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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

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HENRY COUNTY HISTORY FEED

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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

7,884

Henry County Historical Society, Inc

Open early March - December!
We're always open by appointment! Call us at 765-529-4028 or contact Henry County Historian Darrel Radford at 765-524-0530. Thank you for your support of the oldest, continuously operating historical society in Indiana!

Henry County Historical Society, Inc

3 days ago

On this date in Henry County history, July 31, 1985, the city of New Castle was preparing to say goodbye to a long-time city employee. Park superintendent. Jim Mastin, a 30-year veteran, had resigned at a recent New Castle Board of Public Works and Safety meeting. Mastin was named City Park Supt. when Mayor Bud Ayers took office in 1980.The resignation, effective Aug. 23, 1985, brought to an end more than 30 years of service to the city and county by Mastin. In addition to his park superintendent role, Mastin also served the New Castle Police Department for more than two decades. He was also a member of the New Castle/Henry County Emergency First Aid Unit, serving shortly after it was formed in the mid-1940s. Additionally, he had served as assistant to Henry County Prosecutor James Kellam in an investigator-type capacity and once worked in the water department in Mayor Gary Marcum's administration.Mastin's time as a city employee spanned three decades and seven different city administrations.His son, Jeff, was a photographer for the Henry County News Republican in the early 1980s and later followed in his dad's footsteps, serving as a police officer in Indianapolis for 21 years.Jim Mastin is pictured here attaching the cable to the winch on the 80-foot flag pole at the corner of Ind. 3 and Ind. 38.DESTINATION HENRY COUNTYThis 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 https;//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!Come visit the Henry County Historical Society Museum at 606 S. 14th St., New Castle and see a 1911 Maxwell. We're open ANYTIME by appointment. Call 765-529-4028 or 765-524-0530. ... See MoreSee Less

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Henry County Historical Society, Inc

4 days ago

MIKE KOVALESKI: A HALL OF FAMER!On July 30, 1983, New Castle’s Mike Kovaleski shined in the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s North-South All-Star football game at Butler University. The Notre Dame-bound Kovaleski had a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown. Kovaleski was voted by his peers as team captain for the game.Today, 43 years later, Mike Kovaleski's football heroics are making headlines again. Kovaleski is in the Indiana Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 class of inductees. He was one of three players selected to join the Hall from Region 8.In four years at Notre Dame, Kovaleski racked up 353 career tackles, 10th on the all-time list. He was the first freshman in Notre Dame history to start at linebacker. In his first-ever game, Kovaleski recorded 10 tackles, broke up two passes and was named defensive player of the game. In 1986, he was the lone team captain for Coach Lou Holtz’s first seasonHere is a story published by The Henry County News Republican above Kovaleski's big day 43 years ago. Written by Darrel Radford, it was in the Aug. 4, 1983 edition of that newspaper. The photos in this post were taken by Jeff Mastin.For many of the South All-Stars, Saturday's annual prep football battle with the North at Butler University could be summed up in one word."Kovo."A group of New Castle fans shouted it when he was introduced as defensive team captain for the South. A group of South players screamed it when he leveled a North running back. Media members were saying it when he intercepted a pass and ran the ball back 62 yards for a touchdown.Even after the game, "Kovo" seemed to be the phrase of the day."Kovo!" yelled South's Greg Corsar, another linebacker from Roncalli. "I need your number before we leave. I'll come up and see you guys next year.""Kovo" is, of course, the popular abbreviation for New Castle's Mike Kovaleski, an All-American football player who gave more than 10,000 fans a sneak preview of what's to come when he attends Notre Dame University this fall. The linebacker will report to camp next Thursday, Aug. 11.He'll coast into South Bend with nothing but momentum after being named the most valuable defensive player in Saturday's all-star game, a game won by the North 31-22.Mike was honored before he had a chance to chase anybody on a hot, muggy and later stormy Saturday afternoon. He was introduced as a team captain, an honor given to him by his teammates, a collection of the state's best."I think that award given by his peers is a much greater award," Mike's father, Frank Kovaleski, said in between snap shots of his son after the game. "What they're saying is that you're an outstanding player and leader."Mike proved his outstanding defensive ability in the second quarter of the game, when he left North's receiving corps standing still with an electrifying 62-yard interception run for a touchdown.Mike seemed to know what was coming as North quarterback Brant Kennedy barked out the signals. He yelled "spread...spread" just before Kennedy took the snap. Seconds later, he was in the right spot at the right time -- with the football in his hands."He was playing his defense smart," Frank said of the big play that put the South ahead 7-6 for a brief time. "He let the North's man look like he was open. The quarterback didn't even see Mike."New Castle Coach Mark Surface could see Kovaleski's interception coming, even though he was several rows away from the action, sitting in WCTW's radio booth as a commentator."I saw them throw that pass once," Surface said afterward. "I thought, 'I wonder if Mike remembers that?'"He certainly did. And as soon as Kovaleski had the ball in his hands, he made sure no one would catch him. "I thought he showed pretty good speed down the sideline," Frank said of his son. "He just ran off and left them."As Kovaleski was sprinting toward the goal line, the audio levels in the WCTW radio booth threatened to break car windows, thanks to an excited Mark Surface. "I put the needle clear over to the end," Surface admitted with a laugh. Of all the times "Kovo" was yelled during the day, it was never yelled in anger. Frank praised the game as being an exhibition of "class kids," kids who never displayed tempers the entire day, in spite of muggy conditions.Those same athletes probably won't be able to recall the final score of the game or if their team won. But chances are, many of them will remember an athlete New Castle is quite proud to call its own. No. 56, who played all three linebacker positions for the South. A team captain. A most valuable player."Kovo."DESTINATION HENRY COUNTYThis 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 https;//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!Come visit the Henry County Historical Society Museum at 606 S. 14th St., New Castle and see a 1911 Maxwell. We're openANYTIME by appointment. Call 529-4028 and leave a message.VISIT OUR WEBSITE, BECOME A MEMBERFor more interesting historical information, we invite you to visit our webpage, where membership information is available. Click on henrycountymuseum.org/ and become a member of one of the oldest organizations of its kind in the state See less ... See MoreSee Less

