Kendallville, IN: City Water Works and Light Plant

(Satellite?)

Rural American History Captured posted
City water Works and Light Plant.
Kendallville, IN
PHCS

I labelled this energyGas as well as energyElectric because, if the photo is old enough, the "Light Plant" is manufacturing gas from coal rather than generating electricity. But given the smokestack, I assume this is an electric plant. With the advent of higher transmission voltages, towns no longer have their own generating plant. But they still have their own water works.

The oldest aerial photo I could find was 1951. I was hoping to still see the scar of an industrial spur that would have delivered coal to this plant. But I saw no trace of an industrial spur. But there was vacant land that indicated a railroad spur was possible.

I was raised in Fort Wayne, IN, and our Mom would take us to Kendallville for two reasons --- our dentist and to swim on the east side of Bixler Lake. I remember seeing the NYC trains pass by along the north side of the lake while we were swimming. (Later, we learned there was an ice cream factory in Kendallville.)