Purdue University - Debris Yearbook (West Lafayette, IN)

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Lafayette owes its origins to William Digby. a y trader who had traveled up and down the Wabash. Digby realized that the present site of Lafayette was the last site on the Wabash which ships could navigate to. For $231.63. Digby bought up the land and developed a trading post. Digby named his new town after the popular Marquis de Lafayette, who had recently toured the United States. Later. Digby unwisely yy sold the she for $240.00. M i Tire new river town soon earned its reputation My as a boisterous river town. Crawfordsville nicknamed the town Layflat or Laughat.” I A Despite the nicknames, the Indiana Legislature X recognized Lafayette In 1826 as the county seat of Tippecanoe County. Trade and the river system are an integral part of Lafayette's history. Lafayette needed some great northeastern transportation route and the Wabash and Erie Canal solved that problem. The Indiana Improvement Act of 1836 promised canals, improved roads, and even a railroad, but the financial panic of 1837 quickly halted or slowed down much of the work. Finally in 1843. canal packed service between Lafayette and Toledo. Ohio was officially opened. The canal allowed farm produce to reach eastern urban areas. While the canal did link Lafayette to the northeast, low water, flooding, and needed repairs caused the canal to be unreliable. By the 1870's the canal was more of a health hazard and public nuisance than an asset. Lafayette continued to grow despite canal problems. The Census Report of 1843 reported that there were 361 married couples living in Lafayette. 597 single men over 21 years of age. and 168 unmarried women over 18. In the mid 19th century, the railroads came to Lafayette, adding to its prosperity. Since the 1830’s some Lafayette citizens had preferred a railroad to a canal. Between 1852 and the eve of the Civil War. five rail lines began operations out of Lafayette. As prosperity continued to flourish, neighborhoods continued to spread and industries began operation. Two major disasters struck Lafayette. The 1913 Rood which swept away bridges and buildings and later the Depression when ' IbI I M Lafayette's largest employer. Monon Rall-I f road, announced a lay-off of 20% of its y work force. The history of West Lafayette is tightly entwined with that of Lafayette, but they also have their unique points. Fort Ouite-non was a busy and thriving trading post. It later developed into an early settlement in the West Lafayette area. Jacktown. It was located at the center of North Chauncey and South Street. August Wylie laid out the first town of West Lafayette. The town consisted of 140 building lots, but development of the town never became successful since it was discovered that the site was in the flood plain of the Wabash River. The town of Kingston was the next to be platted in the West Lafayette area. In 1866. a group of citizens met to consider organizing a town government. The next task was to choose a name. The names Kingston. Chauncey. West Lafayette. Brooklyn. Lowell. Peckham and Roswell were suggested. A committee recommended Chauncey. Finally in 1888. the town voted to change the name from Chauncey to West Lafayette, in order to make mall delivery easier. Purdue University was the outgrowth of the Morrill Act signed by President Lincoln in 1862. Three years later, the Indiana General Assembly began to make plans for “The Indiana Agriculture College. One problem which faced the Assembly was choosing the site of the new institution Among the rivals for the school were Bloomington. Indianapolis. Greenfield, and Lafayette. Through the efforts of John Stein and John Purdue. Lafayette was the site chosen. Purdue offered $150,000 and 100 acres of land for the new school. In appreciation, the Assembly designated that the school should be named Purdue. Now the citizens were forced to decide on an exact location for the university. Again. John Purdue used his influence and it was decided that the school should be located within a 2V4 mile radius of the Lafayette courthouse. Ground for the first building was broken in 1871 and the school opened in 1874.