Water is a substance necessary for life in all its forms, and has been the main reason for people to settle or develop one property or area over another for centuries. This is true of our little town too. Linn Grove is located in the southwest quadrant of Adams County, nestled in the beauty of Indiana's heartland. It is surrounded by fields of grain with the Wabash River meandering along its east flank. The river is at the heart of the development and history of the little town originally known as Buena Vista, which is translated to mean "beautiful view". Let's go back to the beginning and rediscover the history and memories of the town with two distinctive names in her past ... Buena Vista and Linn Grove.
It all started in 1833, when a few adventurous men from Greenville and Fort Recovery, Ohio set out in search of investment properties that would secure them a prosperous future. Robert Simison, his brother Irwin Simison, Peter Studabaker, and John McDowell traveled west two days. When they crossed the Wabash River they were impressed with the view and decided to stake out an area to develop and build a cabin. Records show that Robert Simison cut the logs, Peter Studabaker hauled them, and Irwin Simison and John McDowell laid them in place.
It is interesting to note that, during the time of the cabin construction, the men observed one of the most spectacular meteor showers recorded in the history of that time. It was said that this meteor shower fascinated some and frightened others.
When the cabin was finished, Peter Studabaker returned to Fort Recovery, Ohio with the intent of bringing his family back within a few days. The weather turned wet. Heavy rains flooded the rivers and streams so that Studabaker was unable to return to the cabin until spring. Robert Simison was left to tend the cabin throughout the winter. Robert spent his time splitting rails, cutting wood, clearing land and hunting game near and around the river.