.

Lake Clare

The Wabash and Erie Canal was established as a means of transportation for both people and materials. The canal was difficult to construct and maintain due to flooding, mosquitoes and natural growth. Because of different water heights, locks were necessary in the construction of the canal. A lock allows water levels to rise or fall by opening or closing the ends of the chamber and raising or lowering water amounts in that area. In the days of the canal, “locking” would happen approximately one foot of water per minute, thus adding to travel time. Dickey Lock (Lock #1, later renamed Lock #4) was the first lock to “step down” from the St Joseph River out of Fort Wayne. This lock was made of wooden timbers, but other locks were made from cut stone or composite (building stone that was of an inferior quality). The brothers Dickey (John, William and Robert) were very involved in canals in both Ohio and Indiana. In 1847, Dickey, Doyle &amp; Dickey had a packet boat business on the Wabash &amp; Erie Canal. These packet boats (also known as canal boats) had a set price for travel, a regular schedule, and were approximately thirteen feet wide by ninety-five feet long. It is likely that this early lock was named after one or all of the Dickey brothers.The town of Roanoke was founded near the Dickey lock, with L.G Jones building first a saw mill and later a flour mill near the lock. The population of the town continue to increase from 1840 to 1849.In 1855 the Lake Erie, Wabash and St. Louis Railroad completed its first segment from Huntington to Fort Wayne with regular service between the two cities beginning the next year and was complete to St. Louis before 1859. This route followed the Wabash and Little Rivers nearly paralleling the canal between Fort Wayne and Lafayette. Rail travel was faster and more cost efficient, causing the canal to be abandoned in 1873.

First lock west of summit level of Wabash and Erie Canal (connected Lake Erie with Ohio River in 1853). Known as Dickey Lock. Built as Lock 1, 1834-1835, of wood construction; renumbered Lock 4 as result of canal completion to Ohio line (1840). Remnant of arch culvert nearby. Canal important to founding of Roanoke.

Wabash & Erie Canal Lock 4

For overnight guests, check in is at 3p and check out at 12p, extensions needed by 10a. Visitors must register and pay any appropriate fees. Day visitors must leave by 11p.Overnight guests can be in tents, RVs, or cabins. There is an onsite store, bath and shower building, and laundry. Boats for fishing may be brought in (trolling motor only) or rented.

Timber Lake offers a variety of outdoor activities either for the day or overnight when staying at their campgrounds. Swimming, hiking, zip lining, fishing, and boating are among the usual activities. There is a charge for all activities, but some fees are reduced or eliminated for overnight guests.

Timber Lake

In 1906 the approximately 60 foot Lady Washington took passengers from the mill dam at the foot of Whitelock Street to the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad Bridge, a distance of just over a quarter mile. A few weeks after starting its runs, this route was extended another few hundred feet northeast to the fairgrounds (between the railroad bridge and the Schacht Piano Company). It is believed that this boat was built on the shores of Little River. While traveling, the passengers were treated to piano playing for them to dance. The maximum capacity was said to be 250 passengers.It appears that the concept behind the boat run was to be a sort-of early town bus, taking people from downtown at the mill dam to a landing at the foot of the fairgrounds. It took a minimum of four people to operate the boat: the captain, a pilot, an engineer, and a machinist. Because it was a paddle boat, it needed to turn around at each end of its route before it could make the return trip. Originally trips took about 45 minutes one way, but that time was decreased somewhat as the captain and pilot gained experience with the boat and the river. Still, a person could have walked the same distance in 10 to 15 minutes, even if they were walking at a leisurely rate. Additionally, weather (which affected the depth of water in the river, both high and low) and mechanical difficulties could cause delays or cancellations of the day’s runs. Finally, the flour mill for which the dam was built was sometimes affected by the need to operate the Lady Washington. If the water was too low for the boat, the mill would sometimes shut down, closing its mill race and raising the river level somewhat. Or, the mill would operate and the boat wouldn’t.After the initial enthusiasm wore off, the number of passengers greatly decreased. As fares were only five cents, the venture did not turn a profit even though the tickets had to be bought in pairs of trips (good for a round trip or two one-way trips). It was decided to abandon this concept after a single season. Initially, a proposal was made to move the Lady Washington downriver a little and make runs between the LaFountaine Street Bridge and Brebaugh’s Island (near the Forks of the Wabash) where another park was to be developed. However, in order to enable this trip, another dam would have been required to ensure adequate water levels. So, the idea quickly foundered. Finally, it was decided to send the boat to Logansport to attempt to turn a profit at that location. Due to flooding, a sinking probably caused by flood-driven timber, and frequent beaching on shallow bars, it took over two years to get the craft to Logansport. A December 1909 article in The Wabash Plain Dealer, mentions plans between the captain of the boat and the owner Dr. McLin after the boat sank after a storm and lightening hit the prow of the boat. After much decay and inspection the boat was ordered destroyed. The engine was eventually sold to a company in Northern Michigan where it was used to saw wood. While you cannot view Lady Washington, you can walk along the Little River via the Little River Trail, which is part of the Huntington Area Recreation and Trails (HART) system.

