The property known today as Wawasee Plaza is located from 101 E. Main Street to 103 E. Main Street and from 710 North Huntington Street to 706 North Huntington Street. The oldest section that is still standing was built in 1902, only 66 years after the town was incorporated in June of 1863.
1837
Syracuse, Indiana was laid out with the post office established in 1837.
1886
This view of East Main Street overlooks the southeastern portion of Syracuse and Syracuse Lake. Built in 1850, the white building at the center is one of the oldest structures in Syracuse. At one time, it housed a gas station and then a print shop. After renovations drastically altered it's appearance, the building was returned to it's original exterior and is now home to Bass Audiology. Next to this building you can see a white building on the right. This appears to be a building on the same spot as the building built in 1901 and then removed in 1987. So what is now the Wawasee Plaza parking lot has had at least two different large structures on it.
1901
The building farthest to the east was built in 1901. It is now our parking lot. You can see it in the photo from 1902 with the bay windows on the left side. You can also see in this first photo the bank section is not yet present.
1902
The second building was built. You can see it on the left side of the photo. It is the building next to the building with the bay windows.
1909
Jubilee Days were sponsored by The Syracuse Commercial Club as a homecoming celebration. A balloon ascension held during the September 1909 event proved exciting to Syracuse resident Quinter Neff. The young man was helping with ropes when suddenly he found himself ascending with the balloon, with the rope wrapped around him. Fortunately, Quinter and the balloon landed safely at the Kern farm, a half mile from town.
1910
The Meat Market building was a single story building on the corner of Huntington and Main. This building was replaced by the State Bank of Syracuse somewhere between 1910 and 1930, the specific date not being known. The picture here is of the first Town Marshall who was running one of the first street cleaners.
1915
In 1915 Main Street became the first paved concrete street in Indiana when the local Sandusky Portland Cement Company provided Syracuse with the cement and the town paid the labor costs. In this photo you can also see on the right side a gentleman standing outside what was the Syracuse Journal. The Syracuse Journal building used to be a meat market and was the last business to be in this spot prior to the State Bank building its new building.
1928
Midwest Clothing Chain, Star Clothing House opens in Syracuse. Star Clothing House was created in 1870 and was a regional chain which sold men's hats, dress clothes and eventually diversified into multiple clothing lines. This chain is believed to have started in Illinois. This clothing store operated until the mid 1960's. then it appears completely went out of business.
In this photo below you can see the meat market is proudly showing off their new telephone number as #20. This clothing store operated until the mid 1960s.
1930
This is the first photo of the State Bank of Syracuse. It can be seen on the right side of the photo.
1933
Charles and Harold Hoeflinger robbed the bank of $8,000 on April 19, 1933. Charles called Sol Miller, president of the State Bank of Syracuse and said he was stranded in the country. When Sol came out, he tied him to a tree and went in and robbed the bank. Harold had waited with a car at the junction of roads 6 and 13 to aid him in his escape and received part of the stolen money. Harold was easily apprehended because everyone knew him and he was sentenced to the state reformatory for 2-19 years when he entered a plea of guilty to a charge of accessory in the robbing of the State Bank of Syracuse. Charles was also apprehended and was sentenced to 20 years for armed felony and 20 years for bank robbery.
1935
The State Bank of Syracuse sponsored this float as well as the parade. During this time Syracuse had many parades throughout the year. This parade in particular was celebrating the 100th birthday of the town of Syracuse.
1937
Syracuse Host City Structure built on the corner of Huntington and Main then falls down less than 5 years later. This photo is looking at the now destroyed Pickwick building.
1948
State Bank of Syracuse - Achieved $1,000,000 in deposits and remodeled the upstairs and downstairs - This also gave the building a facelift which we see today.
