Lake Wawasee is a large, natural, freshwater lake southeast of Syracuse in Kosciusko County, Indiana. It is the largest natural lake within Indiana's borders. Prehistoric Pre-glacial Around 1 million years ago just prior to the Pleistocene epoch, northern Indiana was covered by the Teays River system which flowed northwest out of Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio entering Indiana at Adams County and flowed about 45 miles (72 km) south of what is now Lake Wawassee. Post-glacial After the last glaciation period, the land was left with kettle holes and hilly moraines. The land supported large vast Picea evergreen forests, and balsam poplar, which gave way to hardwoods of oak, poplar and hickory. Animal life consisted of saber-toothed cat, American mastodon, short-faced bear, dire wolf, ground sloth, giant beaver, peccary, stag-moose and ancient bison. Lakes would have sturgeon, whitefish, pike, pickerel, muskellunge as well as smaller fish such as bluegill, redear sunfish, black bass, yellow perch, and catfish. Beach formations and peat beds indicate Wawasee was 7 to 8 feet (2.1 - 2.4 m) deeper than present. Continuing running water through the outlet to the north lowered the lake level 6 to . A dam built in 1834 consequently raised the level back to where it is today. Recent history The 1800s Prior to Europeans coming to Turkey Lake, it was the tribal lands of Miami Indian chiefs Wawasee and Papakeecha. Wawasee was a signatory to the Treaty of Mississinewas and in 1828 was allotted a small village approximately two and one-half miles southeast of Milford and northeast of Waubee Lake where the town of Syracuse is located. It also included the eastern shores of Turkey Lake (Lake Wawasee) effectively bisecting the lake in half with the southern half going to his brother. Early settlers were homesteaders who earned their livelihoods by hunting, fishing, and trapping; with a little farming. White men began coming into the area in the early 1830s and called the lake "Turkey Lake". In 1834 the U.S. government deeded the land to the Wabash and Erie Canal; who, in 1875, sold it to Charles R. Ogden. Ownership was passed on to "Uncle" Billy Moore in 1877. Wawasee geographical places Cedar Point Cedar Point is on Wawasee's eastern shore and is a glacial kame formed by a subglacial stream. This ground was inhabited by the Glacial Kame Culture that resided here from 8000 BC to 1000 BC. Indications