Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Ticket holders of the 2004 Kosciusko Historic Properties Tour may as well start out at the easternmost site, the grand Tippecanoe Lake Country Club, 7245 N. Kalorama Road, Leesburg.
Visitors travel through the 18-hole golf course under a canopy formed by magnificent oak trees lining the main drive to reach the entrance.
Under construction for two years prior to its June 11, 1926, grand opening, the building once featured "guest rooms, billiard rooms, a bowling alley, lounges, spacious verandas, generous accommodations in lockers, showers and dressing rooms for bathers."
Today the guest rooms are gone, given over to office space.
Built on the highest hill along Tippecanoe Lake, the 78-year-old building is still quite grand.
Inside the front door is a beautifully decorated foyer with a large fireplace and a 10-foot-tall chandelier.
Beyond the entryway is the main dining room, which offers a panoramic view of the lake and the homes on the opposite, south, shore.
General manager John Dillon said, "It's hard to believe you're in Kosciusko County, Indiana. Few places can afford a lakeview like this."
Dillon, a South Bend native, visited the lake during the summers as a kid. He's always been aware of the club.
When it opened, the club had members from as far away as Chicago and Indianapolis and drew so many from the Warsaw Country Club (which had only a nine-hole golf course) that the city's establishment closed in 1943. Dillon said most of the members live around the lakes now.
During its history, the building has undergone several renovations. In the 1970s, gas and water lines were replaced and air conditioning was added. A new kitchen was installed and dining facilities were rearranged.
The pro shop and surrounding cabins were rebuilt in the 1950s. A new pro shop and golf cart shack were built in 1983.
The building's interior was extensively redecorated in 1994, when it was severely damaged by smoke and water during a fire. That restoration project, done with the assistance of a professional decorator, included new carpet, paint and other furnishings. An outside deck facing the lake was added in 1997.
The clubhouse has two kitchens, a grill room and five dining areas, including a screened-in porch on the lower west side. It also has a large dance floor and outside tennis courts.
During golf season weekends, the clubhouse staff serves breakfast to members and guests; lunch and dinner are served every day.
Over the years, the clubhouse and grounds have been the scene of countless private parties and wedding receptions.
The clubhouse is closed in January and February and reopens the first Friday in March.
Other homes on the Sept. 25 tour belong to: Mike and Wendy Meck, 2889 E. CR 750N, Leesburg; Joe and Myra Sands, 8162 N. CR 200E, Milford; Tom and Carolyn Robinson, 4355 W. CR 600N, Clunette; Mike and Jodie Hall, 3968 W. CR 600N, Clunette; Roger and Sharon Dinkel, 823 E. Center St., Warsaw; and Rebecca Coplen, 751 E. Fort Wayne St., Warsaw.
Tour tickets are available at the Old Jail Museum, 121 N. Indiana St., Warsaw, and cost $10 prior to Sept. 24 and $12 the day of the tour.
