When an 8 foot (2.4 m) earthen dam was constructed by Charles A. Sudlow of Indianapolis on that north side, the water level rose elevating large masses of vegetation.

The 5 miles (8.0 km) of shoreline was known as “good for fishing.” The booklet, possibly used as a sales tool, provided the legend, topography, history, information about the hatcheries, the corporation and approaches, complete with photos of the various areas and survey of the property.

The largest and most powerful tribe occupied Conklin Hill, overlooking the lake from the west and their chieftain's name was “Wawasee.” Chief Flatbelly took his people to the peninsula on the north which now bears his name, “while the finest and bravest young chieftain of them all, having the smallest tribe, was obliged to settle on the hills and fish in the little lakes that lay adjacent to the big one, on the south.”[This quote needs a citation] When a map of the region was made, it was seen two lakes formed a turkey with a monstrous head with the streams as whiskers.

The legend is when summer homes rose thick and fast around its shores and fashion folk came swell, the spirit of “Wawasee came floating back, ate up the turkey and fastened his name upon the lake where it shall remain imperishable as that of Caesar.”[This quote needs a citation] High hills, deep holes, swamps and razorback ridges made up the landscape.

“Immediately adjoining Lake Wawasee was a valley extending more than one mile to the inland; it was broken by several high mounds and two extensive promontories; and its border rises from 40–60 feet (12–18 m) above its level.”[This quote needs a citation] The mounds, promontories and most of the border were covered with second growth timber 40–60 feet high.

More than 600 acres (240 ha) of land was acquired with 325 submerged “making one of the most beautiful lakes of pure, clear water to be found in all the world.

In 1914 the State Commissioner of Fisheries and Game discovered a sufficient flow of water was constant from Papakeechie into Wawasee to conduct the hatching of fish on a large scale.

It also acquired title to several acres below the dam and constructed 12 ponds, one-half acre each, which the waters from Papakeechie step down a distance of about 4 feet (1.2 m) and as drainage is needed, steps down into Wawasee, “making a most perfect system for the hatching of fresh water fish.” The lease required the state to perpetually maintain the dams to Lake Papakeechie and to pay as rental, for the use of water, 5,000 number two fingerling bass, annually, in addition to an apportionment of the surplus bass and other fish hatched, same as furnished to public lakes of the same size.

“As the lake is privately owned and the public is not permitted to fish therein, the bass, crappies and blue-gills have become so plentiful that it has been said ‘you can hear them ‘hollar’ at one another to lay over.’”[This quote needs a citation] Upon the death of Sudlow in 1915, his will established a Trust Company of Indianapolis as trustee of his estate.

[2] From the 1950s through late 1960s an aluminum airplane wheel with tire measuring some 7 to 8 feet (2 m) across lay on the shore of Papakeechie just to the east of the dam.

At the time of the arrival of the white man, he was about sixty years old and was described as of a dark copper color, inclined to corpulency, and given to wearing a silver ring or a fish bone through the cartilage of his nose.

The present sites of Our Lady of the Lake Seminary and the South Shore Inn lie just within the western edge of this old reservation.

After 1834 Papakeechie's entire reservation was included in the million and one-half acres of Indiana lands given by the Government to the Wabash and Erie Canal.

The chief died between 1838 and 1840, and the burial ground where he rests with a number of his villagers may be found by following Road 8, leading eastward from the north-east corner of the lake named in his honor to the point where it jogs to the north.