Welcome To Delphi

Welcome To Delphi. Trails to History. , Great Place to Visit , Enjoy yourself, take your time, bring your camera and your fishing tackle, watch the clouds reflected on the Wabash, experience the spirit of a nineteenth century downtown square, walk a tree lined trail along the canal, ride the canal boat, see a red tailed hawk ride the soft breeze in a blue sky, rest on a trail bench and read a chapter from your favorite novel. Delphi.

A Look Through Time , The first European settlers moved into the Delphi area in 1825. A vast wilderness, the job of carving a homestead in the forest was a 24 hour a day job. To the early residents this area provided the natural resources not only to survive but to eventually develop a society with refined homes, schools, and businesses. Timber for the first cabins, clay for bricks, stone for foundations, wild plants, wild game, and fish provided the building blocks for the first residents. Early transportation depended on foot trails, rough roads and rivers. The Wabash River became a main artery for early explorers and settlers in the Delphi area. The Wabash appeared a glistening silver-white under the summer sun and a pale oyster-white reflecting the winter sky, as it flows over limestone or gravel and sand. The indians called it "Wab-Bab-Shik- Ki” or pure white; the French corrupted the word to Quabache and the British changed it to Wabash. The streams of this area such as Deer Creek, which runs through Delphi, and its tributaries provided power for grist and lumber mills. By the 1840s milled lumber was available to build fine homes.

Construction began on the Wabash and Erie Canal in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 1832. By 1840 the Canal was completed to Delphi and in 1843 it was open to Toledo, Ohio. By 1854 the Canal was completed to Evansville, Indiana, a distance of 468 miles.With roads rough and ungroomed, the Canal became the only dependable form of transportation. New markets from the East Coast to the Gulf of Mexico opened to manufacturers of lime, paper and agricultural products in the Delphi area. Slowly current fashions in furniture, house hold items, glass, clothing and books from the East all helped to create a unique culture in this wilderness town. The Canal became the driving force for change from wilderness village to a cultured town. Today Delphi is a jewel of tree lined streets, historic homes and a historic court house district.

Several organizations in Delphi are dedicated to the preservation and replication of its history and its many artifacts. These include: Delphi Preservation Society, Wabash and Erie Canal Inc., and Carroll County Historical Society.

Delphi Historic Trails and the Wabash and Erie Canal have created a one of a kind system of trails 10 miles in length. This trail program extends from Founders Point at the far north end of the Canal to Sunset Point at the confluence of Deer Creek and the Wabash River. This trail comprises a section of the Wabash Heritage Corridor Trail. Passing through town and along the historic Canal this trail system provides an exciting way to experience the rural landscape as well as a way to view the many historic structures in the residential and downtown areas of Delphi. Stop in one of the restaurants or visit a shop or the art gallery on the square. We are preserving the best of the past and planning for an even better future.

Visit historic Canal Park , See the historic village, the Interpretive Center and take a ride on the canal boat The Delphi.