NORTH WEBSTER - If you look in the Rand McNally Road Atlas, you'll find that this town of about 900 is located at D-12.

But if you ask a Lakeland Kiwanis Club member, you'll find that designation isn't enough. They don't just want North Webster to be on the Indiana roadmap - they want their small northern Indiana town to be on the map. After all, the town isn't just a one-stoplight town anymore (they've got two, three if you count the one just south of town at Ind. 13 and CR 500N).

Many people traveling to North Webster are aware of its history in regard to the late J. Homer Shoop, who promoted the area as a modern day "Realm of Recreation." The once president of the Counting House Bank, located at the current site of Pilcher's Shoes, adopted the medieval Camelot theme for his banking offices and encouraged other area businesses to do the same. Some buildings in North Webster still sport the Arthurian castle look Shoop helped create here, while others, such as Augsburger's Plus and Ace Hardware (formerly Lancelot Lounge), did away with it during remodeling projects in recent years.

Many also are aware of North Webster because of its summer tourist attraction - Webster Lake, where rides on the Dixie paddleboat are a must for many.

Also, the town's Lions Club sponsors an annual week-long celebration in the Mermaid Festival, which has been going on more than 50 years and attracted many celebrities to its parades and events. Shoop's support of the festival was instrumental in gaining it a statewide notoriety, and the International Palace of Sports Foundation awards - including prizes for the Queen of Lakes Pageant and county spelling bee - are made from a trust he started.

Now, the Kiwanians are drawing attention to North Webster in another way.

Today will be the first "flying of the flags."

A few months ago, the North Webster Town Council granted permission for the Kiwanis Club to carry out an American flag project. The goal was to install ground sockets to display "Old Glory" along Main Street - but not just one or two flags, and not just 10 or 20. By 9 a.m. today, there will be 130 American flags lining Main Street (Ind. 13). This particular flying is in honor of Columbus Day. The flags will also be flown on other holidays, including Memorial Day, Flag Day, July 4, V.J. Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day and during the Mermaid Festival.

According to Marilyn Plummer-Kline, immediate past president of Lakeland Kiwanis Club, the project required careful planning and support from many organizations, business and individuals. About $9,000 was raised to complete this project.

The 3- by 5-foot nylon flags were purchased by the American Legion and its auxiliaries. The stainless steel poles are 15 feet tall and 2 inches in diameter. Each is topped with a 3-inch gold ball. A group of Kiwanians installed permanent in-ground sockets in concrete every 100 feet along both sides of Ind. 13, from the north town limits to the south town limits, and along Washington Street.

The idea for the flag project came about after the closing of the Palace of Sports Museum and sale of its sports-related contents and wax figures.

Plummer-Kline said that when the museum was in North Webster, the town was known for something and people would come from miles around to see it. Since it's been gone, "we've been watching North Webster go down hill as far as standing for something," she said. "(The Kiwanis) wanted to do something for the community that would show that we were being proud out loud."

A member who used to live in Muncie brought up the flag project because one had been done there years ago. "We started romancing the idea," Plummer-Kline said, and after gaining support from everyone they presented it to, the idea became the project and the club has been working since May to bring it to fruition.

"Everybody was so enthused (about the project)," Plummer-Kline said. "Once we got started, we were never discouraged ... it just all came together."

The flags will be displayed from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., with a dedication ceremony at 9 a.m. at the stoplight at Ind. 13 and Washington Street. Many of the 100 Kiwanis Club members, as well as town officials and representatives of the American Legion and Lions Club, will be in attendance. [[In-content Ad]]