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
n “Celebrate the Century” was the theme of Indiana State University’s 83rd Homecoming weekend. Coach Tim McGuire’s Sycamores won 39-36 in triple overtime over Western Illinois at the football game at Memorial Stadium.
n After R. Frank Shelton, president and CEO of Union Hospital Inc. since 1971, resigned, David Doerr was named to serve as acting CEO.
n Family and friends of the late James H. Morris, principal of Sugar Grove Elementary School from 1983 to 1998, dedicated a memorial garden at the school and established a scholarship in his honor.
n The Sears store at Honey Creek Mall celebrated a grand reopening. The store had been updated, enlarged and had added 50 new employees. Denis Hodge was the manager.
n Osco, also located in Honey Creek Mall, celebrated its 30th anniversary. Manager Mark Monahan remembered Osco and Sears had opened before the mall itself was ready to open.
n The Shakamak Ministerial Association presented graphic descriptions of abortion, suicide, drunken driving, domestic and school violence in its Hell House at the Jasonville Assembly of God Church.
1984
n B. F. Goodrich purchased the CBS Inc. video and audio disc vinyl compounding facility at 1400 N. Fruitridge Ave.
n The Peabody Coal Co. was closing its Dugger and Latta mines.
n The Kiwanis Club of Greater Terre Haute hosted its annual pancake festival at the VFW building, 31 S. 13th St. Club officers were Mak Koie, Jerry Fread, John Pidany, Bob Whetsone and Bob Cundiff.
n An $87,000 state loan to finance water service to Aleph Park near Indiana 46 and Moyer Road would indirectly finance new service for 400 Riley water customers who had been plagued with inadequate water pressure. David Everhart was the Riley Town Board president.
n Margaret Barksdale, writer of the “Volunteer of the Month” columns for the Volunteer Action Center, was named October’s Volunteer of the Month.
n More than 125 participants from Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky played in the third Wabash Valley Open Tournament at the Honey Creek Racquetball Club.
n Manpower Temporary Service moved from 2117 Wabash Ave. to 20 S. Third St. in the new MAB Paints retail store and office building.
1959
n Terre Haute Board of School Trustees voted to purchase the Walter Talley property as the site for the new Crawford School on South Fifth Street.
n Mrs. George Treida, Mrs. James Crawford and Mrs. Lee Damon headed the Newcomers’ Club annual clothing drive for the children of Glenn Home.
n Dr. Paul F. Zwerner, local physician, announced plans for a $20,000 medical building to be constructed at 2100 N. 12th St. His present office was located in the Merchants National Bank building at 12 Points.
n The Terre Haute City Council approved a one-hour parking limit on Wabash Avenue from Third to Ninth streets. The Police Department was adding women known as “meter maids” to enforce the new parking regulation. Their salaries were to be paid out of parking meter funds.
n Samuel S. Biddle, Terre Haute resident and a baker at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, was crowned poet laureate by the Indiana Federation of Poetry Clubs for his poem “Betrayal.”
n The production of “Gigi” opened the season of Community Theatre at the Weldin Talley Memorial Playhouse.
History
LOOKING BACK: 1999: ISU downs Western Illinois for homecoming win
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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