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Henry County Historical Society, Inc

5 days ago

On this day in Henry County history, July 29, 1966, plans for the new Blue River Valley High School were in motion after purchase of approximately 40 acres located on the southwest corner of U.S. 36 and Hillsboro Road.Here's a recent photo of how the school looks now. Below are photos of the old Mooreland and Mt. Summit schools which were consolidated to form Blue River Valley.DESTINATION HENRY COUNTYThis 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 https;//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!Come visit the Henry County Historical Society Museum at 606 S. 14th St., New Castle and see a 1911 Maxwell alongside a 1930 Chrysler. We're open ANYTIME by appointment. Call 529-4028 and leave a message. ... See MoreSee Less

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Henry County Historical Society, Inc

6 days ago

On July 28, 1985, Dr. Adelaide Cole had a new book out entitled “Historical Survey of Women’s Physical Education at Ball State University 1894-1975.” A professor of women’s physical education, she was wife of Jim Cole, who owned Beall’s Clothing Store in downtown New Castle.Do you remember the Coles? Did you have Adelaide for any classes at Ball State? What are your memories of Bealls?DESTINATION HENRY COUNTYThis 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 https;//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!Come visit the Henry County Historical Society Museum at 606 S. 14th St., New Castle and see a 1911 Maxwell alongside a 1930 Chrysler. We're open ANYTIME by appointment. Call 529-4028 and leave a message. ... See MoreSee Less

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Henry County Historical Society, Inc

1 week ago

On July 27, 1984, New Castle graduate Troy Burgess caught all three passes thrown his way in the North-South All-Star football game played at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis. Burgess has gone on to have an all-star caliber coaching career, including leading Evansville Central to the Class 4A state championship game in 2018. The photo here is of Burgess coaching Evansville Central. It was the best year in program history for Central, which finished with a school-record 13 wins and advanced to the Class 4A state championship game for the first time in school history. The Bears lost in a four-overtime thriller to Fort Wayne Dwenger,16-10, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.He had previous football coaching stints at South Putnam, where he also was athletic director, Greenfield-Central and Owen Valley. Burgess was 108-76 over 17 seasons. He won sectional titles in 2011 and '13 at South Putnam. Burgess was also a key member of the 1984 New Castle Trojan basketball team that advanced to the IHSAA Final Four.Do you remember Troy Burgess and his playing days at New Castle?DESTINATION HENRY COUNTYThis 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 https;//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!Come visit the Henry County Historical Society Museum at 606 S. 14th St., New Castle and see a 1911 Maxwell. We're open ANYTIME by appointment. Call 529-4028 and leave a message. ... 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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