Elwood Community High School - Crescent Yearbook (Elwood, IN)

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I » 5 2 E E W OOD .X » W The very fact that it is possible to take an aerial-view picture of Elwood today in 1952 is an indication of the great progress in the last hundred years. The small general store that was Elwood has changed into a progressive and prosperous town. After the rapid decline in Elwood when the gas supply was exhausted, it seemed as if it were destined to become a “ghost town.” Fortunately, Elwood recovered, and today the population exceeds 12,000. Looking down upon Elwood, you can see the two main thoroughfares —Main and Anderson Streets. Elwood’s two large railroads, the Nickel Plate and the Pennsylvania, cross at approximately the center of our town. From above the town, you can clearly see the great strides that Elwood has made in education since her birth in a small brick building. The numerous grade-school buildings are scattered out over the entire town. The high-school building is situated on Main Street near the heart of Elwood. Next to the high school is another example of the town’s educational advancement — the Elwood Public Library. Perhaps the most important progress that can be seen by observing an aerial view of Elwood is its many churches—all of different faiths. They are the very backbone of this community. Yes, Elwood has greatly increased her population in the last one hundred years, but this is of secondary importance. The real advances have been made in transportation, education, and religion.

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1 » 5 2 EL W O O » T II E The history of Elwood dates back to 1852 when William Barton opened a general store at a crossing of roads. A year later the town was regularly laid out with three east and west streets, and one north and south street which was known as Anderson Street. The original town plot shows six lots north and twelve lots south of Main Street. This town was first called Quincy, but in July of 1869 the name was changed to Elwood. The development of the town was somewhat slow until the advent of the gas boom. However, there was a constant settlement of people, and from the very first Elwood was a thriving trade center. In a few years there were two churches, a good brick school house, a hotel, a tanyard, and a large mill. When gas was discovered in 1887, the population increased tenfold. The lure of natural gas brought many industries to the town, one of the most important being the Tin Plate which covered thirty-three acres and which required many workers. The main type of transportation in early Elwood was by the inter-urban. The first interurban came in 1850, and soon Elwood became one of the interurban centers of the country. With the introduction of the railroads and bus lines, however, the interurban lines were discontinued. Another early type of transportation was the electric cars which appeared on the Elwood streets in 1893. Elwood was first incorporated as a city in April of 1891 with a total vote of 523 being cast. Soon afterwards the city was divided into four wards and William A. DeHority was elected mayor. The new government granted a franchise to a water company and established a police force and a fire department. From 1852 until the present day, Elwood has been constantly improving. It has grown from the humble beginnings of a small general store into an important manufacturing center and today enjoys a stabilized prosperity. vn I . i . k i i: — a — v ■: x » e I. i I II I Ip II S I II O » I

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Our H o m r s The church and the home are the two greatest institutions in America. Both are indispensable to us. Thousands of boys and men have lost their lives while protecting their homes and defending their religions. Why? Since man was created, he has had a desire to worship something or somebody; he has also wanted to love and be loved. So with the coming of civilization, he built homes and churches. The appearance of these has changed so greatly that they would seem entirely different from the first ones. Although worship is very much the same as it has always been, family life does show much outward change in the last century. Still there remains the basic love in our homes. a ii il O ii r I1 li ii r v li e s — 4 —