History of the Settlers

The first settlers in the Calumet area were the Miami Indians. Later the land was discovered by Father Jacques Marquette and founded the first European Settlement. Lastly in 1763 the British took control of the land (Schoon pg. 55).

Two of the first groups were the William Ross and Solon Robinson families (Schoon pg. 61). The settlers would move into the Calumet Area thanks to the pre-developed Indian trails. The old Sauk trail is now 77th Ave. in Merrillville, and Lincoln Highway the country’s first highway was developed through the Indian trails (Schoon pg. 61).

After 1833, the Calumet area was known for its transportation routes. Because of the position of the area Taverns started getting established in the area. The Taverns were used to dine in, as Hotels, and as exchange of horses.  In 1832 the 1st saw mill was built, and by 1838 there were 5 mills in the area (Schoon pg. 74). 

Later sawmills had to change into gristmills due to farming, which caused the forests to be cut.

Later, canals, dams, ditches, and leeves were built. “Three canals were built in the calumet area: the first was built to give Chicago primacy on Lake Michigan, second and the largest was built to keep the sewage away from Lake Michigan, and third is the Calumet Sag Channel, which sends water from Little Calumet River to the Illinois River” (Schoon pg. 103).  “To increase the speed of the current, many of the early millwrights built dams across streams and rivers” (Schoon pg. 103). Also in 1892 a lot of land was expanded for ports and railroad tracks.

Work Cited

Schoon, Kenneth J. Calumet Beginnings: Ancient Shorelines and Settlements at the South End of Lake Michigan. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 2003.