Birthplace of the Famous Miami Chief Little Turtle
Little Turtle was born in 1752 was located on the north tributary of Eel river, twenty miles northwest of Fort Wayne, Whitley County, Indiana, on lands now owned by William Anderson, in Section 9, Smith Township. This north tributary is known today as the Blue river branch near its junction at the Blue River Lake, to which it furnishes an outlet only a short distance away. The village stood on the west side of the river on a high, sandy point of land, surrounded An Indian trail led from this village northwest to the Elkhart river; another, southeast to the Miami villages, at the head of the Maumee (now Fort Wayne) ; a third, southwest down Eel river and the Wabash, and still another almost due west to Tippecanoe Lake and the Kankakee river. Blue River Lake is only a short distance and in plain view to the southeast. No doubt Little Turtle as a child and youth spent many happy hours about this enchanted spot. On this account the reader will pardon us if we make a slight digression.
." Blue River Lake lies two miles northwest of Cherubusco, and is in Sections 9, 10, 15 and 16, Smith Township of Whitley County. Indiana. It is oblong in shape, narrow at the eastern end, is about one and one-quarter miles long by one-half mile in average width. It has an area of about 420 to 500 acres, and a very uniform depth of 40 to 60 feet. The area of shallow water of medium width, rather broad on the east, south and west sides, and narrower on the north. The shores at most points are rather abrupt, the surrounding country being of a rolling type. Blue river heads in Green township, Noble county, from a chain of small lakes that range across the north side of the township, including Sand. Long. Dock and Bowen Lakes. It finally empties into Blue River Lake for a few rods only on the .west end, and then takes a southwest course by Columbia City, and a few miles below empties into Eel river. This lake thus receives its waters from the upper Blue river and from springs along its sides and bottom. It is well stocked with food fishes.
