By Loren Shaum
Guest Columnist
LAGRANGE COUNTY — According to the LaGrange County Historical Society, the first white pioneers arrived in 1828 and settled in northeast area of the county. Originally called Mongoquinong, or Big Squaw Village, today, the location is now the village of Mongo.
LaGrange translates to “farm or plantation” in French and was named after revolutionary war hero, General Marquis de Lafayette’s French home.
The town of LaGrange was plotted in 1836 and became the county seat in 1842. As settlers flocked to the area, Chief Shipshewana and his Potawatomie tribe were removed by the government in 1837.
In 1844, the first Amish arrived and settled in the area that is now Shipshewana.
Known for rich farm land and many lakes, LaGrange County has a population over 40,000 with 45% of that being Amish. It’s the third largest Amish settlement in the United States.
In addition, the county is the home of Indiana’s largest fish and wildlife area. The Pigeon River Fish and Wild Life Area near Mongo is a reserve of over 12,000 acres dedicated to hunting and fishing.
The town of LaGrange is the county seat and is the home to over 2,700, and has many interesting opportunities.
Downtown LaGrange
There are six restaurants/bars plus a couple chains, a pizza shop, a bakery, and Lucy’s Vedie Twist. The latter is a great ice cream stop south of downtown.
How this rural town can support all these joints is unknown, but a couple come with high recommendations.
Detroit Street is the main drag, and along the way there’s two bars of interest: Linder’s and the Detroit Street Tavern. Another place that got our attention is Fireside Craft Burgers and Brews, which got its start inside Shipshewana’s Yoder’s Department Store. After several years, the owners decided to relocate to LaGrange and when the circa 1890’s building that was once Chicago Joe’s came available, they jumped on it.
Besides burgers (The recent menu shows 14, plus you can build your own!), Fireside emphasizes craft beers including some local brews. On one visit, I enjoyed a delightful American Lager from a Michigan brewing company.
Just down the street is the newest kid on the block. The former owners of CopperTop (Now the Backyard Tavern) purchased a car dealership to create Destination 814. Opening in early 2022, the restaurant focuses on bourbon, whiskey, and creative food. We have to check-out this joint soon.
Around The County
There are 70 fresh water lakes in LaGrange County with several having lake front restaurants. We’ve explored many of these out-of-way places, and some have proved to be very worthy.
If you want the best bloody Mary, check-out the Turkey Lake Tavern in Elmira, which also serves fish similar to The Original Fish of Stroh less than a mile away in Stroh. Perched across from Big Turkey Lake, this iconic establishment is a go-to joint for folks from afar.
Another spot we’ve frequented is Coody Brown’s Lakeside Grill. Nestled on a land fill between Witmer and Westler Lakes, this joint offers great food, mega cold brews, wings, burgers, and pizzas. Their onion rings have proven to been some of the beat.
If you want home-made pies, check-out Marner’s Six Mile Restaurant. Located in the heart of Amish country and apparently named because it’s six miles from LaGrange. It’s a hot spot for locals for breakfast and lunch.
You can build your own breakfast if you like, or order from the myriad of omelets, pancakes, waffles, and French toast. If that’s not enough, you can order Amish classics like head cheese and mush.
Lastly, Wolcottville holds a couple treasures including Twinsix and the Adams Lake Pub. The Twinsix bar is a classic ornamental, antique bar. And Twinsix is likely the only spot in LaGrange County that offered grouper when we were there.
LaGrange County offers a bounty of opportunities for those that want to hunt, fish and eat. There are great venues that remain available to explore.
