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Henry County Historical Society & Museum

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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY FEED

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Copyright 1887-2024 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 11 a.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

4,781

Henry County Historical Society, Inc

Open early March through late December!
Open Thursdays, Fridays, & 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

6 days ago

On this day in Henry County history, June 18, 1980, a front-page article in The Courier-Times announced that a drive had been launched to establish a fund and hire an economic developer for the county. Pictured here is New Castle-Henry County Economic Development President Corey Murphy, former New Castle Mayor Bud Ayers and Chamber of Commerce Director Shonda Kane reminiscing about that day.Here is a story by Darrel Radford published Oct. 3, 2020 about the Economic Development Corporation's very beginnings in New Castle 40 years ago. The story features comments by former three-term Mayor Bud Ayers, who passed away Feb. 20, 2022.During a time of national political gridlock and ugly tones in presidential debates, former New Castle Mayor Gerald “Bud” Ayers offered a welcome respite from it all – just by reminiscing.Ayers provided some icing on the New Castle-Henry County Economic Development Corp.’s 40th birthday cake recently by sharing a DVD featuring city leaders, volunteers and dialogue concerning the EDC’s early days. The DVD and Ayers’ memories shed important light on how this former Chrysler town got a new set of wheels to help the local economy stabilize and grow.Even before he was elected to the first of three terms in 1979, Ayers had economic development at the top of his agenda. The automotive industry had been hit hard nationally, and the local Chrysler plant, New Castle’s economic engine for years, was sputtering badly.“Paul Prior and I would meet down at Ameriana before I got elected,” Ayers remembered. “He had read an article where I had said I would have a full-time economic development director on city payroll and have a city economic development department.”Ayers said Prior liked those intentions, but urged another approach.“He said ‘government can’t do it by itself,’” Ayers said of the well-known banker, who died in 2018 at the age of 96.“I said ‘the problem we’ve got, Paul, is it’s hard to get Republicans to sit down with Democrats and the Chamber of Commerce to sit down with labor.’”So the two came up with a behind-the-scenes plan.“Paul said he’d negotiate with the Republicans in county government if I would take care of labor and the Democrat party in city government,” Ayers remembered.With help from The Courier-Times’ Walt Chambers, who wrote articles about the importance of an EDC, everyone eventually got on the same page. But it wasn’t easy.Ayers remembers a meeting at Mac’s Steakhouse where the EDC idea was discussed with guest speaker Dave Richmond leading the way. Richmond had helped Indiana cities Columbus and Seymour set up successful economic development efforts.The fireworks came early, however.“Right off the bat, a labor representative and a contractor got into it and walked out of the meeting,” Ayers remembered. “A Ball State professor brought the union representative back in and Phil Borders, New Castle’s school superintendent at that time, brought the contractor back in and we got off and running.”The DVD Ayers shared not only brought back memories, but highlighted the important journey economic development has taken here.Prior is featured on the DVD discussing the EDC’s initial days.“We began with a committee of about 30 people in the Chamber of Commerce for the New Castle area, working on ways to strengthen the economy,” Prior is heard saying on the recording. “We discovered that a group of amateurs could not do this, so we decided to form an independent corporation and attract a professional economic developer. We organized an economic development program which addresses first to the needs of existing business and industry, then secondly ... the possibility we might locate non-resident business and industry from states surrounding Indiana and the nation at large.”Prior’s 40-year-old words on the DVD would seem applicable today.“It is critically important that we help every citizen to understand the importance of this voluntary organization,” Prior said then. “And it is purely voluntary. All of these people who constitute the board of directors, the executive committee, serve on a voluntary basis. We employ one professional to carry on this work. What is important about it is this activity goes on 24 hours of every day. It’s objective is to provide employment to the citizens of our community, for our city and our county.”When current EDC President Corey Murphy shared a photo of Ayers on the organization’s website recently and talked about how he had been on the EDC’s ground floor, others were quick to praise the man who became New Castle’s first to win three successive terms as mayor.“Bud was a big help in getting the EDC started,” said retired New Castle businessman and community leader Duane Brammer. “He had to walk a thin line with the county and labor leaders as everyone had their own agenda. I think he did a good job. It was not easy.”One could say thanks to people like Ayers, Prior, Chambers and local attorney Scott Hayes (profiled recently in our “Distinguished Dozen” series), the candles are glowing brightly on the EDC’s birthday cake in 2020. Candles no one wants to blow out anytime soon. Candles that come with a wish – that the local spirit then be duplicated statewide and nationally today. That national political parties stop the ugly fighting and begin working together like they did in the good old days.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 Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and 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

