Editing Sweetser, Indiana (section)

== History ==
The [[Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad]] was built through the area in 1867. Around 1869, a half-mile long switch was built to haul wood to a train refueling station. This switch would become the nucleus of the town. Railroadmen began calling it "Switch" and soon thereafter, the area was known as "Switzer" and then "Sweetser".<ref name="The Sweetser Story">The Sweetser Story 1871-1971. Centennial Celebration insert (Sweetser, Indiana).</ref>

The original plat of town of Sweetser was entered on October 14, 1871, by Sanford Prater, John Hubert, James H. Vinson, Urich Mars and H.B. Bragg with the Grant County Recorder's office.<ref name="The Sweetser Story" /> The land which formed the original plat of Sweetser had been entered in the District Land Office in Fort Wayne, Indiana on May 22, 1848, by Samuel Blinn.

Additional plats to the town were Nuzum's in 1873, and the Wilcut's, McGee's, Bishop's and Nuzum's 2nd, all platted in 1874.<ref name="The Sweetser Story" />

The early business section was north of the railroad on the west side of Main Street. A sawmill was located at what is now the site of the Methodist church (413 N. Main).<ref name="The Sweetser Story" /> Sweetser had several dry goods stores, a blacksmith shop, a jeweler and a saloon.

As the population grew, the sawmill was torn down and a new schoolhouse was built where it once stood. The old schoolhouse by the railroad (104 N. Meridian) was replaced by a grain elevator built by Gilbert and William Baum.<ref name="The Sweetser Story" />

When natural gas was struck around Sweetser in 1885, the town was ready for development. The Brickner Window Glass Company, established in 1893, attracted many people not only living nearby but from other states to come to work and live here. The glass factory was located on the west side of town, being situated just west of what is now 319 W. Hubert Street. The factory was also known as Schick & Hawkins Window Glass Company.<ref name="The Sweetser Story" />

From 1884 to 1894 there were five additions platted to Sweetser, namely Thompson's, Sherron's, Sherron's 2nd, Sherron's 3rd and Hawkins.<ref name="The Sweetser Story" />

A hotel, known as the Vardaman Hotel, was located at 103 Main Street in lots number 27-29 of the original plat. This hotel was built to accommodate the number of persons working at the glass factory.<ref name="The Sweetser Story" />

The Friermood Tile Factory was started in 1888 and was located at the end of Walnut Street. It made tile for draining the lands around Sweetser into Pipe Creek.<ref name="The Sweetser Story" />