Lake Papakeechie
Encyclopedia
Lake Papakeechie is a small man-made lake of 179 acres (0.72 km²) located in Kosciusko County
, Indiana
, United States
. The lake is situated south of and drains into Lake Wawasee. The lake is owned by the Papakeechie Protective Association.
chief
Papakeecha
or Pa-hed-ke-teh-a, the most influential chief in the region around Lake Wawasee
.
Papakeechie was created just before 1910 in the same location and in a basin where 6 small lakes once occupied this area. The small lakes were named Jarret's, Gan's, Hooper's and 3 named Hartzell's. Early in the 19th century a fish trap or fish weir
was constructed at the outlet where water flowed to Lake Wawasee where settlers would easily catch fish. The lake (with dam) was deemed completed in 1913.
When an 8 foot (2 m) earthen dam was constructed by Charles A. Sudlow of Indianapolis
on that north side, the water level rose elevating large masses of vegetation. These were loaded with rocks and filled with holes and sunk to the bottom.
is the state regulating agency.
The Papakeechie Protective Association is currently embroiled in controversy with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which is asserting that the Association's dam and levees are badly outdated, unsafe, and not in conformity with Federal and State law. The Indiana DNR has threatened to breach the dam if the Association fails to fix and enhance its dam and levees, as required. It has been estimated by engineering experts that the price tag for this project could exceed as much as $800,000.
Kosciusko County, Indiana
Kosciusko County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded the population at 77,358. The county seat is Warsaw.The county was formed in 1836. It was named after the Polish general Tadeusz Kościuszko, who served in the American Revolutionary War, and then returned to...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The lake is situated south of and drains into Lake Wawasee. The lake is owned by the Papakeechie Protective Association.
History
Lake Papakeechie is named after MiamiMiami tribe
The Miami are a Native American nation originally found in what is now Indiana, southwest Michigan, and western Ohio. The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is the only federally recognized tribe of Miami Indians in the United States...
chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
Papakeecha
Papakeecha
Papakeecha or meaning "Flat Belly" was the most influential Miami chief in the region around Lake Wawasee, in what is now Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States leading his people from 1820 until 1837. Lake Papakeechie was named after him.Papakeecha was about 60 years old when white men entered...
or Pa-hed-ke-teh-a, the most influential chief in the region around Lake Wawasee
Lake Wawasee
Lake Wawasee, formerly Turkey Lake, is a natural lake southeast of Syracuse in Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States. It is the largest natural lake in Indiana. It is located just east of Indiana State Road 13.-History:...
.
Papakeechie was created just before 1910 in the same location and in a basin where 6 small lakes once occupied this area. The small lakes were named Jarret's, Gan's, Hooper's and 3 named Hartzell's. Early in the 19th century a fish trap or fish weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
was constructed at the outlet where water flowed to Lake Wawasee where settlers would easily catch fish. The lake (with dam) was deemed completed in 1913.
When an 8 foot (2 m) earthen dam was constructed by Charles A. Sudlow of Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
on that north side, the water level rose elevating large masses of vegetation. These were loaded with rocks and filled with holes and sunk to the bottom.
Papakeechie mystery
From the 1950s through late 1960s an aluminum airplane wheel with tire measuring some 7 to 8 feet (2 m) across lay on the shore of Papakeechie just to the east of the dam. It was never known how the piece of landing gear got there as it would have had to have been rolled up hill and over the earthen part of the dam. Some said it was dropped from an airplane but that theory was never confirmed.Hydrology and characteristics
Papakeechie has a drainage area of 5.36 sq mi (13.9 km²). The dam length is 2460.00 feet (749 m). It has a maximum discharge of 291 ft³/s (8.2 m³/s). Normal storage is 890 acre.ft. The Indiana Department of Natural ResourcesIndiana Department of Natural Resources
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the U.S. state of Indiana charged with maintaining natural areas such as state parks, state forests, recreation areas, etc...
is the state regulating agency.
The Papakeechie Protective Association is currently embroiled in controversy with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which is asserting that the Association's dam and levees are badly outdated, unsafe, and not in conformity with Federal and State law. The Indiana DNR has threatened to breach the dam if the Association fails to fix and enhance its dam and levees, as required. It has been estimated by engineering experts that the price tag for this project could exceed as much as $800,000.
Books on Papakeechie
- Giese, Vincent J., Lead Thou Me on: Reflections from Lake Papakeechie. Our Sunday VisitorOur Sunday VisitorOur Sunday Visitor is a Roman Catholic publishing company in Huntington, Indiana which prints the American national weekly newspaper of that name, as well as numerous Catholic periodicals, religious books, pamphlets, catechetical materials, inserts for parish bulletins and offertory envelopes....
, Huntington, Indiana, U.S.A., 1993. - Leffers, Laura. Dance on the Water. Book World/Blue StarBook World/Blue StarBlue Star Productions was a Sun Lakes, Arizona-based publishing imprint of Book World, Inc. of mostly comparative spiritual traditions, mystical, metaphysical, new age, paranormal, ufology, philosophy, non-fiction, and fiction books.-Books:...
, 1996. ISBN 1881542106, ISBN 978-1881542100.
Sources
- Lilly, EliEli Lilly (industrialist)Eli Lilly was a pharmaceutical industrialist and philanthropist from Indiana, United States.- Business :Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Eli Lilly was President of Eli Lilly and Company. He was named for his grandfather, Colonel Eli Lilly, who founded the family business...
. Early Wawasee Days. Indianapolis: Studio Press Inc., 1960. - U.S. Lakes Info
- Indiana Historical Bureau
- Lake Wawasee and Syracuse Lake Diagnostic Study
- 24d.org