The Lady Washington was a sternwheeler (type of boat with the paddle wheel in the back) that took passengers up and down the Little River. It would moor at Riverside Park.

Lady Washington Sternwheeler

A pair of covered bridges replaced the ford (a shallow place in the river that allows one to cross on foot or drive across) at Jefferson Street to the Island and then to Drover Town. These bridges appear to have had Multiple Kingpost Trusses and may have been Burr Arches. “In the construction of the bridge originally very little metal was used. The arches and the square timbers were fastened together with wooded pins fashioned by hand as was nearly all parts of the bridges.”In 1891, the wooden structure was replaced with steel spans connecting Jefferson Street across the Island and from the Island to land on the other shore. The wood from the bridge structure was used in the construction of some of the homes in the area as flooring or studding.In 1892, only two businesses were located on the Island in the middle of the Little River. After a court decision indicating that Mr. Johnson was not disrupting the flow of the river with his cement abutments even during flood, construction began in earnest. By 1907, seven buildings spanned the south side of the bridge. Rods and truss braces were placed under the buildings due to the settling of the structure. By 1919, both north and south of the island had buildings on the bridge (along with a full set of buildings on the island). While an interesting idea, there was no sewer system and sewage would go right into the river. The buildings fell into disrepair and were condemned in 1966. In September of 1975, the State of Indiana stepped in and ordered the buildings demolished. In July 1977, the buildings were finally torn down. Today there is a large walkway on the bridge to a pavilion.

Between 1900 and 1977, this bridge was home to several buildings. Prior to the bridge, Native Americans and early settlers forded Little River from Charles Street diagonally across just below the Island to the Court House. A dugout canoe, when hailed, carried pedestrians across for 50 cents. The first truss bridge over the Little River was built here at the ford in 1843. A steel twin bridge was built in 1891 and around 1900, A.J. Johnson erected two-story buildings beside the south span of the bridge. Shops, offices, and dwellings were housed here until the structures were condemned. The Southside Businessmen's Association spruced up the fronts, and the Art Guild donated colorful murals to cover 18 upper windows. Following years of controversy, the buildings were razed in 1977 by order of the state.

Buildings on the Bridge

Huntington County has had libraries almost since its founding. One of the earliest was established by the “Working Men’s Institute” and founded in 1855. The HCTPL traces its roots to this library which, in turn, provided the foundational materials to a subscription library founded in 1874 called the Public School Library. In 1889 the library was reorganized under state law to become a “free” library supported by a tax levy. The new name was “City Free Library.” From 1889 until a building completed with funds from Andrew Carnegie opened in 1903, the library was housed in the city high school.The library changed names in 1971 to the Huntington Public Library when it separated from the school library. It changed again in 1975 when the service area was expanded to include Huntington Township. Since then, it has been the Huntington City-Township Public Library even though in 2003 the service area expanded with the merger of the Markle Library.The 1903 Carnegie Library building still stands at 44 E. Park and is now the location of TCB Games. The current building opened in 1987 and was expanded twice: in 1996 and 2010. A major remodeling was completed in 2019. The main length of the building was designed to resemble a canal boat with the prow rising above the entrance. The entrance even sits on top of the former route of the Wabash &amp; Erie Canal.

The Huntington City-Township Public Library (HCTPL) serves the people of both the city and township of Huntington as well as the town of Markle. Teachers and students in the county schools, another primary/secondary school with a presence in the service area, or Huntington University are also eligible for library cards. It has a large room dedicated as the B. Joan Keefer Genealogy and Local History Center in the main branch, and a small History Room in the Markle branch.

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Huntington County Water-Related History (Driving)

Rustic River Outfitters

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Backstory and Context

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