City fetes 150th

BY BETH COHAGAN
Sentinel Correspondent

Rain was an unwelcome visitor for Rochester’s sesquicentennial celebration Friday night.
It stayed away during opening ceremonies but rolled into town later during a performance of big band music by Tuxedo Junction.
The celebration kicked off with a flash when Dave Fincher of DeBruler Studios and Christina Seiler of The Sentinel took a community photo from the Rochester Fire Department’s snorkel truck bucket, above Eighth Street on the north side of the courthouse.
Approximately 150 people gathered on the courthouse lawn for the picture. Several more were busy sampling festival food.
During the ceremony, The Sentinel owner Jack K. Overmyer and attorney Bob Peterson spoke about the founding and history of Rocheser.
Boy
Scout
Troop 219 presented the colors and Girl Scout Troop 3614 led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Kim Benzing sang the “National Anthem” and “God Bless America” during the ceremony. Rev. Rod Ruberg of Riverview Community Church opened the celebration and Father Joe Jacob of St. Joseph Catholic Church closed the ceremony with prayer.
State Sen. Tom Weatherwax, R-Logansport, presented an Indiana state flag to the city council and Mayor Phil Thompson.
Thompson recognized City Clerk-Treasurer Carla Zartman for all her work in organizing the festivities.
Fulton County Commissioner Frog Walters urged the audience to look at the significance of this event and note the things that make Rochester a city of friendship and pride.
A memorabilia display in the former Stage store allowed visitors to view antiques, photographs, and an eight-minute PowerPoint computer presentation.
The event was held alongside retail merchants’ annual sidewalk sales. Several area merchants had window displays celebrating the community’s history.
On Saturday, bicycle parade participants rode around the courthouse twice to determine a winner. The first three places received a gift certificate from the Retail Merchants and other participants received food coupons from various restaurants in town.
First place went to Laura Brown, riding a pink and white decorated bike. Second place went to Abigail Cohagan with her patriotic bike and third place went to Emily Rose for her bike decorated with bows. Honorable mention went to David Rose.
Forty-one vehicles participated in a sesquicentennial cruise from the Wal-Mart parking lot to downtown.
“Even though it started raining, we had a great time cruising around Rochester,” said organizer Judy DeVries. All participants were from Rochester and the surrounding area. “There was such a variety of vehicles,” DeVries said, detailing the participating cars:
• Burt and Marge Younstrom in a 1925 Ford, Ken and Marlene Bathrick in a 1931 Ford Model A, Jim and Joan Bucher in a 1948 Desoto, Kathie Adams in a 1955 Chevy Cameo.
• Some very fancy Corvettes – Kevin Adams in his very first Corvette, Jim and Kathy Briney, Jerry and Cheryl Brown, Jim and Linda Erp, John and Linda Milliser, Ted and Vicky Phillips, Ron and Donna Riggle and Chuck Pocock.
• The classic cars – Richard and Jerilyn Peterson in a 1957 Ford Fairlaine, Sid and Judy DeVries in a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, Larry and Jennifer Daine in a 1955 customized Chevy, Brian and Hope Eber driving Earl Gaerte’s 1955 Chevy Sedan Delivery, Jim and Sue Rigney in a 1964 Corvair convertible and Virgil and Sue Hudkins’ 1970 black Cadillac.
• The muscle cars – Austin Shepherd in a 1967 Camaro, Loren and Sherry Wilson in a 1967 Plymouth, Dan and Andrew Alley in a 1978 Chevy Malibu, Norm and Ann Benzing in a 1989 Pontiac Firebird, Buddy Pollock’s Camero, Shawn Rock’s Charger, and Steve and Barb Foster’s Camero.
• The Studebakers – Bonnie Snipes 1953 Studebaker Commander, Don Snipes 1959 Studebaker Lark, Kevin Wolford and family in a 1955 Studebaker Champion, Virgil Hudkins’ 1963 Studebaker and his 1976 Avanti.
• Others were Charles and Shirley Fear, John Moore, John and Dottie Hudkins, Danny Showley, Jesse Wagoner, Chuck Huffman, Bill Andrews, Martin Turner, Brian Simonson, Jim Mooney and Everett Henderson in a customized semi tractor.
“It was exciting to see some very nice cars out for the cruise that usually do not come out for the shows,” DeVries said.