7 days ago

On this day in Henry County history, June 17, 1861, Omar Bundy was born in New Castle. A son of Martin and Amanda Bundy, he was one of eight children. Omar would grow up to become a military general who led World War I troops in a famous counter attack in the Battle of Belleau Wood in France that historians say in all likelihood saved Paris from being invaded by the Germans.Bundy's actions in June of 1918 became the subject of a poem by Willis O. Robb entitled "Where Bundy Held The Paris Road."Where Bundy held the Paris roadThe morning battle flamed and flowed“The Marne is passed, the line is bent.Heaven speed our succor, Heaven-sent!”And Europe gazed with eyes that glowedWhere Bundy held the Paris road.The Patient Frenchman counseled “Wait!”The Hun but hurries to his fate.It was but now the battle broke –Tomorrow – and the counterstroke!But pale the star of patience showedWhere Bundy held the Paris roadSaid Bundy to the high command“None of our men would understand!”The Stars and Stripes are driven back?Impossible! We shall attack!”And forward line-on-line they strodeWhere Bundy held the Paris roadAnd when night brought the long day’s endThe dead that filled the river bendWere German dead and Europe knewAnd freedom all her bugles blewAnd once more French the river flowedWhere Bundy held the Paris road.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 Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and 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

1 week ago

On this day in history, June 16, 1973, New Castle’s new downtown mall was dedicated by special guests Bob Braun, Bonnie Lou and Marian Spellman, stars of the Ruth Lyons’ 50-50 Club television show.At that time, the Bob Braun Show had the highest Arbitron and Nielsen ratings of any live entertainment/information program in the Midwest. So bringing him and his cast to town was, indeed, a big deal.The reason he came, however, dedication of the new downtown mall, turned out to be a bust.Here's an excerpt from an article by Alexander Lang:"The pedestrian mall was an urban phenomenon, one with a clear boom-and-bust cycle. From 1959 through the early 1980s, more than 200 American cities closed blocks of their downtowns to car traffic. By 2000, fewer than 24 of those original malls remained. The design intervention that was supposed to bring people back from the suburban mall had, instead, exacerbated the very problem it was trying to solve, turning downtowns into autopic, retail-first monocultures rather than pedestrian-first, mixed-use places."As well-intentioned and trendy as the idea was, it simply did not work in New Castle. The downtown mall looked pretty but removed valuable parking spaces in front of businesses. Complaints about the lack of parking rose and downtown business activity fell. So, on Nov. 13, 1985, New Castle officials decided the mall must go. They were preparing to remove planters along Broad Street. The Board of Public Works and Safety made the decision to remove the planters at city expense so the Indiana Department of Transportation could proceed with resurfacing Ind. 38 and restore parking along Broad Street.Do you remember Bob Braun and his crew coming to town? What did you think about the downtown mall concept?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 Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and 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

1 week ago

On June 15, 1895, the cornerstone for a new high school affectionately known as “The Castle” was laid.Here is a 1913 postcard showing the building. Perhaps the best-loved school in New Castle history was this structure affectionately known as "the Castle." The dream building was first approved for construction at an Oct. 10, 1894, school board meeting. It was unanimously agreed that the building would be for the high school and built next to the academy on South 14th Street.The contract was awarded to E.G. Conray of Peoria, Ill. for general construction with J.H. Vance of Rushville hired for laying the foundation. On June 15, 1895, the cornerstone was laid by New Castle's Masonic Lodge No. 51. The building was made of Portage Falls Red Sandstone and brick. Its appearance resembled a castle. The "Castle was converted to a junior high school in 1923 when a new high school was built at the corner of Walnut and 14th streets. It was razed in 1973 to make way for Maplewood Terrace, which is still in operation at the site today.Did you ever attend school in this picturesque building? What are your memories?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 Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and 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