1955
5 and 10 cent store - Plummer Family
Men’s apparel store - Ray Foster Family
Women's clothing store - Louise Connolly
First recorded apartments (Upstairs)
Connolly Grocery Store & Pettits Department Store - Byron Connolly
Knights of Pythias Lodge (Upstairs)
Pythian Sisters (Upstairs)
Law Offices of Leon Connolly (Upstairs)
1961
Many years later Plikerd tried to find a unique name that would describe the building because BenRich Enterprises (mentioned below) just did not sound like a place where people would want to do business. It honestly sounded like Ben was Rich rather than Ben Plikerd and Richard Brungardt. Wanting the name of Wawasee on the building name, Plikerd went searching for a business name with Wawasee in it. After much research and finding a previous business called “Wawasee Plaza Motel”, which was no longer in business, Wawasee Plaza sounded like a perfect fit. The “Wawasee Plaza Motel” complex was formed in 1961 having a "private" boat dock cul de sac for guests of the Motel. The Motel was constructed of modular units that "snapped" together. Jim & Jane Fry sold the motel, and it became the Plaza Harbor Condos in 1976. The condos are still in existence today. Prior to the Plaza being built in 1961 it was a boat service station.
1967
The State Bank of Syracuse installs the first electric elevator in Syracuse. It is an Otis Elevator and is still working today (2022).
1980
Bales Butcher shop opens uptown 1980. You can see the picture of Bales Butcher Shop on the right side next to the Pepsi pop machine.
1985
Sometime in 1987 this building was torn down (which was a variety store) and made into a parking lot. This photo is the last known photo prior to demolition.
1997
Bales Butcher Shop moves to the village and closes the uptown location which is left vacant until 2006
2003
KeyBank closes down location which used to be State Bank of Syracuse and moves into a new location into the village. KeyBank puts the entire building up for sale.
2005
Ben Plikerd and Richard Brungardt purchase the 101 E. Main Street property using BenRich Enterprise LLC. The Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce moves into Suite B-101. Ben & Kristi get married and begin working day and night remodeling the Plaza. Shown in the picture Mitch Goon, Kirk Zuber, Bill Rondeau, Harry Gates, Scott Wegner, Zak Wolfinger, Tina McGuire, Blake Fawley, Steve Slabaugh, Richard Brungardt and Ben Plikerd
2007
Wawasee Plaza LLC is formed and we combine the entire property together dissolving BenRich Enterprises LLC. It's first capital improvement is a new sign on the outside of the building explaining what this building is and the tenants inside. This is the first time the community begins to call it Wawasee Plaza.
2008
The Downstairs is remodeled into an indoor/outdoor theme. Wawasee Plaza finishes the remodel and has a total of 15 individual rentable offices. Offices can be joined together to allow other private offices. Each office has two types of lighting both can and florescent. All fixtures are energy efficient.
2009
Plikerd purchases 710 North Huntington Street which was "The Revolving Closet. Eventually this is physically connected to the Plaza.
2010
The old bank section of the building was remodeled and an indoor waterfall was built. The Lobby of Wawasee Plaza was remodeled last because it had the most amount of work to be done. Since then, many businesses have rented all or part of the lobby including:
+ Deli
+ Bakery
+ Beauty Salon
+ Professional purse designer
+ Tattoo parlor
We also have rented the Wawasee Plaza for special events and parties.
2011
Wawasee Plaza purchases 706 North Huntington and combines it into the Wawasee Plaza parcel. This building was last used as a fireworks store prior to it being remodeled by the Plaza. The first tenant to have this building after the purchase was a Baby & Toddler second hand store.
2015
The front of the building is painted a light beige color with a black outline. The building was painted to protect the brick as it was starting to deteriorate and the mortar was starting to fail in some areas. We felt it was a great time to repair it and make the building all look the same.
2021
Wawasee Plaza Letters were added to the front of the building. In addition to adding letters we added lights around the rooftop for the entire block. It is the mission of Wawasee Plaza to get the entire uptown of Syracuse to match with the same type of lighting.
2023
A string of LED lights were put around the outside of all of the buildings including 708 which we do not own. We have been encouraging others in Syracuse to participate by even offering to pay for the lights and installation.
