November, 2021
Growing Up In Pulaski, Part 1
by Betty Louise Clark Nicolas
 
Our Great Aunt Hattie, Grandpa Jay’s sister, was greatly responsible for my love of genealogy. Often she would lead me up the stairs to the attic under the eaves, on the second floor, and open her mother Mary Rowenna Boardman’s old gray leather bound trunk, and lift out her diary, which was written in 1872 and 1873. I loved to read the beautifully penned accounts of her everyday life.

Recently, I found Aunt Hattie’s diaries in a box of old pictures which had been kept in the farm house’s attic also. Entries began in 1942 and the last one was written in 1954. The entries in her diary were quite miraculous considering she was a deaf person with no formal education. The memories of my childhood had been pictures in my mind. The written words became the reality that events in my life had actually happened as I remembered.

I want to use her words to make pictures for others to see in their minds in the stories that follow.
We are re-conceptualizing the Museum, starting with the history of the Native American cultures that lived in Pulaski County.

Because we will have few artifacts (besides the arrowheads and tools already on hand), we will add a new experience.

Visitors will be given some information through posters or prints and will then be able to move to a computer to access additional information.

QR codes will allow persons with the appropriate cellphone technology to access the same information.

The data is in process of being developed, and in the meantime, we have relied on the generosity of donors!

Jon Chapman started the ball rolling with a generous contribution that was turned into "match" dollars for Fulton County REMC and Carroll White REMC.

When we open again (projected in March), look for these changes!

Another note of appreciation will be contained in next month's newsletter, complete with photographs of the new equipment.
A brief history of Vurpillat's Opera House is available on our YouTube channel. Check it out HERE.

Also on our channel:
  • 2021 Annual Meeting, featuring Brenda Gilsinger and the history of Pulaski (the town)
Curiosities
E. C. Alsmyer of this place, formerly of Napierville, Ill., and a graduate of the Northwestern college of that place, and formerly a republican, comes out for Cleveland and Thurman and tariff reform, and accepts the office of secretary of the Medaryville democratic club. He can not endorse Harrison and Morton who are representatives of monopoly and free whiskey.
 
Medaryville column Sep. 15, 1888
The metal 3-cent pieces are to be retired from circulation by the government. "Tis well, for being about the size of a dime, they are occasionally passed off upon the unsuspecting at night for ten cents. These coins gravitate toward the post-office, where they are kept and sent to the department at the close of each quarter. The postmaster here sent off 149 of them with his last quarterly report.
  
Medaryville column Dec. 22, 1888
Medaryville Markets

Wheat 85 cts, Corn 35 cts, Oats 25 cts, Rye 75 cts, Butter 16 cts per lb, Eggs 15 cts, per doz, Chickens 5 cts per lb, Hides 3 and 4 cts per lb.  
 
Medaryville column in the The Democratic Journal Nov 1, 1891.  
This month in the newsletter (releasing on the 15th of the month):
We will continue to include a link to the Memorial Swinging Bridge Project as it works its way toward the centenary anniversary.

The bridge was dedicated to veterans from Pulaski County.

Follow the progress by signing up for the monthly newsletter. Go to the website; the form is easily found!
  • Pulaski County In The Civil War, Part 2
  • Pulaski County Veteran of the Civil War
  • Call-Out for Artists of all Mediums for Silent Auction
  • Call-Out for Photos of Veterans
  • Greatest Generation of Pulaski County: It's a Small (World) War
  • Donors
  • All About The Lights
  • Photo Gallery
This banner, from the first edition of "The Advertiser," is dated 01 November 1894, Thursday. The newspaper was five columns across, measured 11 ½ inches wide and 17 ½ inches long. It contained 4 pages. The newspaper contained news and gossip, a History of Medaryville, short biographies of early businessmen, and advertisements. There is even ¾ column devoted to Francesville.
Guild & Robinson are receiving now about fifty tons of hay daily for which they pay the cash. This is distributing considerable money among the farmers and when you consider that this is only one item in which they deal, as they buy grain, straw, etc., you will get an idea of the amount of business they transact. 
From The Francesville Tribune July 13, 1972, Written January 1, 1971

This is a continuation of the poem, begun in the Newsletter dated June 2020. You can find past editions of the Newsletter HERE.

Stanzas 61 - 64
I can see Newt Engle fishing
In the Monon east of town;
And when 'Old Newt' was fishing
He allowed no kids around.
 