Published August 1, 2003

Exhibits, photos, speeches

Rochester Celebrates 150th birthday today

BY BETH COHAGAN
Sentinel Correspondent

Items of note pertaining to the Rochester sesquicentennial celebration today and Saturday at and around the Fulton County Courthouse:
• Today
4-9 p.m. – historical exhibits at the former Stage store
5 p.m. – food vendors open
6 p.m. – community picture, west side of the courthouse, and opening ceremonies with Jack K. Overmyer and Bob Peterson as keynote speakers
7:30-10:30 p.m. – Tuxedo Junction big band music, north side of courthouse.
• Saturday
7:30 a.m. – farmers market opens
8 a.m. – prayer circle
10 a.m.-8 p.m. – historical exhibits open at former Stage store
10 a.m. – bike parade
10 a.m.-4 p.m. – free pontoon rides, city boat launch at Lakeside Park
11 a.m. – food vendors open
1-5 p.m. – children’s games at the courthouse
4:30 p.m. – car cruise participants meet at Wal-Mart; 5 p.m., cruise participants arrive
5-7 p.m. – Oldies for the Lord concert; 8-10 p.m., sock hop.
• Community picture – For generations, communities and families have come together for a picture on important dates. Today is such a date, according to sesquicentennial organizers.
Everyone is invited to join in the fun for a sesquicentennial community picture at 6 p.m. today at the west side of the Fulton County Courthouse.
It will be shot from the room of the Centennial Tower by Dave Fincher, DeBruler Studios.
• Fund-raisers – Rochester Royals swim team will use proceeds from its sloppy joe and coney dog sales during the event to help pay and certify an assistant coach.
Other food vendors open at 5 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.
Fulton County Democrats are having an ice cream social, today only. Lions Club will sell shakes. Retired Senior Volunteer Program is selling drinks, hot dogs and popcorn. Kenny Garrison will make available nachos and tenderloins and Red Barn Elephant Ears will be there.
• Bicycle info – There will be prizes for the winners of an old-fashioned bicycle parade at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Fulton County Courthouse.
Everyone, young and old, is invited to decorate his or her bicycle of any style and participate. Entry is free.
• Mayoral history – Rochester has seen a female mayor preside over city council meetings. Nellie Babcock took office Oct. 26, 1938, and served until Jan. 1, 1939. She was appointed by the city council after the death of her husband from auto accident injuries. Councilman Russel Parker served as mayor pro tem during Mayor Babcock’s illness.
Rochester mayors
Omar B. Smith 1910-1913
William Brinkman 1914-1917
Hiram G. Miller 1918-1921
Dr. M.O. King 1922-1929
Charles T. Jones 1930-1934
Dr. James L. Babcock 1935-1938
Mrs. Nellie Babcock 1938
Captain O.I. Minter 1939-1945
Clarence Hill 1945-1951
Robert Shafer 1952-1955
W.D. Jefferson 1956-1959
Ray E. Myers 1960-1963
Harrison Halterman 1964-1971
Wayne Hittle 1972-1979
Don Cook 1980-1987
Phil Thompson 1988-1991
Ed Fansler 1992-1995
Phil Thompson 1996-present
• Street names – Rochester’s street names haven’t always been the same.
Town records indicate that in 1853 the north-south street names were as follows: West of the north-south Michigan Road (Main Street) were Jefferson, Pontiac, Bozarth, Jay, and Clay streets.
East of Main Street were Madison, Monroe, and Railroad streets.
East-west cross streets, from north to south respectively, were: Water, Mill Creek, Columbia, Market, York, Washington, South or Center, Pearl, Vine, Cottage, Carroll, Plum, High, Perry, Mackey, Edison, and Loomis, Lowell.
Those names lasted 57 years, until 1910, when they were changed by city council ordinance to their present designations.
• Newspaper headlines – As long as there has been a Rochester there has been a newspaper.
Some headlines from The Rochester Sentinel Aug. 1, 1953, when the city celebrated its centennial:
Taft Funeral Set Monday in Capitol
VanLue Resigns High School Post
Phone Strike Settlement At Standstill; Violence Flares
511 Agricultural Exhibits Entered in County 4-H Fair
From The Rochester Sentinel August 2, 1953:
Adjournment of Congress Appears Certain Tonight
Etna Green Set for Centennial Fete Thursday
Fulton County 4-H Fair Opens 5-Day Run Thursday
Four E.U.B. Pastors In County Given New Assignments.

