Spending summer without Sapper’s Market

This is the first summer in decades that the field on the curve of Tenth and South Lake Park Avenue lies fallow.

Who didn’t enjoy watching the sweet corn grow and look forward to that first delicious bite?! The buildings that comprised the Sapper compound and farm market are awaiting demolition to clear the land for a housing development.

The farm market had humble beginnings almost five decades ago, when German immigrant Charles Sapper relocated to Hobart from Chicago around 1906 and became a farmer. He started putting produce under the big shade tree in his front yard to sell, attracting customers that drove by on the unpaved county road.

Charles bought an old horse-drawn school bus and sold produce door-to-door in Hobart and Gary. In those days the farm produced cattle, hogs, and chickens. In 1943, and open-air market was built to accommodate the farm produce, dairy products, fresh-dressed chickens, eggs, and grain that he produced.

If you are of a certain age, you will remember the twice-daily cattle crossing that occurred when cows from the Sapper farm crossed South Lake Park Avenue to graze in the woods and fields.

The “Cattle Crossing” sign went up, traffic stopped, the cattle crossed safely, and the traffic resumed its flow … twice a day, every day.

The farm eventually passed to Charles’ son, John E., and then to his son, John C., who erected the large building on the property capable of carrying a year-round business in 1976. John’s children and grandchildren continued to run the business until earlier this year.

We hope that the Sapper family and employees know that they are so appreciated for their years of dedication and service to the community. We wish them all a fond and tearful farewell!

In case you were wondering what name the subdivision is … most appropriately “Sapper’s Gardens.”