I see 'Bake Jones' a baking bread
And making crescent cake,
I've never tasted anything
Like Bake Jones used to make. 
I see Frank Grafton taking pictures
Then handing out the farmers mail,
And some 'old bum' a sleeping
In our little city jail.
 
I see Clyde Myers and Ora Haymond
As they painted up the town,
And papered all the houses
There was for miles around.
Willard C. Myers is connected to the town of Francesville through birth and remaining family. We will continue to feature this poem until we have offered it to completion. Natives will probably recognize many of the people and places that will be mentioned.
Special November Events
Equal: A Work In Progress

Complexities in Indigenous Citizenship

Nov. 16, free, virtual event, registration required

Indiana's constitution declares "that all people are created equal." Though this revolutionary idea is a foundational principle of our state, it is marred by a myriad of contradictions.

This ongoing series of interdisciplinary conversations examines our collective definition of equality at key moments in Indiana's history to better understand who is considered a citizen, who gets a seat at the table, and who maintains power in our society.

For the first conversation of Equal: A Work in Progress, we will discuss the complexities of equality through the lens of indigeneity. Starting around the time of forced removal of the Miami and Potawatomi, learn about the inequalities in citizenship through race, land, culture and language.

Featuring: Alex Wesaw, Tribal Council Member of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi; Diane Hunter, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; and John Bickers, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma citizen and scholar, doctoral candidate in early American history.
Thornbrough Lecture in African American History Series

We Live with Death and It Is Ours: Black Women, Serial Murder, and Reckoning with Home

Nov. 19, free, virtual event. reservation required

Join us for the 2021 Thornbrough Lecture in African American History Series as we explore how multiple murders impacted the Peoria, Illinois community with University of Minnesota professor Dr. Terrion Williamson. She will talk about how this case shaped her work and illustrate the need to place the lives of marginalized black women and girls at the center of ongoing struggles for social justice and black liberation.
In addition to the on-site Festival of Trees event, enjoy a digital way of taking in the holiday exhibit. With the virtual experience launching November 12, you can enjoy the festivities from the comfort of your home on any mobile device.

Go to www.festivaloftreesindy.org, and follow the animated segment to a free digital winter wonderland!

Thanks to numerous photographs, you will get to see all 75 elaborately decorated trees as they are displayed at the History Center. Zoom in to appreciate the fine details of these festive creations. You can compile your favorite trees in the "favorites" section to help with the online voting process. Be sure to subscribe to the site's mailing list, as the winner will be announced via email in early 2022.
Other features of the virtual experience include:

  • Interactive elements
  • Hidden decorations in scavenger hunts
  • Videos (among other things, enjoy holiday music and story time with Santa, presented by Citizens Energy Group)
  • Tutorials on how to navigate the site
  • Donation options
Festival of Trees Starts November 12!

Enjoy Twilight Tuesdays.

Festival of Trees offers an amazing experience once the sun goes down, so be sure to join us on select Tuesdays (Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28) for an after-hours experience you won’t forget.

Find all events and purchase tickets HERE.
Start Your Holiday Shopping at the Basile History Market

With a large selection of products inspired by our state’s history, the Basile History Market is a great place to get a jump start on your holiday shopping. The market features Indiana art, jewelry, literature, music and more. And don’t forget – IHS members receive a 10% discount on all purchases! The History Market is open during Festival of Trees hours. Call (317) 234-0020 for more information or use the link below to make your holiday purchases online today!
Festive Family Workshop Series

Enhance your Saturday visits with our themed workshops! Each 45-minute session (10:30 a.m. or 1 p.m.) includes a craft, learning experience and a take-home activity to extend the fun! Advance registration is recommended, with limited walk-in space available. $3 per participant.
November 20, Wonderful Wildlife with Traders Point Christian School: Learn about Indiana’s native wildlife while creating an ornament out of natural materials for wildlife to enjoy in the winter. Register HERE.
November 27, Hanukkah Handmade: Decorate a menorah, learn about some of the traditions that make Hanukkah special for Hoosier families and families around the world, and take home a delicious recipe to make traditional treats with your loved ones. Register HERE.
Dec. 4 Holiday Author Fair
Mix and mingle with more than 60 authors during the Indiana Historical Society’s annual Holiday Author Fair on Saturday, Dec. 4 from noon to 4 p.m, at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center.
The event is included with general admission. To allow guests to converse with the authors and have their books personalized and signed, masks will be required at this event.
History Happy Hour Continues!
Santa Claus, Indiana
Thursday, December 9, 5:30 - 6:30 PM
Online, Free, Registration Required

Discover the Story of Santa Claus, as the town evolved from the tiny town of Santa Fee (pop 65) to today's iconic destination, with Neil Hedge, director of the Santa Claus Museum & Village.
Reservations for these two events, visit:
Ghosts of Holidays Past
Thursday, December 16, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
$20/$15 Members. One drink ticket included. Additional drinks and food available for purchase.

