April 28, 2013
04/29/13 Saturday morning Mayor Mark Senter held a short Founder’s Day Ceremony and Arbor Day Celebration in Founders Park.
The Mayor told those gathered that the park commemorated the men that founded Plymouth: William Polk, James Blair and John Sering. Senter said, “It all began in 1834 when Plymouth became a town. It was 39 years later that Plymouth actually became a city and elected a mayor and a common council.” As part of the ceremony, the Mayor had street signs erected to honor the founders.
The program began with Karly Gruett, President of the Mayor’s Youth Council reading a short history of Plymouth. She spoke of two locally noteworthy architects that participated in giving Plymouth its built appearance. The first store opened in 1835 by Oliver Rose. As merchant trade blossomed, the first Montgomery Ward store in America opened in Plymouth in 1926. Gruett said the first post office was established in 1836 and the first bank in 1852.
Leah Smith, Secretary of the Mayor’s Youth Council read the biography of Plymouth’s first Mayor Horace Corbin. After becoming a lawyer, Corbin moved to Plymouth from the east coast and began his law practice. Not long after arriving in the town he purchased the entire block bounded by Harrison, Michigan, North and Center Streets where he had an orchard and garden. His home still stands at 913 North Michigan Street. In 1852 Corbin was elected prosecutor and in 1862 State Senator. In 1873 he was elected mayor but resigned two years later after being appointed judge by Governor Hendricks.
In a proclamation Mayor Mark Senter declared April 27th, 2013 as City Of Plymouth Day.
The group then moved toward the Yellow River where through the generosity of NIPSCO the city planted a Sycamore Tree celebrating Arbor Day. Melanie Cooper from the Youth Council gave a brief description of the creation of Arbor Day.
Mayor Senter and the Youth Council members thank planted the Sycamore tree.