The New Cumberland covered bridge in Matthews, Indiana

Ted Shideler Leave a comment
Read time: 4 min.

The metal truss bridges I occasionally write about are archaic holdovers from another age. They’re relics, and we’re fortunate they’ve survived at all! Still, I wonder about the crossings that predate those steel structures. About fifteen miles north of my house in the Grant County community of Matthews, a covered wooden bridge still stretches across the Mississinewa River. It’s a celebrated survivor doing what it’s always done.

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Cowan’s Idle Hour truck stop

Ted Shideler 5 Comments
Read time: 3 min.

I’d imagine that driving from New Castle to Muncie on State Road 3 isn’t generous if you’re behind the wheel of a big rig. Only precious few places exist where a trucker can safely pull off for supplies! You’re doing pretty well if you can shoehorn a semi into the postage-stamp parking lot at the Shell on County Road 200, but you’re a downright wizard if you can hold out another fourteen miles to Muncie’s Murphy Oi!. Decades earlier, drivers had another option: just off the highway near Cowan, the Idle Hour truck stop existed for one simple reason: it understood the problem and answered it.

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There’s another new Asia single and I’m here to review it

Ted Shideler 2 Comments
Read time: 5 min.

Sorry to break away from my typical topics, but the newest incarnation of the ’80s progressive-rock supergroup Asia released “The Traveller (Into the Light),” the first single from the band’s long-awaited Indigo album, back on July 6, . On August 12, Frontiers Records released a video for the album’s second single, “Echo of You.” As I was with the first release, I’m here with some thoughts.

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Anderson’s old Shadeland School

Ted Shideler 1 Comment
Read time: 4 min.

Old neighborhood schools still dot Anderson, Indiana, nearly everywhere you turn. Some are old and some are more modern, but if you asked me to pick the most striking of them all, I’d have a hard time choosing anything other than Shadeland Elementary. With its elaborate Gothic Revival styling, castle-like appearance, and commanding presence, it’s still one of Anderson’s architectural standouts a century after it opened,

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Muncie’s sirens still sounded after the flood

Ted Shideler Leave a comment
Read time: 7 min.

Longtime readers here know that I’m fascinated by tornado sirens. I’ve tracked down all of Muncie’s aging Thunderbolts, the Banshee on top of the old courthouse, and even some of the modern 2001-SRNs scattered around these parts. It’s rare that they actually become newsworthy, but the other day, they did! A little.

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Eden Township’s Thompson schoolhouse in LaGrange County

Ted Shideler 2 Comments
Read time: 3 min.

I was driving through rural LaGrange County when I saw a schoolhouse. As I pulled over for a closer look, I wondered if I’d have any luck researching the school and it’s history since its so far from where I usually roam. Fortunately, I have the archives of the old Topeka Journal on hand! They filled in much of the story. 

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Where them stores at? These have moved on from Muncie Mall

Ted Shideler 10 Comments
Read time: 7 min.

It’s been a while since much demolition was visible at the doomed Muncie Mall, and I’m beginning to get antsy. I emailed its owner to ask when the process might resume and, more importantly, when my stats might start climbing again! Of course, I heard nothing but crickets. Instead of an update, I decided to look at where some of the mall’s old stores have wound up instead. As it turns out, the Muncie Mall diaspora hasn’t scattered very far. In a couple of cases, groups of two or three former tenants are right next to each other!

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