Footprints Feb 2016; Volume 5 Issue 1(Pdf 3MB)
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Footprints A publication of the Howard County Historical Society Volume 5, Issue 1 February 2016 100 years ago In 1916 The Howard County Historical Society was born Seiberling resident Cora Miller was peddling home remedies to ladies The roof of the mansion was already 25 years old From the executive director Fostering a flourishing community ’ve heard it said that the most dangerous gy were shuttered. The Great Depression was words in the English language are “we’ve no less tragic here than anywhere else. And I always done it that way.” Maybe not as we’ve repeatedly experienced the vicissitudes dangerous as “it’s not loaded” or “I double-dog of both the auto industry and agriculture. dare you,” but the point is well-taken. Do We didn’t survive by doing the same old what’s right and what works – even if it isn’t thing. Our story is one of persistence and inno- what has always been done. vation and of the people who chose to not give History is full of failures brought about by un- in. willingness to change. Some of the early settle- The job of the historical society is to preserve ments in the Americas fell apart because the the stories of those people and help us all colonists wanted to live the way they had lived learn from their choices both good and bad. in Europe and couldn’t accept the fact that their The biggest lesson is the importance of peo- old lifestyle was a death sentence in the New ple, and the best things we can do to ensure World. The business world of today is full of our future all have to do with fostering a com- similar stories. munity that people will flourish in. Let’s build a Howard County has faced many difficult cir- community that brings people together, and cumstances in its short existence. The national let’s start by looking to the past to learn what Panic of 1893 nearly killed our major manufac- works and what doesn’t. turer at the time. When the natural gas boom ended, the local economy took a huge hit, and Dave Broman many factories that depended on gas for ener- HCHS Executive Director In this issue: 2 From the executive director 10 Saying goodbye to a long- 3 State bicentennial events time volunteer 4 HCHS turns 100 12 It was a TREEmendous 6 Weaving county stories Christmas together 13 Visitors choose their 8 Miller artifacts added Christmas favorites to collection 15 Membership 2 Events planned to mark bicentennial s Indiana celebrates its Kokomo Salutes bicentennial this year, Indiana’s Automotive Special places A a number of events Heritage 1894-1964 in local history and projects are planned in A week-long celebration of Indi- Howard County to mark the oc- ana’s automotive heritage in Ko- made available casion. komo Sept. 5-11. Events include Indiana Driving Tours – Tours on interactive map Hoosier Made: World Driven will explore the state’s great his- The Kokomo Automotive Herit- n Dec. 11, Indiana toric and automotive sites and age Museum is hosting “Hoosier wonderful Hoosier cuisine. Driv- O will celebrate 200 Made: World Driven,” a three- ing tours will depart from the Ko- years of statehood. museum celebration of Indiana’s komo Automotive Museum on As part of that celebra- automotive heritage. The event, a Sept. 5. One tour will head to Legacy Project endorsed by the tion, the Kokomo- Northern Indiana and the other to Indiana Bicentennial Commis- Howard County Public Southern Indiana. sion, runs until Oct. 3. Library and the Howard Historic Kokomo Tours – “Hoosier Made: World Driven” Learn more about the history of County Historical Socie- examines the heyday of Indiana’s Howard County with tours at the ty are partnering to cre- automobile industry when some Seiberling Mansion, Elwood ate an interactive map of the world’s finest motorcars Haynes Museum, Kokomo Auto- for you to share your were built in the Hoosier state. motive Museum and Downtown The exhibit will be presented at photos and memories of Kokomo. Indiana’s three leading transpor- special places across Haynes-Apperson Automo- tation museums: The Kokomo the community. bile Reunion – Historians believe Automotive Heritage Museum, that as few as 150 of Kokomo- Through April 30, stop the Studebaker National Museum built Haynes and Apperson cars by the Genealogy & Lo- in South Bend and the Auburn still exist. For one weekend, the cal History Department Cord Duesenberg Automobile goal is to get one-third of the sur- Museum in Auburn. A passport at the library’s main fa- viving automobiles back to Koko- (available at all three museums) cility downtown and mo, making this reunion the big- can be stamped at two museums staff members will scan gest assemblage of Haynes