TERRE HAUTE — Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
1999
• The Terre Haute Concert Band, directed by David McConkey, presented its second “Twilight Melodies” concert of the season at Fairbanks Park.
• Sullivan High School senior Joseph L. Harris received the prestigious McHale Scholarship during the final assembly of the American Legion Boys State held on the Indiana State University campus.
• The town of Shelburn dedicated a monument in memory of the 11 residents who had lost their lives during the tornado on May 21, 1949.
• Brian Evans, former Terre Haute South Vigo High School and Indiana University basketball star, returned home to conduct a youth basketball camp at Terre Haute South.
• Terre Haute Ford added the KIA line to its dealership. Manufactured by KIA Motors in Seoul, Korea, the average price per car was $10,000.
• Terre Haute North Vigo High School graduate Katie Ireland was named to the girls Academic All-State tennis team by the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association.
• Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology announced two in-house promotions: Greg Ruark to be the new athletic director and Russ Mollet the new head football coach.
1984
• The Vigo County Board of Health ordered the Indiana-American Water Co. to fluoridate Terre Haute’s water supply as soon as possible or within 90 days. Dr. W. W. Drummy was the County Health Officer.
• The Wabash Valley Amateur Radio Association, in conjunction with the American Radio Relay League, held the annual field day exercises in the Dobbs Park shelter home. The 24-hour project showcased what the group’s function would be during a national disaster.
• Don Neuenschwander, president of John’s Dental Laboratories, was named recipient of the Terre Haute Area Chamber of Commerce 1984 Great American Dream award as the year’s outstanding small business owner.
• Len Quinlan became the sole owner of the Conservatory of Music at Riverside Plaza. John Reitmeyer had started the business 35 years before at 823 Wabash Avenue.
• The Terre Haute North Vigo High School drill team was named the outstanding team at the Flag-Dance/Drill Team Camp at Indiana State University. Members Lori Harbaugh and Traci Lynn Smith were selected to be in the six-member All-American Drill Team.
1959
• A Sprint Car Program opened the racing season at the Fairgrounds track, which had been rebuilt and was said “to compare with the finest tracks in the country.”
• More than 1,000 persons participated in the parade of the Indiana Veterans of Foreign Wars and auxiliaries at their 38th annual state convention in Terre Haute. Moving in advance of the parade, Terre Haute Boy Scouts distributed 5,000 pamphlets outlining flag etiquette through the crowd.
• One thousand boys and girls had registered in the 60 baseball teams, the girls softball program and boys tennis program to be conducted at Woodrow Wilson Junior High School during the summer.
• Snow Hill Coal Corp. announced the closing of the 25-year-old Talleydale deep shaft mine. Superintendent Frank Ralston and 171 workers were affected.
• A Pennsylvania Railroad diesel engine was badly damaged and eight freight cars derailed when the engine pulled out of the freight yards and sideswiped a moving freight train on the main line tracks just east of the 25th Street crossing.
History
Looking Back: 1999: Shelburn dedicates monument to victims of May 21, 1949 tornado
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GENEALOGY: Columnist seeks info on families from Dana
Perhaps someone out there can help me with something I’ve been working on for quite a few years
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Early Terre Haute theater includes Billy Emerson
Traveling theater troupes performed in Terre Haute before the village was incorporated on Jan. 26, 1832.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Radiant heating — a hot idea
This week’s Historical Treasure is a bit out of season, but a wood stove will help drive away the morning chill and you can make breakfast on it.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: Record-breaking temps hit Vigo
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSON: Emperor Constantine changes the world
The Emperor Constantine, the first Christian ruler of the Roman Empire and the man who ended that empire’s persecution of Christianity, died this week (May 22) in 337 AD, having lived a life that would change the world.
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GENEALOGY: Library archives contain tons of information
Inside the archives room of the Vigo County Public Library, row after row of fragile documents, rare out-of-print books, and historic photographs are kept on shelves in a humidity and temperature-controlled room.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Historic efforts to open Center Street from Cherry to Swan
Efforts to open Center Street, from Cherry to Swan, spanned a half century or more.
