Sweetser, Indiana

Sweetser is located at 40°34′11″N 85°46′1″W (40.569731, -85.766972)[4] on State Road 18 between the town of Converse and the city of Marion. According to the 2010 census, Sweetser has a total area of 1.013 square miles (2.62 km²), of which 1.01 square miles (2.62 km²) (or 99.7%) is land and 0.003 square miles (0.01 km²) (or 0.3%) is water.[5]

Running through the edge of Sweetser is a small body of water, or creek, known as Pipe Creek. Pipe Creek is one of the sites that can be seen from the Sweetser Switch Trail. Known as one of Sweetser's main attractions, the trail is a walking trail that stretches throughout the whole town and is expanded three miles outside of the town's outer limits. Although this trail is intended for walking, there are signs posted that allow bicyclists, cross country skiers, runners, wheel chairs and various other ways of exercise permitted on the trail. A new addition to the trail is a statue of one of Grant County's celebrities, Garfield.

The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad was built through the area in 1867. Around 1869, a half-mile long switch was built to haul wood to a train refueling station. This switch would become the nucleus of the town. Railroadmen began calling it "Switch" and soon thereafter, the area was known as "Switzer" and then "Sweetser".[8]

The original plat of town of Sweetser was entered on October 14, 1871, by Sanford Prater, John Hubert, James H. Vinson, Urich Mars and H.B. Bragg with the Grant County Recorder's office.[8] The land which formed the original plat of Sweetser had been entered in the District Land Office in Fort Wayne, Indiana on May 22, 1848 by Samuel Blinn.

Additional plats to the town were Nuzum's in 1873, and the Wilcut's, McGee's, Bishop's and Nuzum's 2nd, all platted in 1874.[8]

The early business section was north of the railroad on the west side of Main street. A saw mill was located at what is now the site of the Methodist church (413 N. Main).[8] Sweetser had several dry goods stores, a blacksmith shop, a jeweler and a saloon.

As the population grew, the saw mill was torn down and a new school house was built where it once stood. The old school house by the railroad (104 N. Meridian) was replaced by a grain elevator built by Gilbert and William Baum.[8]

When natural gas was struck around Sweetser in 1885, the town was ready for development. The Brickner Window Glass Company, established in 1893, attracted many people not only living nearby but from other states to come to work and live here. The glass factory was located on the west side of town, being situated just west of what is now 319 W. Hubert Street. The factory was also known as Schick & Hawkins Window Glass Company.[8]

From 1884 to 1894 there were five additions platted to Sweetser, namely Thompson's, Sherron's, Sherron's 2nd, Sherron's 3rd and Hawkins.[8]

A hotel, known as the Vardaman Hotel, was located at 103 Main Street in lots number 27-29 of the original plat. This hotel was built to accommodate the number of persons working at the glass factory.[8]

The Friermood Tile Factory was started in 1888 and was located at the end of Walnut Street. It made tile for draining the lands around Sweetser into Pipe Creek.[8]

The first newspaper to be published in Sweetser was the Sun Sentinel, which began operations sometime before 1894. The editor was James Pinkerton.[8]

Currently, residents are served by the daily Marion Chronicle-Tribune and the weekly Oak Hill Times.

The Lutheran church which pre-dated the establishment of the town first met in 1865 under the name of St. Paul's under the pastorage of Rev. T.E. Sharah with twenty-three charter members. For thirty years, the meetings were held in private homes, the Jalapa school, Cart Creek school and the Mark school house. In 1896, the members furnished materials and labor to construct a church building at 301 West Delphi Road. In 1947, this church was abandoned and it was converted into a two-story duplex residence.[8]

The Cart Creek Church of the Brethren began in 1893 in a new church house erected on land donated by Joseph Winger Sr. at 500W & 400N, three miles north of Sweetser. This church was the nucleus of the Sweetser Church of the Brethren which was organized in 1959.[8]

First mention of Sweetser in the Methodist Church conference minutes was in 1875. Local preachers mentioned were John Hubert, Allen Meek, Andrew Green and Joseph Leazenby. The first Methodist church was located on the northwest corner of Main Street and State Road 18.[8] The current Pastor is Dave Parker who oversees the activities of the Church.

Currently, the town is served by the Sweetser United Methodist Church, the Sweetser Wesleyan Church, and Liberty Baptist Church.

Sweetser Town Hall

Sweetser is governed by a five-member town council, all of whom serve at-large and by tradition run as independents.[9]

Current council members are President Charles Briede, Vice-President Steve Kelley, Richard Gamble, Matt Stewart and David Fox.[9]

Police protection is provided by the Town Marshal and his deputies and reserve officers.

Fire protection is provided by the all-volunteer Pleasant Township Volunteer Fire Department, which operates from the fire station located at the corner of State Road 18 and Main Street.

Water is provided to residents of Sweetser through individual household wells.

Sewage is piped to nearby Marion for treatment. In 2011, the town announced plans to build its own $2.4 million wastewater treatment plant.

The incumbent landline telephone provider is the Sweetest Telephone Company, formerly known as the Sweetest Rural Telephone Company. It is one of Indiana's larger independent telephone companies

Sweetser is home of the Sweetser Switch Trail, a three-mile asphalt trail located in the center of town. The trailhead features two restored railcars and a statue of Garfield. Restrooms, parking and water are available at the trailhead. The trail connects one mile east of Main Street with the Cardinal Greenway in Marion."Sweetser Switch Trail". Retrieved August 5, 2012.

Pawadise Park,[10] is a unique feature along the Sweetser Switch Trail. Completed in July 2012, the park is located one-quarter mile west of Main Street next to the trail. The park was funded totally by donations.[11] Dogs of all sizes can run unleashed here. The park has two separate areas, one for large dogs and one for small, and will include a small area for pet owners to memorialize their pets.[12]

Sweetser is part of the Oak Hill School District and home to the Sweetser Elementary school.

Sweetser residents may obtain a free library card from the Converse-Jackson Township Public Library in Converse.[13]

Sweetser is home to the annual Pumpkin Walk, a community-wide parade down Main Street held near Halloween, which features costume judging contests and pumpkin carving contests.[14]

The Sweetser's Farmers Market runs from June through September on Saturdays at the Sweetser Elementary School.[15]

• Keith O'Conner Murphy, Rockabilly Hall of Fame.[16] Singer-songwriter, Stacy, Polydor Records, and King Records (United States)[17]

Sweetser is home of the Braves. The Oak Hill youth baseball leagues play their games at Sweetser Elementary, and the facility is currently expanding to three fields. The colors of the Braves are blue and yellow. They are in the Oak Hill District with the Converse Cougars and the Swayzee Kings. Sweetser is the only one of the three to retain their nickname from the days prior to their consolidation, however the school colors have changed to more closely resemble those of Oak Hill High School.

• Official website