and with admission to the third muse- Apperson cars since production your items of interest um for free. ended nearly a century ago. and collect the pertinent The Kokomo display will feature Classic Car Club of America information. five different Haynes and Apper- Grand Classic – Dozens of ex- son touring vehicles. The muse- The library will put the amples of automotive royalty will um is home to more than 100 memories together on be on display in Highland Park on antique automobiles and offers an interactive map not- Saturday, Sept. 10. The public is visitors a glimpse of the nation’s invited to enjoy these rare and ing these special loca- automotive history, with an em- beautiful cars. tions. The map will be phasis on local automotive histo- on display August ry. Continued on Page 15 through November. 3 Happy 100th Birthday to us t’s been one hundred years since a the old Carnegie Library, the Howard County group of local women began work to pre- Historical Society has grown to a 4-building I serve our county history. campus with a sophisticated collection system Following the celebration of Indiana’s centen- and local history library. nial in 1916, the Woman’s Department Club in As the state of Indiana celebrates its bicen- Kokomo put into motion a plan to recognize tennial, Howard County Historical Society is and preserve our local heritage. celebrating its centennial. What follows is a County leaders agreed, and from that first look back at some of our major milestones. small collection of artifacts in the basement of 1914 – The Kokomo Daily 1937 - The county commis- about to be razed to make Tribune reported on a meeting sioners made space for the way for the Kokomo Reservoir, intended to bring about the museum collection in the was saved from the wrecking “organization of a society dedi- basement of the new court- ball and moved to Highland cated to the business of col- house. Park under the leadership of lecting and preserving all ma- the historical society. 1939 – The museum opened terials shedding light on the as a WPA project, and an 1964 – Indiana University, natural, civil, and political his- open house was sponsored by which had been using the tory of Howard County.” the Women’s Relief Corps, Seiberling Mansion for class- 1916 - Across the state, com- VFW Auxiliary, Spanish War rooms, moved to a new cam- munities were celebrating the Veterans, American Legion pus, and the historical society Indiana Centennial, much as Auxiliary and the Daughters of soon began to advocate mov- we’re preparing to do for this the American Revolution. ing the county museum to the year’s bicentennial. In Howard mansion. 1941 - The museum County, the Kokomo Chamber closed following the of Commerce presented a attack on Pearl Har- community exposition and the bor and remained highlight of the show was a closed for the rest of display of historical artifacts World War II. organized by Kokomo educa- tor C.V. Haworth. Those arti- 1956 – County com- facts became the backbone of missioners, dealing exhibits in the basement of the with overcrowding in Carnegie library in Kokomo. the courthouse, The museum rapidly outgrew begin considering the library, and artifacts were ways to move the stored in various places museum out of its around the county including basement. the office of the Kokomo park In 1965, C.V. Haworth looks over museum arti- 1958 – The Vermont superintendent. facts, then located in the basement of the Car- covered bridge, negie Library. 4 Oct. 2-3, 1965 – The historical society held an open house in the Seiberling Mansion to pro- mote its preservation and excite community in- For the terest in the project. 1969 – The Howard County Council agreed to support acquisition of the Seiberling Mansion from Indiana University as a new home for the Future… county museum. By Dave Broman July 1973 – The museum opened in the Seiber- HCHS Executive Director ling Mansion after a year of work and fund- raising by the Howard County Historical Society. centennial is often the occasion to look back at past accomplishments. In 1973 the booklet “Monroe Seiberling’s Man- A We’ve done some things that genuinely de- sion” was written by Mary Ellen Harnish and serve pride – and maybe even a little brag- Manfred Wright and published by HCHS. An ging (within reason, of course). But this updated version still available for purchase. should also be a time to look forward and 1987 – The society hosted a Victorian Celebra- ask what we’ll do with the next hundred tion in the Seiberling Mansion to help promote years. and raise funds for the community’s Hoosier The society’s board of trustees came to Celebration ’88 project, a renovation of the man- the conclusion last year that we need a big, sion.