Rochester in Fulton County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Lake Manitou and Tiptonville
Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 14, 2026
1. Lake Manitou and Tiptonville Marker
Inscription.
Lake Manitou and Tiptonville. . On this site in the summer of 1827, a grist mill was constructed by the U. S. government to grind corn for the Potawatomi Indians under terms of an 1826 treaty. To obtain water power, a dam was built near its present location. This flooded the area surrounding five lakes and formed Lake Manitou of 775 acres. Near the mill were erected a blacksmith shop, trading post and houses for miller and blacksmith. It was the first white settlement of the wilderness that became Fulton county in 1836. Samuel Milroy, builder, named the village Tiptonville in honor of Gen John Tipton, Indian agent for the region. The dam, mill and village fell into disuse after the Potawatomi were removed to Kansas in 1838. Lake Manitou, also Manatau or Manitau, derives its name from the Potawatomi word used both for "good spirit" and "evil spirit". The Indians, who fished and hunted in this area for 150 years, believed the lake's waters held a monster fish or serpent of supernatural powers. Early settlers knew the lake as Devil's Lake.
On this site in the summer of 1827, a grist mill was constructed by the U. S. government to grind corn for the Potawatomi Indians under terms of an 1826 treaty. To obtain water power, a dam was built near its present location. This flooded the area surrounding five lakes and formed Lake Manitou of 775 acres. Near the mill were erected a blacksmith shop, trading post and houses for miller and blacksmith. It was the first white settlement of the wilderness that became Fulton county in 1836. Samuel Milroy, builder, named the village Tiptonville in honor of Gen John Tipton, Indian agent for the region. The dam, mill and village fell into disuse after the Potawatomi were removed to Kansas in 1838. Lake Manitou, also Manatau or Manitau, derives its name from the Potawatomi word used both for "good spirit" and "evil spirit". The Indians, who fished and hunted in this area for 150 years, believed the lake's waters held a monster fish or serpent of supernatural powers. Early settlers knew the lake as Devil's Lake.
Erected 1964 by Fulton County Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic
Location. 41° 3.602′ N, 86° 11.707′ W. Marker is in Rochester, Indiana, in Fulton County. It is on Ewing Road north of Jackson Boulevard, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1305 Ewing Rd, Rochester IN 46975, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 18, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 17, 2026, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 17, 2026, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
