"If you want to read a perfect book, there is only one way: write it." For Hoosier native and author Ambrose Bierce, this personal mantra guided his prolific writing career and best encapsulates the passions of other Indiana authors.

The latest Lanham Gallery exhibit (see link in our IHS section below) explores 12 Indiana authors who wrote about themes such as westward expansion and travel, women's rights, social reform, historical writing, children's literature and war experiences. Inevitably, the Hoosier authors displayed in the exhibit were influenced by Indiana's culture, nature, politics and society, but their wwritings also shaped local and national literature. Visitors will be able to view a selection of books written by the authors as well as photos and documents that display the careers of the Indiana authors.

One author who had a major influence on local and national politics was Mary Ritter Beard. Born in the midst of the debate about women's rights and suffrage, Beard's writings were heavily shaped by society. During the early 1900s, she participated in and organized movements, wrote articles, lectured to audiences, and testified in front of Congress to advocate for women's suffrage. After women gained the right to vote, Beard focused on including women in her books recounting American history as she recognized the need to preserve women's history. In addition to her writings and activism, Beard also created the World Center for Women's Archives.

Similar to Beard, the writings of journalist and author Ernie Pyle would both be shaped by and influence culture and society. As World War II became more pervasive in American life and politics, Pyle found a career in writing about his observations of the war. As a war correspondent, he covered events such as the Battle of Britain in 1940, the war in North Africa in 1942, the D-Day invasion and more. His writings gained him national acclaim, and he was recognized for his humanistic approach during the deadly world war.

For Ethridge Knight, his profound writing career began in prison. In 1960, at the age of 29, Knight found himself an inmate at the Indiana State Prison. During his eight-year stay, he wrote poetry and inspired other inmates to write as well. After his release, he published Poems from Prison in 1968 and Black Voices from Prison in 1970. Knight once stated, "I died in Korea from a shrapnel wound, and narcotics resurrected me. I died in 1960, from a prison sentence, and poetry brought me back."

The annual meeting, which always includes an informative program, is open to all. Only members can vote at the meeting. This year, the only item of business will be the slate of officers and directors. There is no charge to attend.

Mary Conner, Pulaski County Historian (& Pulaski County Genealogist)

Thursday, March 16, 2023, at One Eyed Jack's Celebration Station in downtown Winamac.

Gathering at 6:00 for desserts and coffee.

Short business meeting (short!) starts at 6:30, with program to follow.

This year, Fred Zahrt will present information about kit homes in Winamac and Pulaski County. He is pictured above with some of his kit home books.

Kit homes are mass produced homes that were delivered to the customer, all parts included, in railroad box cars. They became popular around the turn of the century and could be purchased out of Sears and Montgomery Wards catalogs, thus, the typical term, "Sears Home," arose.

Fred has researched these homes for many years. This will be a fun and informative evening!

While a vast improvement over the old museum in terms of temperature and humidity control as well as atmosphere, our current space for display and storage is small. As we figure out how to best deal with items in the old museum (the Quonset hut, which we are vacating), we have had to make decisions on how best to deal with donated items.

We were gifted many bicentennial items from one local family. We are grateful for that donation, and we have some items on display.

However, due to current considerations, we are offering many items for sale. We have opened a booth at Sell It Here in Lafayette, and you will soon see items offered on eBay.

The stock at Sell It Here will shift over time, but if you are in town, stop in and check out booth #213 (3805 Fortune Drive, Lafayette).

There are also a few items availabe for "sale" (for a contribution) at the museum. Visit us on a Saturday!

The Historical Museum exists to save and exhibit items of interest to Pulaski County. We have limited space, both for display and storage. As such, we must be judicious in the items we accept.

If a donation has been accepted, it is considered an unrestricted gift. We reserve the right to keep or to dispose of the item as appropriate. All donations should be accompanied with a monetary donation.

A full donation policy is available for review. Please request it via email.

The county has what begins to appear to be a white elephant on its hands in the lower part of Tippecanoe township, says the Monterey Sun. Three miles south of Monterey, at a point a few rods south of the Overmyer school house, there is a sinkhole which the road passes over. Fills have been made at different times the past two or three years at this point, only to hold for a few days or weeks at most, then settle down and sink beneath the water. The hole is said to be about 75 feet across, and up to this time about 2,000 yards of dirt has been dumped in. During the time Isaac Slonaker was gravel road superintendent he repaired the road at different times, putting in about 150 yards , and when Henry Keitzer was made superintendent the first of this year, he was called upon to put the road in good condition. And now, after hauling with teams more than 1,800 yards of sand, beside filling the hole with logs and brush, he finds he had nothing but a pond in the road, while the dirt is heaved up at the side of the road, tipping over fence and telephone poles. In the neighborhood of $800 has been expended, and no solid bottom found yet.

The photo is of the Commercial Hotel in Francesville. It is located at the southwest corner of Montgomery and Railroad Streets. This is west across the street from where the Francesville Depot was located. [Railroad street has been renamed Monon Avenue.] Notice the dirt streets. The railroad tracks are hardly visible in the photo. An old hotel called the Traveler’s Rest was at this location previous to this building.

