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Henry County Historical Society & Museum

Bringing history to life & life to history since 1887!

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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY FEED

About Us
Events
Support Us
Genealogy Library
Members Only
Shop
HENRY COUNTY HISTORY FEED

By adminNovember 7, 2018Category: Henry County StoriesTags: 2018, Armistice Day, Veterans, world war i, wwi

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Copyright 1887-2026 Henry County Historical Society, New Castle, Indiana

Bringing History to Life & Life to History Since 1887! Hours of Operation
Please contact us to schedule a tour and/or research during these hours: Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays 1 p.m.-4 p.m. If no appointment is made, tour and/or research cannot be guaranteed if no volunteers are available. Open through early March to late December! Admission Fees: None! Call us: 765-529-4028 Email us: HenryCountyMuseum@gmail.com Mail us: 606 South 14th Street, New Castle, IN 47362

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Henry County Historical Society, Inc

Open early March - December!
Open Thursdays and Fridays, 1-4 p.m. ET,
& Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. ET
Please call ahead for tours and/or research so that we may schedule volunteers. If no appointment is made, tours and/or research cannot be guaranteed.

Henry County Historical Society, Inc

2 days ago

On this day in Henry County history, June 5, 1896, John "Snowball" Merida, a young black man, dazzled onlookers at Spiceland Field Day by easily winning a 100-yard dash. It was the beginning of an athletic journey that would take him into baseball lore."A half century before Jackie Robinson graced a major league baseball field, John Merida was an indomitable force of integration among the patchy meadows, dusty sandlots and ramshackle municipal parks, all sitting among the unassuming cornfields of the Hoosier state," author Alex Painter wrote in his book "Baseball Immortal: The Odyssey of Trailblazing Slugger John 'Snowball' Merida.After starring for Spiceland Academy from 1895 to 1903, "Snowball" played on seven other teams over the next decade, including the Cincinnati Black Tourists, the Indianapolis ABCs and the Kansas City Royal Giants.Here is a column about Merida written by Henry County Historian Darrel Radford and published in the Feb. 13, 2021 issue of The Courier-Times. “One of the best backstops in Indiana.”“He is the terror of all pitchers.”“His long hitting is attracting the attention of the entire Midwest.”John “Snowball” Merida had it all in terms of baseball skill. If he were alive today, Merida would fit into that coveted “five-tool” player category – meaning he could hit for average, hit for power, run the bases well, field his position and possess a strong throwing arm.What Merida didn’t have was the right color skin for the prejudicial times. He was a Black man. And he grew up in Spiceland, Indiana.Henry County historian Richard P. Ratcliff recently called this newspaper’s attention to Merida’s story, covered years ago by The Courier-Times and Knightstown’s Tri-County Banner, but perhaps lost in the rapidly turning pages of time.Merida was Henry County’s Jackie Robinson.Years before baseball would become a big part of his life, John Merida’s mother were longing to be “safe at home.”In a book about Merida written by Alex Painter, how and why the family came to Spiceland becomes crystal clear.“Though predominantly rural and fairly small, with a population of just a few hundred in the 1870s, Spiceland had an African American community that predated even the conclusion of the American Civil War,” Painter writes.In another paragraph, Painter states, “Though Spiceland wasn’t free of racial prejudice, it was considered ‘light years ahead of their white neighbors.’ In fact, one account from the 1880s states that Blacks from North Carolina regarded Spiceland as ‘Jerusalem.’”It was Spiceland where a strong Quaker church congregation “fought slavery fervently,” Painter wrote. It was Spiceland where the Underground Railroad led many Black slaves to safety, thanks in large part to a man named Seth Hinshaw. And it was Hinshaw who helped renowned abolitionist Frederick Douglass, one of the most important figures in 19th century history, find refuge in nearby Greensboro after a vicious attack in Pendleton.So John “Snowball” Merida had landed in the right place, even if it was at the wrong time.While his ancestors were slaves, he was destined to become a household name on baseball fields from Spiceland and New Castle to Indianapolis and Cincinnati, even on to Kansas City.“A half century before Jackie Robinson graced a major league baseball field, John Merida was an indomitable force of integration among the patchy meadows, dusty sandlots and ramshackle municipal parks, all situated among the unassuming cornfields of the Hoosier state,” Painter wrote. “As a Black man in the first decade of the 20th century, he’d ultimately reach the pinnacle of the sport that was available to him.”After starring for Spiceland Academy from 1895 to 1903, “Snowball” played on seven other teams over the next decade, including the Montpelier Oil Boys, New Castle’s Krell-French Piano team, the Cincinnati Black Tourists, the Dublin Base Ball Club, the Indianapolis ABCs, the Minneapolis Keystones and the Kansas City Royal Giants.Wherever he went, “Snowball” made life miserable for opposing pitchers.An Indianapolis newspaper writer described him this way:“He is the terror of all pitchers. His long hitting is attracting the attention of the Middle West and if he were a white man, he would be in the professional leagues.”BASKETBALL LIVES HEREThis Day In Henry County history is brought to you by Destination Henry County Indiana. Discover slam dunk experiences at www.HoopsInHenry.com. Visit the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/VisitHenryCounty.com.HELP US PRESERVE COMMUNITY HISTORYPlease join the Henry County Historical Society with a $25 annual membership. Visit our website at www.henrycountymuseum.orgCOME SEE US!We're open ANYTIME by appointment. Call us at 765-529-4028 or 765-524-0530. ... See MoreSee Less

