All Things Amish–Shipshewana

On Saturdays, I’m sharing some of my favorite spots in Shipshewana, Indiana … the setting for Falling to Pieces and my upcoming release, A Perfect Square.

We don’t think of an Amish community as being the home of Native American Indians, but Shipshewana was the name of the Chief of the Potawatami Indians who had settled in the area. In Falling to Pieces, I wrote a scene where Callie is sitting on a hill (with her head between her knees) as she looks over at the coffee shop. Anyone remember that scene? She’s close to the monument in this picture, though it’s not actually on a hill. I needed it to be a hill so she could see what’s happening! : ) Here’s what the website says about the name SHIPSHEWANA:

Shipshewana/LaGrange County was once home to the Potawatami Indians. The first white settlers came from the east to establish communities in this Midwestern wilderness in the early 1830’s. Howe, the former county seat, was settled in 1834 as Mongoquinong, and later Lima. The town’s name was eventually changed to Howe in honor of John B. Howe, one of the founders of the community’s first bank. Mr. Howe’s mansion now houses the rectory and administration building for Howe School.

You can learn more about the history of the town here, but of course the best way to learn is to visit. : )

V~

ps – you still have time to enter last Tuesday’s contest. I’ll draw a name tomorrow evening. Just click back to Tuesday’s blog post using the back arrow at the top of the page.