Madison County Historical Society

If White River could talk, it would tell of the arrival of a tribe of Native Americans who established small villages along its banks in the late 1700s.  Before their coming, the river would tell of the occasional Indians who either spear-fished  its waters, crossed over in pursuit of wild game, or were seeking a patch of berries growing the fields and forests that bordered its banks.  That was the norm for centuries until late 1795 when a displaced tribe of Indians called the Lenape, or Delaware as the English called them, began to arrive;  an arrival brought about by the Treaty of Greenville.

No record exists as to when and where the first to arrive established themselves but, by 1798, a Delaware Chief of the tribe's turkey clan called Kikthawenund arrived on the White River and selected a site for his village which was populated by 15 or 16 families.  At first they lived in wigwams, which gave way to the more permanent log-constructed houses.

He called his village Wapeminskink, a Delaware word meaning "chestnut tree place," so named for the once-numerous chestnut trees that were found in and around the village site.  The trappers and traders who made their livelihood in the area called the village Anderson's Town, which evolved into Andersontown over time.  The reference to Anderson came from the chief's other name, William Anderson.  He was the son of a man of Swedish ancestry named John Anderson and his wife, the daughter of the Delaware Chief Netawatwees.

Anderson's Town was one of five villages along White River in what is today Madison County.  It was the largest and commanded a majestic presence situated upon a bluff 76 feet above the river in what is today downtown Anderson.  Four factors figured into Anderson's choice for the a village site.  The first was its strategic location, which provided an unobstructed view necessary to protect the village from the threat of approaching enemies.  The second was the availability of water not only from White River but from the numerous springs that flowed continually from the top and slope of the river bluff making their way to the river.

The reliable food source was the third factor.  The river contained fish and mussels, while the nearby forests contained an abundance of wild game.  Along the river and immediately north of the village was an open area used for planting of corn and other vegetables.  This open area extended along the river for almost a mile.  The first three factors were important consideration in establishing any village site.  The fourth factor was a real plus, as it positioned Anderson's Town squarely on the main trading route(Conner Trail) between John Conner's trading post south of Brookville and his brother William's post south of Noblesville.

If the river could talk, it would tell of a river crossing at the southeast edge of the village that brought what was known as the Indian Road to Anderson's Town from its origin at Wapekommekoke southeast of present day Muncie.  After crossing the river, this road(Wheeler Avenue) intersected with the Conner Trail(Cincinnati Avenue), which then passed through the village and exited to the west(Eighth Street) ending at William Conner's trading post.