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Henry County Historical Society, Inc

3 days ago

On this date in Henry County history, June 4, 1863, Waitsel M. Cary, founder of Knightstown and veteran who fought in the War of 1812, died at the age of 77. Here is information on Carey from the New Castle-Henry County Sesquicentennial booklet in 1972.Carey came to Knightstown in 1825. He discovered that soon the National Road was to pass through his farm. By laying out the first town lots in 1827 on his own land, he was instrumental in seeing that the town was named for Jonathon Knight, chief surveyor on the National Road project.Carey, seen here, has a street named for him in Knightstown. Here is a bit more about Waitsel M. Carey from a paper ready by Nathan H. Ballenger before the Henry County Historical Society on Oct. 31, 1899. Waitsel M. Carey entered the land where Knightstown is situated, and was proprietor of the place. Waitsel M. Carey with others, brushed out a road coming from the east, crossing Blue River near where the railroad bridge is, thence angling up the Blue River bluff to where Main Street now is. Mr. Carey erected a rude building and began entertaining travelers, and enjoyed a monopoly of the business for many years. Mr. Carey was a man of solid, sober demeanor. He and his family of seven children made a marked impression on the character of the coming city.BASKETBALL LIVES HEREThis Day In Henry County history is brought to you by Destination Henry County Indiana. Discover slam dunk experiences at www.HoopsInHenry.com. Visit the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/VisitHenryCounty.comHELP US PRESERVE COMMUNITY HISTORYPlease join the Henry County Historical Society with a $25 annual membership. Visit our website at www.henrycountymuseum.orgCOME SEE US!We're open ANYTIME by appointment. Call us at 765-529-4028 or 765-524-0530. ... See MoreSee Less

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Henry County Historical Society, Inc

3 days ago

☀ The Summer 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ Historicalog is live in the Members' Only section of the HCHS website! Members: Check your email for instructions on how to access. Nonmembers: Enjoy this sneak peek and then consider joining to receive access to all 14 pages PLUS back issues! Go here to join: henrycountymuseum.org/join-hchs/ 🗝️ ... See MoreSee Less

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Henry County Historical Society, Inc

4 days ago

On this day in Henry County history, June 3, 1901, Lewisville's Guyer Opera House opened its doors. The very first show here was "Ten Nights In a Barroom."Built in 1901 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The Guyer Opera House now operates as a civic theater and paranormal investigation destination. Performance seasons run from January through December each year.Here's how to get more information:765-524-7858110 W Main StLewisville, IN 47352lewisvilleguyer@gmail.comBASKETBALL LIVES HEREThis Day In Henry County history is brought to you by Destination Henry County Indiana. Discover slam dunk experiences at www.HoopsInHenry.com.Visit the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/VisitHenryCounty.com.HELP US PRESERVE COMMUNITY HISTORYPlease join the Henry County Historical Society with a $25 annual membership. Visit our website at www.henrycountymuseum.orgCOME SEE US!We're open ANYTIME by appointment. Call us at 765-529-4028 or 765-524-0530. ... See MoreSee Less

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Henry County Historical Society, Inc

5 days ago

On this day in Henry County history, June 2, 1967, a Goodyear blimp ran into some gusty winds and became entangled in high tension power lines near Dunreith. It was the first of two major incidents in the span of a year that made the small Henry County town national news. A train wreck and explosion just six months later also made national news, as it resulted in more than $1 million in property damage.Thanks to one of our faithful readers of "This Day In History" -- Diana Bergen Thornburgh -- for sharing the photograph.NEW BOOK BY DARREL RADFORD COMING SOONYou can read a complete story about this incident with the blimp and Dunreith in an upcoming book by Henry County Historian Darrel Radford. The book, called "Our Towns," explores the origins of each Henry County town and revisits some of the major headlines involving those unique communities. Watch this Facebook or The Courier-Times for more details soon.BASKETBALL LIVES HEREThis Day In Henry County history is brought to you by Destination Henry County Indiana. Discover slam dunk experiences at www.HoopsInHenry.com.Visit the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/VisitHenryCounty.com.HELP US PRESERVE COMMUNITY HISTORYPlease join the Henry County Historical Society with a $25 annual membership. Visit our website at www.henrycountymuseum.orgCOME SEE US!We're open ANYTIME by appointment. Call us at 765-529-4028 or 765-524-0530. ... See MoreSee Less

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NOTICE

Because we are a Special Collections Library and Archive, our hours may differ on short notice due to staffing and volunteers. Please check our hours carefully to make sure we will be open for your visit. Sometimes we are on tours or with previously scheduled guests and cannot answer the door or phone. Appointments are highly recommended for people traveling to visit us. (You can request an appointment by emailing us at HenryCountyMuseum@gmail.com.) We recommend making your appointment at least one week in advance.

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