English Lake, Indiana

The area where the community would develop was first recorded in an 1834 survey by Silvester Sibley. He listed the area as sandy, with rolling hills and trees including oak, hickory, aspen, gum, sassafras, whatleberry, elm, ash, maple, willow, and birch. It also identified that it was in the "great marsh" of the Kankakee. An 1835 survey by Jeremiah Smith likened the area to Hades of Greek mythology. The survey of 1903 identified the lake as the largest in the state of Indiana. The town of English Lake began as a railroad station in 1860 for the Chicago, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railroad, also known as the Panhandle Route. By 1864, the wildlife of the "Great Marsh" was bringing in hunters from around the country. The English Lake Gun Club was founded in 1864, adjacent to the railroad tracks. In 1897, the Brighton Rod and Gun Club of Brighton Park, Chicago had established a clubhouse along the Panhandle Route. In 1900, the Railroad Club opened a clubhouse in English Lake for the Pennsylvania Railroad workers of Logansport. A post office was established at English Lake in 1860, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1960. ==Geography==

English Lake is named for the 'lake' that once existed on the Kankakee River. It was the widest part of the river. During the spring floods, it could become 7 miles long and 1 to 2 miles wide. (11 km by 2 to 3 km). Dredging Beginning in 1871, there were efforts to drain the "Great Marsh" to create farmland. The Kankakee Valley Daring Company failed that year due to lack of funds. The Craigmile Ditch, a lateral to the Kankakee, was stopped in 1898 when it reached the railway crossing. ==References==