|
The great forests and rich soil drew the first Europeans to northeast
Indiana, in what is today known as Miami County. Here resided the most
powerful Indian tribe east of the Mississippi, the Miami. In 1829, Joseph Holman had
established a site known as Miamisport, which became the first County
Seat. In 1835, the Indiana Legislature
approved Peru’s city incorporation status.
The first settlers pitched their homes around Gabriel Godfroy’s trading
post and put in saw mills, carriage factories, wool mills and taverns.
The taverns not only provided food and drink for travelers, but a place
for them to stay and a place for locals to entertain friends. Beds
were often filled with prairie hay and food meant fish, turkeys,
squirrels, pheasants and other animals. The Catholic church was
established in 1835 and the First Presbyterian and Methodist churches had
buildings by 1837. Samuel Pike published the first county
newspaper in 1837 - the Peru Forester. The first steamboat arrived
in 1835 and the first canal boat arrived in 1837. We had a courthouse and jail by 1843.
Peru's first post office was established in a log cabin called
McGregor's. Jacob Linzee was the first sheriff and John Crudison,
John Miller and Alexander Jameson were the first county commissioners.
The first fire engine was purchased in 1860 and an ordinance
establishing a paid fire department was passed in 1872. The
Baptist Church was organized in 1866. Peru's water works was
established in 1871 and the gas works in 1874.
Shortly
after the Civil War, the Pan Handle Railroad crisscrossed the area and
in 1881, Peru had its first telephone in operation. In 1885, the
first electric lights appeared in Peru. Seven of the
world’s major circuses chose Peru for their winter headquarters so it’s
no wonder that Peru was the first city in Indiana to hold a street fair
in 1894. In 1897, oil was struck in Peru. In 1902, Peru
built its first public library and purchased about 20 acres for it's
first City Park. Captain Aaron Dukes began digging the foundation
of Dukes Memorial Hospital in 1909 and in 1913 Peru had its worst ever
flood.
In 1933, John
Dillinger robbed the Peru police station. The first Peru Little
League tryouts and games were held in 1955 and the first Peru Amateur
Circus was organized in 1959. In 1963, two of Peru's most famous
members passed away - Ole Olsen and Cole Porter. |