1 week ago

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY FROM THE HENRY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY!One of the most poignant Father/Son stories in Henry County history centered around young Orlistus Powell (right) and his father, Simon (left). When Orlistus was killed at the bloody Civil War battle of Chickamauga and buried in a mass grave, Simon made the 476-mile journey from New Castle to search for his son's body and bring it home for a proper burial. If you're interested, read on following this short history on how Father's Day started.FATHER'S DAY ORIGINSThe first known Father’s Day service occurred in Fairmont, West Virginia, on July 5, 1908, after hundreds of men died in the worst mining accident in U.S. history.Grace Golden Clayton, the daughter of a dedicated minister, proposed a service to honor all fathers, especially those who had died. However, the observance did not become an annual event, and it was not promoted; very few people outside of the local area knew about it. Meanwhile, across the entire country, another woman was inspired to honor fathers …In 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, was inspired by Anna Jarvis and the idea of Mother’s Day. Her father, William Jackson Smart, a farmer and Civil War veteran, was also a single parent who raised Sonora and her five brothers by himself, after his wife Ellen died giving birth to their youngest child in 1898. While attending a Mother’s Day church service in 1909, Sonora, then 27 years old, came up with the idea.Within a few months, Sonora had convinced the Spokane Ministerial Association and the YMCA to set aside a Sunday in June to celebrate fathers. She proposed June 5, her father’s birthday, but the ministers chose the third Sunday in June so that they would have more time after Mother’s Day (the second Sunday in May) to prepare their sermons. Thus, on June 19, 1910, the first Father’s Day events commenced: Sonora delivered presents to handicapped fathers, boys from the YMCA decorated their lapels with fresh-cut roses (red for living fathers, white for the deceased), and the city’s ministers devoted their homilies to fatherhood.The widely publicized events in Spokane struck a chord that reached all the way to Washington, D.C., and Sonora’s celebration put the idea on the path to becoming a national holiday. However, the holiday did not catch on right away, perhaps due to the perceived parallels with Mother’s Day.The first bill was introduced in Congress in 1913, but in spite of encouragement from President Woodrow Wilson, it did not pass.Eight years later, President Calvin Coolidge signed a resolution in favor of Father’s Day “to establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations.”In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed an executive order that the holiday be celebrated on the third Sunday in June.Under President Richard Nixon, in 1972, Congress passed an act officially making Father’s Day a national holiday. (Six years later, Sonora died at age 96.)LETTER TO A FALLEN SONHenry County Historian Darrel Radford had the opportunity to read a letter by Simon Powell to his late son at a May 16, 1997, First Nighter’s production called “Your Most Respected Friend,” a true-story drama chronicling Henry County’s effort and contribution during the Civil War.The event, coordinated by Dick Hakes, was held at the First Presbyterian Church in New Castle and featured readings from local residents, bringing to life the voices of such people as Gen. William Grose, underground railroad participant Seth Hinshaw, early historian Elwood Pleas and Capt. David Chambers, grand patriarch of the family that would create and run The Courier-Times newspaper for decades.Music of that time period complemented the readings. The Raintree Chorale performed such songs such as “Dixie Land,” “The Battle Cry of Freedom,” “Goober Peas” and “The Battle Hymn of Republic.”In a 2013 Courier-Times newspaper column, Radford shared the story of how the elder Powell turned grief over his son’s death into action, traveled to the Chickamauga battlefield and amazingly was able to find his son’s body in a mass grave. Powell’s son was one of 500 Henry County deaths suffered during the Civil War.Here is the Simon Powell script read during the 1997 First Nighters production. It reveals a father’s love for his son and determination to give him a suitable final resting place.“Never in my wildest imagining did I think it would come to this. That I, Simon Powell, merchant, farmer, successful in life, would be making this journey. After all, a father’s not supposed to outlive his children, is he? God give me strength to make it through this day.“I was so proud of you; how you enlisted in the 36th after your brother came home from that early battle at Rich Mountain in West Virginia; the first Henry County boy wounded in this War of the Rebellion. Henry was hurt too badly to return, but you didn’t hesitate. Your mother Elizabeth was proud, too, but I know she had a mother’s qualms, especially for you, Orlistus; her youngest son – a man at 25 but still a boy to her – off to face the unknown terror of war. And the battles you fought: Perryville, Ky.; Corinth, Miss.; Shiloh, Stone’s River and Tullahoma in Tennessee. Places we’d never heard of before and now will never forget. And the final one – this place with an Indian name – Chickamauga. Even the Redmen called it a “river of death” – such pathetic irony!“I thought Indiana winters were cold, but this damp Southern air chills my very soul. I pray the weather at least, was better for you last September here, at the place of your death. Your Captain wrote how valiant you were, but we knew that, your mother and I.“Do you know what my son did? The crazy things boys will do! He had initials tattooed – yes, tattooed – in India ink on his arm! My father would have whooped me good if I had done such a thing! Another irony – that’s how we found you, son. When the Rebels laid you in this mass grave, a comrade’s body fell over that arm. Do you know, we could still read those initials O.W.P.“Orlistus Powell – a name full of such promise – now just a memory.“I’ve come to take you home now, son. To lay you to rest where you grew up. I know you’ll miss your comrades here, but we need you close to us. Your mother, especially. A man’s strong, after all, but women grieve differently, don’t they? You’ll be in that fine cemetery at South Mound. Remember that peaceful place not far from your own home? We used to go there for picnics. We’ll put up a fine POWELL marker there and all be together for our last, peaceful rest.“Well, it’s time to board the train back home. I wish you were sitting here beside me. I wish I could have taken your place. I wish… But wishes are pointless, aren’t they? All we can do is what we have to do and live with our memories. You’ll live with us forever, son, but how we will miss you!” ... See MoreSee Less