Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
1998
• U.S. Auto Club officials cancelled the Action Track Nationals, the last event on the 1998 card at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds. Later, the Red Hill Raceway at Sumner, Ill., picked up the dates for USAC sprints and UMP modified competition.
• The consulting firm of Almont Associates Inc. said the city was correct in closing two fire stations, but it should add a new firehouse south of Interstate 70. Bill Reed was the Terre Haute Fire Chief.
• Ted Kaperak won the Spaghetti Open tournament at Mathews Park. Greg Kluesner, Bob Kyle, Russ Campbell and Tom Bekkering all tied for second place.
• Kenneth Coleman was named “Volunteer of the Year” by the National Organization for Victims Assistance. He had become a director of Protect the Innocent for Parke, Fountain, Montgomery and Warren counties 11 years before.
• The Vigo County School Corp. sponsored its first “Party on the Pavement” on the administration parking lot. Entertainment was provided by Randy Beard.
1983
• Kirby D. Smith, Republican candidate for mayor opposing Mayor P. Pete Chalos, began his series of Neighborhood Walks to talk with residents about problems in the city.
• Civilian Conservation Corps alumni staged a reunion at Shakamak State Park. The event marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the CCC in 1933 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. The program employed thousands of young people to help conserve the nation’s deteriorating natural resources at the height of the Great Depression.
• Hospice of the Wabash Valley Inc. was launched to help terminally ill patients and their loved ones. Dr. Roberto Cantillo was the medical director and Jacquelyn Fox the agency director.
• Bill Wolfe, native of Clinton and WBAK-TV graphic designer, was named art director for Ideas Inc. according to general manager Nick Telezyn.
• Dean Branson, real estate administrator in the Terre Haute Redevelopment Department, issued orders for the razing of 23 structures in the city.
• Plans called for the Meis Corporate offices to move into the former Schulte High School building in 1984.
1958
• Ralph E. Llewellyn was awarded a service appreciation plaque for his untiring service to conservation by the Indiana Division of the Izaak Walton League at its 36th annual convention banquet at the Terre Haute House. The local chapter clubhouse was located in Cloverdale.
• Registration was open for daytime and evening classes at the Terre Haute Commercial College on the third floor of the Tune Building, Fifth St.reet and Wabash Avenue.
• A 6-2 vote by members of the City Council permitted the fluoridation of water ordinance to become law, thus erasing Mayor Ralph Tucker’s veto of the controversial measure.
• The First Unitarian Universalist Society resumed regular Sunday morning services in the meeting house at 800 S. Center St. Rev. Donald Thompson was the minister and Mrs. Otis Aggert the religious education director.
• The Terre Haute Franchised Automobile Dealers announced a plan of action to reduce theft of hubcaps by offering to etch the hubcaps with the owner’s license number when the car was brought in for service.
History
Looking Back: 1983: Hospice of the Wabash Valley launches to help terminally ill patients
- History
-
-
BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: This little-known compromise may have saved the union
When the Constitution was signed in September of 1787 and sent to the Congress that then existed under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was instructed to send that Constitution to the states to be ratified … or not. The message to the states was clear: Accept the Constitution or reject it, but don’t try to change it.
-
Traveling Civil War exhibit makes history personal
Civil War history will come alive for visitors to the Sullivan County Public Library who experience “Faces of the Civil War,” a traveling exhibition created and managed by the Indiana Historical Society.
-
GENEALOGY: Virginia Historical Society takes on ambitious project
Over the past few months, the Virginia Historical Society has launched an ambitious project to scrutinize more than 8 million 17th, 18th, and 19th century documents in order to identify the enslaved population of those times.
-
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: The Legacy of ‘The Old Silkworm House’
In 1837, and for several years thereafter, a gray sandstone obelisk was installed next to a one-story frame residence at the northwest corner of Sixth and Eagle streets.
-
HISTORICAL TREASURE: A blast from valentines past
Valentine’s Day — it brings to mind simple paper valentines and the elaborate, fancy store-bought cards with multiple verses and glittery covers.
-
LOOKING BACK: 1962: Flu outbreak forces Schulte closed
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
-
Original copy of 13th Amendment at Lincoln Library & Museum
A fully signed and recently restored copy of the Congressional resolution for a 13th Amendment to the Constitution, the official act that would abolish slavery in the United States, will be on display in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum’s Treasures Gallery.