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LOOKING BACK: 2002 — Valley drenched in wettest spring in 107 years
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star. -
HISTORICAL TREASURE: Some history wreathed in hair
From the unfortunate occurrence of Prince Albert’s death in 1861 came the social mores of proper mourning practices and accoutrements witnessed and endorsed by the admirers of Queen Victoria in her reign-long state of grieving.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: League of Women Voters reorganizes
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Here comes the bride
The newest major exhibit at the Historical Museum, which opens Tuesday, showcases wedding gowns worn by Vigo County residents.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Downtown changes featured in early 1927
During March and April of 1927 – about 85 years ago – the owners of interests in four major downtown Terre Haute theaters were negotiating to transfer their interests to representatives of Paramount Studios.
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GENEALOGY: Genealogy isn’t for the easily embarrassed
The saying goes, if you’re easily embarrassed or afraid of what you’ll find, don’t start doing genealogy.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: The long, lost, last — the 27th —Amendment
Our very last constitutional amendment — the 27th Amendment — was ratified this week (May 7) in 1992 when Michigan became the 38th state to approve it.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: The Haymarket Square Massacre
One unhappy byproduct of the Industrial Age was the growing discontent of its industrial workers, who constantly agitated for better pay and more humane working conditions.
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LOOKING BACK: 1962: Stands packed as Wiley takes county track title
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and the Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Death of Terre Haute jeweler gains national headlines
Terre Haute sought national publicity in 1910 through “Boosterism,” lauding the city’s significant advancements during the decade ending Dec. 31, 1909.
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GENEALOGY: Cemetery Committee to conduct restoration workshop
The Wabash Valley Genealogy Society’s Cemetery Committee will conduct an all-day cemetery restoration workshop on Saturday at the Smith Cemetery near Youngstown, Honey Creek Township, Vigo County, Ind.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Harmonious history
In 1923, a group of singers calling themselves the Harmony Four entertained regularly over the radio and at civic and various club events.
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BRUCE’S HISTORY LESSONS: Cleveland observes Lincoln’s funeral
The death of America’s greatest president, Abraham Lincoln, resulted in an outpouring of national mourning, the apex of which came in late April of 1865 when a specially outfitted train carried his body on a thirteen-day, 1,700-mile, eleven-city funeral procession from Washington, D.C., to his home and final resting place in Springfield, Ill.
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GENEALOGY: Many people can trace ancestry to Titanic
This month marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, which occurred on April 14-15, 1912.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: ISU bowling team at nationals again
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Sullivan County mine explosion kills 8 in 1878
Shortly after 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 21, 1878, an enormous explosion rocked the Handford Brothers mine about one-half mile north of the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad depot in Sullivan County.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: A common feature, but memorable
As an absolute architecture nerd, I tend to look at buildings noticing the odd ball things such as door hinges and door locks in addition to admiring the overall building.
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSONS: MLK’s letter written from a jail cell in Birmingham
This week (April 16) in 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. sat in a jail cell in Birmingham, Ala., having been arrested for violating a trumped-up court order that prohibited him and his followers from conducting various protest activities, most of which you can read about in the First Amendment.
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LOOKING BACK: 1962: Swope celebrates 20th anniversary
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: 1955 Babe Ruth League championship team to be feted
Currently in his 25th year as a college baseball coach, Rick Heller is in the midst of his third winning season at Indiana State and has embraced the university and the community.
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GENEALOGY: Long-awaited 1940 census is now available for the public
The long-awaited release of the 1940 census took place on April 2.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Memories baked from scratch
On my Historical Treasure hunt, I was drawn to a pasteboard barrel 28 inches high and 18.5 inches across with the words “Calumet Baking Powder Bakes Best, Received Highest Award” on one side and “Calumet Baking Powder Always Pleases, Try It” on the other.
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: Thomas Jefferson's flights of fancy
Thomas Jefferson, born this week (April 13) in 1743, is — deservedly so — in the pantheon of American heroes.
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GENEALOGY: Columnist seeks info on families from Dana




