Marshall County History & Culture
From down-to-earth to aerodynamics
Every farmer knows that the deeper the roots grow, the stronger the plant will be. We think that also holds true for communities. And that’s just what you’ll find when you visit Marshall County—thriving towns with strong connections to the past. We truly treasure the early pioneers of Marshall County. Their determination and dedication keeps us growing forward.
Farming Culture
Marshall County has a history of being one of the leading agricultural counties in Indiana. The Sprig O’ Mint Farm was known for producing some of the best mint in the world. Bremen was one of the largest international suppliers of mint oil for perfumes, gum, toothpaste and other products. Mint oil is still produced in Bremen but now by Lebermuth Inc. And, at one time, Marshall County produced 1/3 of Indiana’s blueberries. This heritage is celebrated with the Blueberry Festival, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
History & Heritage
Crossroads of AmericaMarshall County was organized in 1836, and named in honor of Chief Justice John Marshall. At the time, the County was already a busy crossroads—it was in the early 1830s that the Michigan Road was built to connect Michigan City along the southern tip of Lake Michigan to Madison on the Ohio River. The four other major routes that helped to shape Marshall County, and the country, are the Yellowstone Trail, the Lincoln Highway, U.S. 6 and the Dixie Highway. Trail of DeathIn the fall of 1838, the Potawatomi Indians were forcefully removed from north central Indiana to eastern Kansas. It was a year of terrible drought and water was scarce. What water they found was stagnant and made them sick, a fever believed to be typhoid. Of the 859 Potawatomi who started, 41 died along the way and were buried in unmarked graves. The start of the Potawatomi Trail of Death is marked by the Chief Menominee statue south of Plymouth. The Culver AcademiesCulver Military Academy was founded in 1894, by Henry Harrison Culver. The Academy opened in a frame building with twenty-five pupils. This building was destroyed by fire, but was replaced with a fireproof brick barracks, which were opened in 1895. Culver Girls Academy was founded in 1971. Both schools have earned international acclaim as outstanding college preparatory schools. Perhaps the academy’s biggest source of pride, is its Black Horse Troop—the largest remaining mounted cavalry unit in the United States. The Troop has ridden in 15 Presidential Inaugural Parades starting with President Woodrow Wilson’s in 1913 through President Barack Obama’s in 2009. Hoosier Racing Tire
Founded in 1958 by a husband and wife team, Hoosier tire has become an internationally-acclaimed tire manufacturer specializing in the production of tires for competition use. A pivotal moment in the company’s history came in 1978, when they chose to mortgage their home and the existing Hoosier Tire to raise the capital needed to build the world's first and only factory solely devoted to the production of racing tires. Located in Plymouth, Indiana, just down the road from the corporate office in Lakeville, the factory began production in 1979 with just a handful of employees under the name "R & J Mfg. Corp." (for Robert and Joyce). Today, Hoosier Tires are use in series sanctioned by IHRA, ARCA, CRA, NASCAR, IMCA, WISSOTA, and SCCA. |