A RESOLUTION recognizing the town of Highland on
the occasion of its 100th anniversary.
Whereas, The town of Highland was incorporated 100
years ago on April 4, 1910;
Whereas, The area was first settled in 1847 by Michael and
Judith Johnston, who built a cabin near the present day corner
of Ridge Road and Grace Street;
Whereas, The town acquired its name when railroad
surveyors, upon reaching the sandy ridge of the area after
surveying miles of swamp, exclaimed, "Highlands";
Whereas, One of the earliest organized community
activities in Highland was education;
Whereas, Highland's first teacher was Judith Johnston,
who held school in her home; today the Judith Johnston
Elementary School honors her memory;
Whereas, Highland continued to grow, its largest growth
spurt taking place after World War II;
Whereas, Highland is a residential community whose
population has migrated south from the industrial Lake County
centers of Gary, East Chicago, and Hammond;
Whereas, The town of Highland has been loyally served by
41 Presidents of the Town Board of Trustees - Charles Wirth,
Garrett Krooswyk, B.I. Weller, George Brant, Frank A. Thwing,
Andrew Wagner, Thomas Stidham, John A. Blom, John
DeLeeuw, Ralph Dunn, John Farmer, Robert Ross, Benjamin
Gearhart, James Bateman, Michael Kruglinsky, Donald R.
Adams, David Morrow, Paul Doherty, George Van Prooyen,
Lynn Powell, Chester Napiwocki, Robert Engerski, Jack
Silverman, George Van Til, James L. Wieser, John Oakley,
Thurman Ferree, Carl Miklusak, Dennis Tobin, Dominic Noce,
Lynn R. Powell, Lance Ryskamp, George Georgeff, Dennis
Simala, Larry Wolendowski, Charles Podgorny, Mark A.
Herak, Joseph A. Wszolek, Daniel Dernulc, Bernie Zemen, and
Dan Vassar;
Whereas, At the time of Highland's incorporation, Indiana
law provided for separately elected Town Clerks and Town
Treasurers;
Whereas, Highland has had four Town Clerks - H.S.
Daugherty, J.G. Eriks, John Groot, and Bartel Zandstra, and
six Treasurers - John Lynch, Richard Hook, D. Moes, Nick
Porter, Otto M. Schmidt, and Harold Douthet;
Whereas, In 1935 the Indiana legislature abolished the separate offices of clerk and treasurer and combined them into the office of the Clerk-Treasurer; those serving Highland as Clerk-Treasurer are Bartel Zandstra, Rose Langley, John Blom, Kenneth Dickinson, Irene Ketchum, Paul L. Doherty, and
Michael W. Griffin;
Whereas, The primary goal for Highland has always been
to consistently improve and strengthen itself, while never
forgetting the past and its rich history; and
Whereas, Towns are the lifeblood of Indiana. It is,
therefore, fitting that we honor the town of Highland, Indiana,
on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding:
Therefore,
HR 1536/DI 84