Cicero made a milestone in 2009 by celebrating its 175th anniversary. Located at the North end of Morse Lake, Cicero’s heritage began when its first settlers platted the town in 1834.
Cicero was the home to the first bridge built (1838) in Hamilton County over a major stream, Cicero Creek. The coming of the railroad in 1853 accounted for a growth in industry such as flour mills, a steam saw mill and, with the abundance of natural gas, two glass factories. In 1870, the first bridge was converted into a covered bridge and painted red. The “Red Bridge” became one of the town’s most memorable landmarks and the red bridge image is still used today as the town’s trademark.
The bridge was torn down in early the 1950’s to make way for construction of Morse Reservoir, another major milestone in the town’s history. The opening of Morse Reservoir in 1956 brought a wave of steady growth and development. Today, Cicero offers its residents the qualities of a small town with the recreational amenities of the lake and the convenience of being close to larger communities of Indianapolis, Kokomo and Anderson.