Dewart Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dewart Lake |
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 Dewart Lake
Location in Indiana
Dewart Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Kosciusko County, Indiana |
| Coordinates | 41°22′03.31″N 85°46′18.2″W / 41.3675861°N 85.771722°W |
| Type | lake |
| Surface elevation | 866 feet (264 m) |
Dewart Lake is a natural lake in Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States. It is located southwest of Syracuse. This lake was formed during the last Ice Age, a time called the Pleistocene era. Huge glaciers moved across the land back then. As they melted, they created the lake's shape.
Dewart Lake covers about 551 acres (223 hectares). That's a lot of space! It is located about three miles (4.8 km) south of Syracuse. You can also find it three miles (4.8 km) east of Indiana State Road 15. The lake sits about 867.7 feet (264.5 meters) above sea level.
The deepest part of Dewart Lake is 82 feet (25 meters). But on average, it's about 16.3 feet (5 meters) deep. The lake is part of the Elkhart River watershed. This means that water from a large area, about 5,152 acres (2,085 hectares), drains into it.
Two small streams flow into the east side of the lake. The water then flows out from the west side through a channel called Hammond Ditch. This ditch leads to Waubee Lake. Some parts of Dewart Lake, especially on the north and south sides, are quite shallow. They are less than 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep.
Most of the land around the lake is used for farming. However, there are also some wooded areas and wetlands. Almost all of the shoreline has homes built on it. But you can still find natural shorelines and wetlands on the south side. There's also a natural area in the northeast corner near a private camp. If you want to launch a boat, there's a public boat ramp in the northwest corner.
Dewart Lake is a healthy lake for fish. It has enough oxygen for fish down to about 20 feet (6 meters) deep. The water is usually clear, with visibility from 6 to 13.5 feet (1.8 to 4.1 meters). The bottom of the lake is mostly sand and muck. But you can also find some rocks and gravel.
A plant called Eurasian Water Milfoil is common in the lake. This plant is not native to the area. The lake was treated to control it in 2006. Other plants like cattails and water lilies also grow there. In recent years, a large area of cattails on the south shore has changed to water lilies. People who manage the lake try to keep the native fish healthy. They also work to create good fishing for walleye.
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The Story Behind Dewart Lake's Name
Once Called Wa-We-As-See
In 1835, early surveyors wrote about this lake. They described it as "two square miles" in Van Buren township. They also noted its Native American name, Wa-we-as-see. This name was pronounced "Wawasee."
Then It Was Lingle Lake
In 1837, land in northern Indiana became available for settlers. Soon after, a man named Thomas Lingle and his wife Matelene received land that included the lake. President Martin Van Buren officially granted them this land. Because of them, the lake was renamed Lingle Lake.
The Lingles' land was in the northwest part of the lake. This is near where Road 300 E is today. Five years later, the Lingles moved away from Indiana to Iowa. They sold their land, including the lake, to Mr. Henry S. Goben for $500.
Seven months later, Henry Goben sold the land again. He sold it to Edward and Susan Goben from Pennsylvania for $750. This meant Henry Goben made a good profit of $250.
Finally, Dewart Lake
Less than two years later, Edward and Susan sold the land again. This time, they sold it to another couple from Pennsylvania, Samuel and Margaret Dewart. The Dewarts bought the land for $1,200 on May 8, 1844.
Samuel and Margaret Dewart were 41 years old when they moved to what was then Lingle Lake. Records from 1850 show they had eight children living with them. All their children were born in Pennsylvania. Their names were Lewis, Amos, Simon, Samuel, William, John, Rueben, and Jessimen.
Samuel Dewart only lived for nine years after buying the lake. He passed away on September 8, 1853, at age 50. His wife Margaret lived longer, until September 22, 1877, when she was 74. You can find their gravestones in Salem Cemetery. It's located at the northeast corner of 200 E and 900 N.
Even after the Dewarts owned the lake, some legal papers still called it Lingle Lake. This continued into the early 1900s. But eventually, the name Dewart Lake became the most popular. It is now the official name of the lake.
This history comes from an article by Jack Elam. It was published in the May 1993 DLPA newsletter. The newsletter was called "...dabbles of data from DEWART" at that time.
- This article uses information from the Dewart Lake Protective Association website, with their permission.
