Long described as a dreamer and wanderer, Richard Risley Carlisle traveled from the East, purchased 160 acres, and platted the town of New Carlisle in 1835. The little town on the hill grew as many settlers found the flat, fertile prairie lands surrounding the town ideal for farming. The construction of the Michigan Road just a few years prior had opened up settlement in New Carlisle and the surrounding Olive Township. The railroad built in 1852 ensured success of the town as it bypassed other rival towns causing them to fade into obscurity. The images in this book give a glimpse into the small-town life of New Carlisle and the surrounding areas such as the communities of Hamilton and Hudson Lake that played such an important part of the community's rich heritage.