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Wheatfield, Indiana - Back in Time ==== A Glance at History

By
Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker - Serving INDIANA & ILLINOIS
JON L. HENDRICKS | THE TIMES | Inside the Wheatfield library, which was built to serve as a community meeting place.

 

Did you know?
Acres of the wild rice that grew in abundance here in the mid-19th century were said to look like fields of wheat.
residents
Median resident age: 29.1 years
Median household income: $38,021
Median house value: $82,800

Population
2000 Census: 772
July 2004 estimate: 825 (+6.9% change)
Males: 402 (52.1%)
Females: 370 (47.9%)

Race
White: 93.5%
Black: 2.5%
Hispanic: 2.5%
Two or more races: 2.5%
Other race: 0.8%
American Indian: 0.6%

Ancestry
German: 21.4%
United States: 12.3%
Dutch: 11.4%
Irish: 9.7%
Polish: 7.9%
English: 3.4%

Wheatfield was founded in 1883 on land donated by Simon and Mae Thompson.

Like many of the communities in Jasper and Newton counties, the land that Wheatfield occupies was once swampland. Wild rice, or swamp grass, grew in abundance before the land was drained in the mid 19th century.

Acres of this plant were said to look like fields of wheat. Another explanation for the town's name is that its center is in the spot where the first field of wheat was grown.

Wheat is still grown in the area today along with corn and soybeans. Had it not been for a law adopted by the state legislature in 1852, real wheat could not have been planted. The law, known as the Swamp Law Act, allowed the state to sell its land to settlers and use the funds for land drainage.

Diana Kooy is the branch manager of the Wheatfield library, which now is housed in a new building. The new library has meeting rooms and alcoves where people can meet and chat.

"We hope it becomes even more of a community meeting place," she said of the library.

Through historical documents in the library, the DeMotte resident has learned that Wheatfield was a thriving community in the early 20th century, with bank buildings, small hotels and shops. Now most residents travel into the larger ccommunities for many major purchases, yet the area boasts restaurants and a park which is being renovated through community involvement.

"The downtown is coming alive," Kooy said. It includes popular places like Schnick's Good Eats and the USA Restaurant, where many locals dine.

Rarities like the family-owned Bierma's Hardware store and Stowers grocery store are staples of the community. A nod to modern times comes in the form of two video rental shops and a 24-hour convenience store.  

Doris Myers has lived in Wheatfield for 65 years, moving to the town when she married Richard Myers, a Wheatfield native. The artist and former school teacher said it was the Great Depression that put the brakes on the thriving community of Wheatfield. And since U.S. 231 was extended through the town of DeMotte and Ind. 49 does not lead directly to Wheatfield's town center, people just stopped visiting.

"We're hoping the new library will change it," said Myers. "It's such a beautiful addition to the aesthetics of the community." Another change has been the influx of residents who are looking for a quiet town just close enough to the larger municipalities of Crown Point and Valparaiso.

From the day she started teaching to her retirement, Myers hasn't seen many changes in the children themselves, but how they spend their time sure has changed. The rural community just doesn't have enough to keep them occupied these days, and most drive out of town for activities.

"At one time there were enough chores to keep kids busy. We used to get out of school at the end of April to cut asparagus," the 83 year-old recalled.

Although people still grow asparagus, many farmers switched over to growing blueberries because they couldn't find pickers for the spring crop.

Del Cleek lives in what she refers to as the DeMotte buffer zone-- Wheatfield address with a DeMotte phone number. She's in a perfect position to compare the two communities. Wheatfield is a wonderful, almost old-fashioned, rural town surrounded by family farms, a big agricultural base, NIPSCO's puffing stacks, and most usually quiet living," she said. "However, it is steadily expanding as DeMotte expands also."

Although DeMotte is growing into a residential community and its original charm challenged by the trials of urban flight, Cleek said the sense of community exists. "It seems that every weekend there is a benefit for someone in the community who is in need. Farmers still help each other out," she said.

"Someone becomes ill, and then others show up to work the land and help out."

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