Published July 31, 2003

Sesquicentennial weekend

Rochester celebrates 150 years

BY BETH COHAGAN
Sentinel Correspondent

Residents from throughout the county are invited to visit Rochester Friday and Saturday to help celebrate the 150th birthday of Rochester’s incorporation.
A weekend full of old-fashioned fun has been planned.
The celebration kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday with opening ceremonies and a community picture, for which the more people the better.
From 4-9 p.m. exhibits in the former Stage store at 715 Main St. will be open. A computerized history show has been prepared.
Those who want to stroll Main Street will find decorations that depict the town’s history in store windows.
Food vendors open for business at 5 p.m. Friday.
Opening ceremonies will include Boy and Girl Scouts presenting the colors, music by Kim Benzing, an opening prayer with Rev. Rod Ruberg, comments from Mayor Phil Thompson and a narrative history of Rochester by Bob Peterson and Jack K. Overmyer.
State Sen. Tom Weatherwax (R-Logansport) and the Fulton County Commissioners will be on hand for comments, and Father Joe Jacobs will say closing prayer.
From 7:30-10:30 p.m. Tuxedo Junction will present Big Band music. If it rains the show will be at the county fairgrounds.
Saturday’s events include an old fashioned bike parade at 10 a.m. There will be prizes, so decorating the bikes is encouraged.
Lake Manitou Association is giving free pontoon boat rides around the lake from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Departure is from the city boat launch on East Ninth Street at Lakeside Park.
Also on the schedule: 7:30 a.m.-noon farmer’s market, courthouse; 8 a.m. Mayor’s prayer circle, courthouse; daylong exhibits and a computer presentation about Rochester’s history at Stage store; 1-5 p.m. children’s games at the courthouse; a cruise-in from Kroger to downtown at 4:30 p.m.; 5-7 p.m. 50s and 60s Christian music by Oldies for the Lord; and an 8-10 p.m. sock hop with music from The Official D.J. Service.
Both days there will be food vendors downtown and stores will stay open late.
On July 25, 1853, the male citizens of Rochester voted 35-24 for incorporation as a town. In the election that September, Sidney Keith was elected the first president of the Board of Town Trustees, and David Pershing was elected the first town clerk.
In October 1909, Rochester voted 446-213 to reorganize itself as a city.
In October 1987 the city annexed Lake Manitou and doubled itself in size.
Sesquicentennial
notebook:
• A pioneer – Alexander Chamberlain helped put Rochester on the map as the county seat of Fulton County.
Along with Lot N. Bozarth, he commissioned the plotting of the original plat, which today is on both sides of Main Street, between Second and Eighth streets.
Chamberlain was born in New York state in 1788. He was a veteran of the War of 1812 and the first permanent settler in Cass County – in December 1824.
He built a log cabin on the south bank of the Wabash River opposite the mouth of the Eel River. He also established the first tavern and hotel in Cass County.
He made his way north to the new Fulton County in 1834. He was the first innkeeper in Rochester and owned a considerable amount of property along Michigan Road, now Main Street.
He opened the first hostelry on Main Street near Second Street. Chamberlain’s Tavern was a model inn and was well known until the owner’s death in 1869 in Rochester.
• Lake facts – Lake Manitou once was five smaller bodies of water surrounded by prairie grass and swamp land on its southwestern and western edges.
In 1826-27, the government built a dam on the northwest side which united the ponds into Lake Manitou.
The dam was built to provide water power for a corn-cracking mill where the Indians and early settlers had grain ground.
Lake Manitou and its headwaters encompass approximately 800 acres. The lake is 2 3/4 miles long and 1 1/4 mile wide. Two creeks, Mt. Zion Mill Creek and White’s Creek, feed into the lake from the east side.
There are five islands in Lake Manitou: Bird Island, 2 islands making up what is known as Big Island, Round Island, and Coney Island.
At one time, the deepest part of the lake was 48 feet.
• An opera – On the southwest corner of Main and Fifth streets once stood a three-story building that was one of Rochester’s show places, the Academy of Music.
That original building has been torn down and is now the site of Beacon Credit Union.
Work on the Academy of Music was launched in early 1877 by William H. Davidson, a Fulton County pioneer who used $1300 of his capital to build the opera house.
Stones for the basement and foundation of the building were hauled on sleds from fields north of the Tippecanoe River in the winter of 1876. The bricks came from kilns north of town and from the Norris brick yards south of town. John Cates and Bill Beaton were the job contractors.
The building and the opera house were completed in the summer of 1878 and opened to the public later that fall. The Dickson Theatre Stock Company of Chicago had the honor of being the first show in the new building. The play was “Farmer Allen and Dora.”
In 1923, the public in Rochester became more interested in movies and the Academy of Music was sold to the Loyal Order of the Moose of Rochester.
• Early medical care – The first hospital was at the home of Judge Sidney Keith, Pontiac and Seventh Streets. It was christened Woodlawn in 1905 because of the wooded lawn in front of the building.
Dr. W.S. Shafer purchased the property after Keith’s death. His son Dr. Howard O. Shafer was in charge of the new hospital.
Dr. Milton Leckrone, purchased and remodeled it by adding brick and steel to the front section in 1936.
Now owned by Fulton County and operated by a board of publicly appointed trustees, Woodlawn Hospital moved to its present location on East Ninth Street in 1979.
The old hospital building was torn down and became the site of the present Fulton County Library.