For information on the source (the book Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana, published by A.F. Battey & Co., Chicago, in 1883), see this post.
The physical features of Pulaski County present no special attractions, yet there are certain economic questions, arising from the consideration of soil and climate, which bear more or less upon the health and happiness of the citizens, and which necessarily require some attention.
Geologically considered, Pulaski County lies upon the line dividing the Upper Silurian limestones from the Lower Devonian sandstones, though all these primitive rocks are covered, in some places to a great depth, by drift deposits. This line enters the county in Beaver Township, thence passing northwesterly, and leaving the county near the northwestern corner of White Post Township.
PHOTOGRAPH: From “How the Ice Age Shaped Indiana” by Jerry Wilson, published by Wilstar Media. This paper can be found at https://www.csu.edu/cerc/researchreports/documents/HowtheIceAgeShapedIndiana.pdf
All that portion of the county east of this line lies within the Upper Silurian region, where, if excavations are made to a sufficient depth, limestone rocks are likely to be found next underneath the drift. All west of the line lies within the Lower Devonian region, where sandstone is likely to be found after passing through the drift.
As geological lines of this character are usually very irregular, these statements are, of course, only approximately correct.
The Drift
It must be borne in mind, then, that all the surface soil of Pulaski County, from a few feet in depth along the Tippecanoe River, to more than 200 feet in depth on some of the surrounding elevations, belongs to what is known as the Drift deposits, or soil which has been transported here from distant regions through the agency of ice, and deposited upon the primitive rocks of the Silurian and Devonian periods.
As the rocks of these periods are too far down to ever be of much practical value, their further consideration will be dropped, and the nature and characteristics of the Drift will be noticed.
Geologists suppose that, during a period called glacial, all the earth’s surface north of about forty degrees of north latitude, was covered, sometimes to the tops of the highest mountains, with a vast body of ice, that is thought to have been formed during a period of some 12,000 years, when the north pole was turned farthest from the sun, owing to a peculiar variation in the direction of the earth’s axis through a period of about 24,000 years.
At least, all the evidences show that the earth’s surface north of about forty degrees of north latitude was once, and for a long period, covered with vast fields of ice, and at other periods with tropical vegetation, even as far north as the eighty-second degree of north latitude.
After the ice had been formed through this long period of years, the north pole slowly returned toward the sun in response to the motion of the earth mentioned, and, as it did so, the southern border of the vast ice field began to melt away. This resulted in a general southerly movement of the ice, which was forced along, pushing down the elevations of land, and slowly but surely grinding the primitive rocks into powder, sand or gravel, and transporting them to latitudes farther south.
Glacial markings are found on the rocks everywhere, and all indicate that the movements of the glaciers were southerly. In this movement, the glaciers took, or scooped up, vast quantities of soil in northern localities, which became frozen in until the ice had reached the warmer sections and had thawed, when such soil was dropped upon the primitive rocks, or upon similar deposits of transported earth. This soil is now known as the “Drift,” or “Bowlder deposit,” and covers all Northern Indiana, including Pulaski County, to a depth of from a few feet to several hundred feet.
It will be at once seen, that soil deposited under the conditions above stated, would render the surface very uneven or billowy, forming, in some places, high hills, and, in others, deep hollows. The action of the elements in subsequent periods would reduce the hills and elevate the vales. The deep hollows without outlets would become lakes. Lowland would unite with lowland, and the chain thus connected would form a brook or river.
Thus is presented in outline what, no doubt, actually took place; and thus is reached the consideration of the surface features.
The Soil
The character of the soil and the configuration of the land, considered in relation to the effect upon life and property, may be classified as follows:
- Nature and peculiarity of the surface features and soil.
- Economic and sanitary questions arising from their consideration.
In regard to the first, it may be stated that about half of the county is prairie land, the other half woodland. The woodland is situated mostly along the water-courses, but is sometimes found far out on prairie tracts, and is almost invariably located on the sand hills and ridges.
The forest trees are usually scrubby oaks, though very large trees are often found near the streams. Hickory, sugar and soft maple, walnut, whitewood, and a few other varieties of wood are found in limited quantities. The surface in the neighborhood of the streams is well drained by natural outlets, but back some distance becomes very low and level, and largely lacks natural facilities for drainage.
There are large tracts of land so low and wet, that their utilization, even for pasturage, is only partly successful. The woodland soil is usually very sandy, so much so as to be quite sterile and unproductive. The prairie land is usually alluvial, richer and better for the agriculturist.
Tippecanoe and Metamonong Rivers and their branches drain the entire county. Bruce Lake, lying on the line between Harrison Township and Fulton County, is the only lake.
An arm of Grand Prairie extends several miles into the southwest part of the county. Other prairies are Rocky, Two-mile, Fox-grape, Dry, Northwestern, Oliver’s and Pearson’s.
A few of the groves are named. Farther west in Illinois, the groves are all named; and farther east in Indiana, Ohio, etc., all prairies are named. Pulaski County is situated between these two extremes.
The wet prairies, when properly drained, are excellent for grazing; and the dry prairies are excellent for almost all the farm products. Soil for brick, tile and pottery is found in various portions of the county.
Extensive fields of bog-iron ore underlie the wet prairie tracts in Cass, Rich Grove, Franklin, Jefferson and other townships. Several are so rich in the ore that it is only a question of time when smelting works will appear.
NEXT MONTH we will feature Drainage.