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STORY INDEX Introduction Population of Indiana's northeast counties grew by 81 percent this century Tracking railroads: Since 1900, number of local lines reduced from five to two Longtime area auto dealers have 'seen it all' Amish continue long-held traditions - except on safety issues Cars accelerate lives of Noble County residents The price of cars: How much did it cost to drive one off the lot? Electric Interurban connected area to Fort Wayne, beyond LaGrange residents rally to save historic brick streets U.S. 6, Ind. 3: Kendallville's routes to growth Agriculture ever-changing, advancing in Noble County Comparisons: How far did the dollar stretch? Growing onions, peppermint made 'scents' in early 1900s The Gaby farm: Family-owned and celebrating over 150 years A changing culture impacts 4-H County fair continues to be a big social event Thriving through the times: Downtown Kendallville adapts to a century of changes Dekko's philanthropy remains a 'valuable resource' Rinkel family still at the wheel of Greenfield Hills Commerce nothing new to Shipshewana: Town thrives as one of fastest-growing tourist areas in state Making do during the Great Depression: Retired hatchery owner recalls tough times, bright moments Mill a 'Star' business in Ligonier: Firm has been grinding wheat into flour for 113 years Elmer E. McCray had a major impact on Kendallville Richard R. Cole has long legacy Female executive has seen many changes in workforce Working women: From assisting war effort to competing in global markets Wolcottville a center of commerce, industry in 1800s Mongoquinong area was early LaGrange County commercial center 'The cheapest hired hand we ever had.' Electricity made life brighter, easier down on the farm Monument company's history set in stone Historic Corn School dates back to 1906 Growing onions, peppermint made 'scents' in early 1900's By DAVE KNOPP The News-Sun   WOLF LAKE - Much of the abundant swampland that was considered a disease-causing curse in Noble County was drained as the early 1900s approached, leaving behind nutrient-rich muck that quickly became an agricultural blessing. Farmers grew onions so successfully in the muck that in 1906 Noble County produced 501,420 bushels of them, more than any other county in the United States. About 1,430 acres of Noble County land were devoted to the crop, mostly in the Noble Township area, and over the total period from 1900 to 1930 Noble County ranked second among all counties in the nation in onion production, topped only by Orange County, New York. Many seniors who grew up in Noble County have recollections of weeding onions while "yellow gold" was having its local heyday. During a political forum in 1996, for example, candidate Dick Winebrenner recalled getting "the 'privilege' of weeding onions 10 hours a day for a dollar," while candidate Phil Stout recalled he "got a penny a row, and the rows went from here to eternity!" The success of the crop gave rise to an onion festival in 1905, complete with a parade, contests and produce displays. Even though there is no longer any large-scale onion production in the county, the festival tradition continues in Wolf Lake with the annual Onion Days. Around World War I peppermint began replacing onions as a more profitable and less labor-intensive muck crop in Noble County, and former county commissioner Ty Winebrenner recalls hearing how at that time "peppermint oil was $37 a pound, and of course a pint's a pound and that's a pretty high price. Practically all the farmers who had oil kept it in bank vaults, because that was worth more than anything else they had." When Winebrenner was about 17 years old he took three barrels of mint oil from his family's farm to a buyer, who "had a place where we could back up and tip the barrels into his barrels, and somehow or other my barrel of oil slipped and dropped down between my pickup and his dock, and there it was, 'gurgle, gurgle, gurgle,' at $7 a gurgle." Ordinarily Winebrenner "couldn't even begin to lift a barrel of mint oil, since it weighed about 500 pounds, barrel and oil and all," but thanks to adrenaline "I picked it up and set it up in the pickup. Why, if I'd left all that oil to get on the ground, my dad would probably have disowned me when I got back." After about 50 years of being farmed for onions and peppermint, the muck, which consisted of several layers of condensed, decayed vegetable matter, was no longer of a proper soil quality, and that factor along with increasing labor costs saw the end of large-scale onion and peppermint production in Noble County.