In the spring of 1901, John Coey purchased the old hotel. During the summer he tore it down and quickly began excavation and foundation work for his new hotel. By November 1901, the new building was enclosed and brick work started. The hotel was open for business in 1902. John Coey sold the hotel in 1906. Shortly after this the name changed to the Commercial Hotel. Over the years the hotel served meals to traveling guests and at one time housed a photography studio. This building has changed owners multiple times over the last 100+ years. Some names of past owners were Jentz, Weldon, Hauptli and Wuethrich. The exterior has changed little over the years and now operates as the Towne Apartments.

Photo taken in 1909, taken from FlickRiver.

Several videos are online for this workshop series. It shows one thing: people are interested in the history of their homes. This series was sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities through Indiana Humanities and Indiana Landmarks. Check it out HERE.

link HERE

The most recent video documents Itch's Room, the back room of our former museum in the county-owned Quonset Hut. We enjoyed sharing his workshop, tools and variety of historical items. However, in moving to our new museum, hard choices had to be made. Unable to take these items to the new location, we chose to memorialize the room on film.

Thanks to the skills of Anne Scott (and a pleasant musical background by Dylan Scott), everyone can continue to view Itch's Room. The photo below depicts Itch (left) and Harry Roth.

Go straight to that video HERE.

This poem was written in the summer of 1979 by Mary K. Wiesjahn Williamson. a Star City native. She was born in 1918 and died at the age of 99 in 2018. If you would like to catch up on the series, it started in the January 2023 edition of the e-newsletter. FIND IT HERE.

If you'd have been ailing and needed the 'Doc',

You'd have called Dr. George Washburn likely as not.

You could stay right in bed; he made house calls even.

And before his time, you'd call Dr. Stephens.

Dr. Johnson followed Washburn, then t'was Dr. Garvey

Who cured folks' aches.

Around this time, I recall, if in a faint you'd keel,

Dr. Shipley came along, delivered babies and set our breaks,

Many Pulaski Co. residents call McCaskey, Halleck or Carneal.

Dr. Harold Halleck, being youngest of these three.

Tho' officially retired, still helps out occasionally.

Dr. Maurice Kahler, a Star City native,

Practiced medicine in Indianapolis 58 years.

Married Grace Densborn, moved back to

Star City and now practices here!

Thank you for considering this opportunity to support your local Historical Society!

Opportunities to Enjoy the Indiana Historical Society.

Make reservations HERE.

Now through January 2024

Learn the remarkable story of Eva Mozes Kor, who as a child survived Auschwitz and the experiments of Dr. Joseph Mengel. She grew up to be one of the most influential Holocaust educators and activists in the world. She ignited a global manhunt for Mengele and organized other survivors. Kor educated millions about what happened during the Holocaust and about her vision of empowerment and forgiveness. More information HERE.

Now through January 2024

This exhibit complements the main Eva Kor exhibit. A new feature allows visitors to take advantage of advanced filming techniques to have inviting one-on-one conversations with Eva Kor. On loan from CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center, USC Shoah Foundation’s Dimensions in Testimony allows visitors to converse with an interactive biography of Eva via a hologram-like projection. Guests can hear her personal testimony and ask questions that are of interest to them, learning more about her story in her own words. More information HERE.

January 1 marks the end of copyright for published works, according to the schedule set out by the Copyright Term Extension Act.

The Access and Preservation staff of the Indiana Historical Society have digitized new selections of expired copyright works from the library's collection had have made them available online. The titles were selected based on publication date and topic and were then checked over by the Conservator for any condition issues. After digitization, the books were converted to PDFs and set for upload to their digital collection on January 1.

Some pamphlet titles to look for include Human Interest Stories of the Three Days' Battles at Gettysburg, and The Mad Mullah of America, about D.C. Stephenson and the Ku Klux Klan.

These materials are available to read directly from your screen, or download the PDF to read offline. Find it HERE.

Indiana Landmarks has released the 2023 Cox Funds grant application form for capital improvements and for Planning Grants (NRHP, feasibility studies). These are for African American not-for-profit organizations, churches, and other organizations.

Send an email to coxfunds@indianalandmarks.org for details about the grant and how to apply.

Applications are due by April 1, 2023. Details on the 2023 grants are not known as this is being written; the maximum awarded in previous years was to a Ten Most Endangered site for $40,000. Most grants have averaged $10,000-$15,000.

The successful operation of the society relies on contributions from members and friends. The Society maintains Membership and Sponsorship programs and collects contributions outside both of those programs.

President: Ryan Harrison

Vice President (& Past President): Kathi Thompson

Secretary: Janet Onken

Treasurer: Lin Morrison

Curator: Vacant

Terms Ending 2023

Terms Ending 2024

Terms Ending 2025

In lieu of joining either as a member or a sponsor, you can make a contribution here. This link will assist you in using PayPal or sending a check. A quick and easy way to make a contribution is to utilize this QR code.

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Note: If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact Kathi Thompson and she will sign you up manually.

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