Wynkoop, Indiana.
Wynkoop, Indiana.

You Could Board the Old Vandalia at Wynkoop

by Esther Pritchard

    After reading Bob Judd's interesting article in the Post and Mail on "Old Villages of Whitley County," I noticed there was once a village named Sells. I had never heard of that one. It was near where Arnold's gravel pit is now. I got to wondering how many have never heard of Wynkoop or Taylor Station. (They are one and the same).
    I don't know why it was known by both names, or where the name of Taylor Station came from. I suppose the name Wynkoop came from Garret Wynkoop. A land grant was made to him in 1838. This land reached very close, on the south, of what later became Wynkoop (or Taylor Station). His grandson Cassius was the last Wynkoop to live there. In later years it was the home of Ellis and Pearl Cox and now the home of Jim and Vickie Fahl. They have replaced the former house with a new one.
    This location is approximately five miles southwest of Columbia City on road 350W, two miles north from Road 205 or two miles south off the Old Trail Road. It wasn't very far west of what was once known, many years ago, as Hell's Half Acre. The old Vandalia Railroad bed nearby is clearly visible.
    The shelter that was provided for anyone wanting to flag down the passenger train was on the north side of the track, a few feet west from where the road crossed the tracks. It was partitioned in such a manner that there was a place to get away from nasty weather by going to the space provided on the train and go as far southwest as Logansport or northeast to Butler and all points between. (In January, 1881, the line was extended from Butler, Indiana to Detroit, Michigan.) It was later called the "Pan Handle."

S. J. Peabody Was Here
    The first post office was established here March 14, 1876. Simon J. Peabody was the first postmaster. At this time he had a grocery store and a sawmill. The sawmill was just south of the railroad and on the west side of the road.
    In 1880 Mr. Peabody moved his interests elsewhere and the post office was discontinued April 28, 1881. A post office was re-established here June 25, 1898. Henry E. Fague was postmaster until April 29, 1899. Stanley Smith then served as postmaster until it was discontinued November 15, 1909, because of rural delivery out of Columbia City.
    As late as 1925, or maybe much later, you could ride the train from Columbia City to Wynkoop for ten cents.
    I have been unable to find out just how many homes there may have been when this little village was in its prime. Counting the farm home of Mr. & Mrs. Roger Miller, on the east side, there are two residences on the west side of the road, one the Ray Baxter residence and the other the future home of Mr. & Mrs. Fred Freeman. This was, until recently, the home of the late Mr. & Mrs. Archie Zumbrun.
    Unlike the old ghost towns of the far west, it has no doors of deserted buildings flapping in the wind or dried tumbleweeds rolling down a dusty road. And no sawdust piles that remained long after the mill was gone. No, not even a ghost of a village. Just three neat homes.


Source:

Whitley County Historical Society Bulletin
Volume 21, Number 3
June 1983


Notes:

    I've been unable to determine which Garret Wynkoop this might be from a pretty careful search of Richard Wynkoop's Genealogy. He signed the deed for his property as Garret Wynkoop of Clark County, Ohio. If any one has any idea about his identity or the identity of his grandson, please drop me a line at [email protected]. I'd love to be able to trace his heritage, (and of course give credit where credit is due.)

    For more information on the town of Wynkoop and its possible founder please read the short biography of Isaac Wynkoop, Clay Township. This article clearly places Wynkoop in Decatur County, however. Could there have been several towns named Wynkoop, both on the Vandalia Railroad? Hmmm....

    Hoping to hear from you.

    Chris

Created January 4, 1999; Revised September 17, 2003
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