Published May 30, 1963
In 1893 Watervliet was experiencing a building boom and now 70 years later, history is repeating itself. It was just 70 years ago now that the Syms & Dudley Paper Company came here and built Watervliet’s first paper mill, which led up to the Watervliet Paper Company that has been a boon to Watervliet and the surrounding communities.
That year, too, B. E. Lewis platted the east portion of the village and the Lewis Addition came into existence. Lots sold like hotcakes and now that part of the city is thickly populated and one of the finest residential sections. Also at that time the Watervliet Improvement Association was formed and that meant many more new homes, and the Sutherland Addition supports many fine homes. Now the Gordon Lewis Sub-division, once the farm of Fred VanNatter, is fast becoming a residential district, new homes going up nearly every week. People like Watervliet and many families are moving in from other communities. The writer was once told by a former chief of police that he never knew of any community that had so little crime. And that may be a drawing card.