-
BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: Freedom of religion — beliefs and actions
Because religious faith is, arguably, the quintessential example of our right to privacy, to say nothing of its prominent place in our First Amendment, throughout our history court cases involving the free exercise of religion have been handled with great trepidation and with particular care. One of the milestone “free exercise” religion cases, Davis v. Beason, was decided by the Supreme Court this week (Feb. 3) in 1890.
-
GENEALOGY: SoCal Genealogical Jamboree coming up in June
The Southern California Genealogical Society announces its 43rd Annual Jamboree, to be staged for three days on June 8-10, at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel in Burbank, Calif.
-
LOOKING BACK: 2002: Disco Ernie featured on Maury
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
-
HISTORICAL TREASURE: Flashing the mayor's badge
This mayoral badge was presented to the Vigo County Historical Society by Elizabeth K. Schultz, the granddaughter of Samuel E. Beecher Sr., who served as mayor of Terre Haute from 1936 to 1940.
-
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Deadly tornado devastates York in 1907
John T. Staff loved water and, particularly, the Wabash River.
-
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Notorious Western desperado Ellsworth Wyatt captured in Clay County
In October 1892, Terre Haute police received a circular from the State of Kansas containing a description of Ellsworth Wyatt and offering a $1,200 reward for his capture.
-
LOOKING BACK: 2002: ISU students honor Martin Luther King Jr.
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
-
HISTORICAL TREASURE: News letter filled with wonderful local news
We recently received five bound volumes of copies of the “Terre Haute Onizette,” the Owen-Illinois Glass Company news letter for the Terre Haute Plant.
-
GENEALOGY: Peyton, Downey, Fifer queries and a plea for help from Scotland
This week, we have several queries.
-
Extension plans seminar on land use
The Purdue Extension Land Use Team is hosting a video seminar titled “Welcome to the Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals” from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday.
-
BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: Kennedy, Camelot, and other myths
This week (Jan. 20) in 1961, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as our 35th president, and his tragic death by assassination notwithstanding, his was a mediocre presidency that, undeservedly, became the stuff of legend — in part because of his assassination.
-
Actor to portray Lincoln at dinner for historical society
A special program, “And Lincoln Wrote,” is coming to Harlan Hall in Marshall, Ill., with a featured presentation by Dick Benach as Abraham Lincoln and Chuck Hand as the publisher of the Prairie Beacon.
-
GENEALOGY: Celebrate MLK Day with the Indiana Historical Society
On Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Indiana Historical Society will offer free admission to celebrate Martin Luther King Day.
-
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Light Guards savor military and social experiences
Never during the Civil War was there a time when the City of Terre Haute was in danger of hosting an armed conflict involving one or more armies.
-
LOOKING BACK: 1962: 87 high school hoops teams compete in 47th annual Wabash Valley Tournament
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
-
HISTORICAL TREASURE: A bottle of clove oil at the pharmacy
The Historical Treasure for today is a bottle of Clove Oil.
-
LOOKING BACK: 1987: St. Mary’s Parish congregation celebrates 150th anniversary
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
-
HISTORICAL TREASURE: Fire up the jukebox for a great night
The jukebox existed long before Glenn Miller’s “Juke Box Saturday Night” swing version.
-
GENEALOGY: 1752 is one memorable year for genealogists
The year 1752 is one to remember if you have ancestors who lived in areas controlled by Great Britain; and this includes the American colonies.
-
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Terre Haute teenager arrested in Cincinnati brothel
A newspaper headline in the Terre Haute Gazette on Jan. 3, 1895, grabbed your attention: “A Terre Haute Girl Goes to Cincinnati to Lead a Life of Shame.”
-
BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: Ford’s five dollar days increase productivity
This week (Jan. 5) in 1914, Henry Ford, the head of the Ford Motor Company, stunned the business world by announcing that, henceforth, Ford employees would not only share in the car company’s profits, they also would be paid the unheard of sum of $5 a day. That doubled their previous wage.
-
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Some events not given adequate attention
On May 25, 2011, a large white oak tree — one of the 2,000 or so numbered trees on 324 platted lots in “Edgewood Grove Beautiful” subdivision — fell on our residence.
-
LOOKING BACK: Carty, Skelly, Oxford celebrate with first baby of the year in 1962, 1987, 2002
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
- More History Headlines
-
BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: This little-known compromise may have saved the union