Get into the "spirit" of the holiday season as you meet the ghosts of Indiana's festive past. Explore the magic of Festival of Trees by candlelight, unearth some of Indiana's winter holiday traditions, and enjoy themed food and drink.

Space is limited. Reservations recommended.
A Gift That Keeps Giving

For the persons on your gift list that have everything they need, or for those who value history, make a contribution to the Historical Society in their name. We'll email a certificate that you can print and place in a stocking, an envelope or a frame. Find a convenient way to do that here.
The quick and easy way to make a contribution to the Historical Society is to utilize this QR code. We're trying to drag history into the 21st Century!

Thank you for considering this opportunity!
Indiana Landmarks

In addition to giving tremendous financial and technical support for the local Courthouse project, Indiana Landmarks provides a wealth of information about and support for vintage homes and factories, churches, barns and bridges.
Support Indiana Landmarks

Join to help save the historic places that make our communities more beautiful, more interesting, singular and special. LINK
Affiliate Membership

The Pulaski County Historical Society is an affiliate member of Indiana Landmarks. For information about the affiliate organizations around the state, and all of the exciting work they are doing, please head over to our Affiliate's Webpage.
Saving Grace

Scattered across just a few blocks in and around Indianapolis’s Old Northside neighborhood, a collection of 10 historic churches built between 1891 and 1929 served residents who settled beyond the city’s core at the turn of the twentieth century. After World War II, the neighborhood changed rapidly, and churches adjusted to support a community with increasingly diverse religious and social needs. On December 4, our Holiday Church Tour offers a chance to explore the landmarks and see how they have adapted to change.
A Walk of Faith

When the First Baptist (Colored) Church in West Baden Springs landed on Indiana Landmarks’ 10 Most Endangered list in 2014, the building looked forgotten. Now, a century after its construction, the wood-frame Gothic Revival chapel is poised to welcome a new generation, thanks to a renewal project led by volunteers who believed the building’s heritage made it too important to lose.
Caves of Wonder

Since ancient times, grottos have carried mystical connotations, associated first with early pagan deities and later with Christian churches. The construction of man-made grottos spread after Bernadette famously saw the Virgin Mary in a natural grotto at Lourdes, France, in 1858. In Indiana, most grottos date to the twentieth century, built by religious institutions as places for spiritual meditation rather than miraculous healing. Executed in fieldstone, colorful minerals, crystals, concrete, even geodes, Indiana’s historic grottos still offer pilgrims a place for quiet reflection.
The Work of Generations

In eastern Shelby County, generations of the Meltzer family have farmed the land for more than 160 years, adapting to technological and cultural shifts, and weathering two pandemics. For their role in preserving Meltzer Farm outside Shelbyville, siblings Kris Meltzer and Karen Meltzer-Armstrong won the 2021 John Arnold Award for Rural Preservation, presented by Indiana Landmarks and Indiana Farm Bureau.
President: Ryan Harrison
Vice President (& Past President): Kathi Thompson
Secretary: Janet Onken
Treasurer: Lin Morrison

Terms Ending 2022:
  • Sara Kroft
  • Jolie Simmermaker
  • [Vacancy]
Terms Ending 2023
  • Mary Conner (also County Historian)
  • Becky Dilts
  • Steve Morrison
Terms Ending 2024
  • Brian Capouch
  • Karen Fritz
  • Judge Michael Shurn

Gardeners: Kaity & Tina Stacy
Membership

$30 Individual
$40 Family
$80 Sustaining / Corporate


All members are welcome to volunteer with PCHS in any area of their interest and to attend meetings. Board meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of every month, in person or via Zoom, or a hybrid.
If someone shared this email with you, you may not be on our email list. Just click the button. On the website, fill out the form, and BOOM! You'll be a part of history!
Contributors to this edition: Janet Onken, Kathi Thompson, Betty Nicolas
To submit an article for consideration for this newsletter, send it via email. If you have photos, please submit them as well. We welcome all articles of historic interest regarding Pulaski County.
Pulaski County Historical Society: All Rights Reserved