This county is located in the lake region in northeastern Indiana and its surface is dotted with twenty-three large and many small lakes. The largest is about 1,100 acres. There are no important resort centers, with the exception of Sylvan Lake at Rome City. Sylvan is an artificial lake and was the site at which Gene Stratton Porter built "Limberlost Cabin," in 1904.

In the early history of Indiana, there was a famous band of horse thieves and counterfeiters who had headquarters in this county. They were called "Blacklegs." this gang was notorious all over the United States, and every township was infested with them, but the safest place was in the northeastern part around Rome City at a spot called "The Tamarack." Here is where they made their bogus money. In 1852, the State Legislature enacted a law authorizing the formation of companies of "Regulators" to put a stop to their operation. Several companies were formed in Noble County who soon overthrew the "Blacklegs."

Noble County covers an area of 417 square miles divided into thirteen townships. Its incorporated cities are Kendallville, 5,439, and Ligonier, 2,064; towns: Albion, 1,108; Wolcottville, 646; Avilla, 559, and Cromwell, 371. Total population 1890, 23,359; 1900, 23,533; 1910, 24,009; 1920, 22,470; 1930, 22,404.

Albion is located forty-two miles northwest of Fort Wayne and is served by one railroad. Among its industries are an overall factory, saw, planing, and flourmills, and a creamery. It is also the center of an agricultural, dairying, and fruit-growing district.

Kendallville, the chief city, is located twenty-seven miles northwest of Fort Wayne and is served by two railroads. Among its manufactures are iron goods, motor trucks, windmills, refrigerators, stock tank heaters, pumps, clothes racks, gloves, store display cases, brushes, brooms, flour, feed, caskets, and hospital tables. The city is the home of the largest refrigerator manufacturing plant of its kind in the world.

The naming of this city was in recognition of Postmaster General Kendall's granting the citizens of the town a Post Office in 1840 when there were only forty residents. It was made possible through the efforts of William Mitchell, who was appointed first Postmaster. Mitchell proved a benefactor to Kendallville in other ways, for today the nine churches and school buildings are located on property donated by him. Points of interest in the city are the community building, city library, in which is a plaster cast of Lincoln, as well as notable collections, war relics, old newspapers, and autographed manuscripts; and some of the old historic residences.

Ligonier is located thirty-eight miles southeast of South Bend and is served by one railroad. Its industrial activities include lumber mills, cooper shops, flour mills, and factories for the manufacture of quilts, carriages, auto bodies, road machinery, and refrigerators.

There is an interesting tradition in the town of Merriam. It is claimed that Samuel Wilson, a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804, was the original "Uncle Sam." There is a marker at Wilson's grave in the town's cemetery.

One mile north of Rome City, on the site of the abandoned town of Northport, is a Catholic sanatorium known nationally for its treatments and baths. The scenic resort, Sylvan Lake, was formed in 1837 as a reserve reservoir for the canal to connect Northport with the Wabash and Erie. One of the interesting points is the old dam site on the banks of this old canal, which was never completed. In the town of Avilla is a Convent, established in 1876.

Federal census figures for 1935 listed thirty-two manufacturing establishments in the county. A total of 846 wage earners were employed on payrolls of $644,375. The value of the products was $4,361,366.

The county had 2,545 farms averaging 95.7 acres and the value of these was $10,903,029. A total of 79,018 head of livestock was reported.

The total county tax valuation for 1936 was $30,664,405.