History  Of  Americus,  IN

    The town of Americus was founded in 1832 by a colorful, card playing gambler named William Digby.

    A shrewd businessman, Digby purchased about 80 acres of land near the junction of the Tippecanoe and Wabash rivers. He speculated that the Erie Canal, terminating in Americus, would stimulate local commerce. Unfortunately for Digby the canal did not end here. It continued on to Lafayette and with it went his dreams....

    With the 1920's came prohibition and Americus' reputation as a haven for bootleggers. It seems fitting that on the site of the present Americus restaurant once stood a filing station considered by many to have harbored a still. The owner Mr. G.F. Hilgendorf, promptly opened a tavern here when prohibition ended.

    In 1948, the property was purchased by William T. Harrison, who expanded the kitchen and added a dining room to the now known Robert's Americus Restaurant. The Roberts family took over in 1975 and continued the Americus Tradition. It (Roberts Americus Restaurant) remains a gathering place where good food, good friends, and a lively game of cards can invariably be found.

   Roberts Americus Restaurant Proudly thanks you for your patronage.

(The above history of Americus has been supplied by Roberts Americus Restaurant)

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Page updated 01/11/2008