Back in 2013, the company behind the venerable Ball jar commissioned a tiny test of vintage-inspired quart jars in the obscure color of Georgia Green. Only 288 were ever produced, and I wound up with two cases! Here’s how it happened.
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Make that thirteen threads: in February, people in Muncie learned that all of our mall would be demolished, beginning with the long-vacant Sears, J.C. Penney, and old three-screen cinema. At first, the wrecking ball was supposed to arrive in March1. Later, the timeline was pushed back to April2. Now, with two-thirds of May already gone and no visible signs of demolition outside, a strange limbo has settled over the property. Curious, I ventured in. A baker’s dozen of tenants are still hanging on compared to sixty-seven in 2004.
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You wouldn’t know it today since a single AMC Classic is all that operates in town, but Richmond, Indiana, once boasted a remarkable collection of movie theaters. Early venues like the Gennett or Lawrence, the Murray/Indiana, and the Murette established a rich cinematic tradition that also included the State, Palace, Ritz, and others. One theater stood above the rest, though, and it was the Tivoli. Unfortunately, most of Richmond’s grand movie palace and crown jewel of downtown entertainment is slated to be torn down soon.
Continue reading “Farewell to Richmond’s Tivoli Theatre”
Quiet countryside corners are full of history if you know where to look. Just north of Jones Cemetery in rural Delaware County, the sorry remains of the old Pleasant Run Church sit amidst the weeds and bramble. They beg for a second glance.
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Most of us have probably heard of the Masons, the Moose, the Elks, and the Eagles- fraternal organizations mostly named after animals whose lodges dot our local landscape. Some may have even heard of more obscure groups like the Odd Fellows or the Knights of Pythias! I’d only ever known Modern Woodmen of America through the distinctive grave markers left by some of its members, and it wasn’t until I stumbled across an old lodge hall in Eaton that the organization suddenly took on more of a physical presence.
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Yesterday, Jim Grey compared finding work to riding a roller coaster: all you can do is hang on and trust that it will eventually end. Jim’s post hit pretty close to home for two reasons: on one hand, I’m deep into a frustrating and fruitless job search. On the other, I just unearthed a treasure trove of photos I took of the roller coasters at Indiana Beach. Somehow, it all felt fitting.
Continue reading “A hundred years of Indiana Beach”
Some buildings blend quietly into their surroundings. Others insist on being remembered. Sparta Christian Church does both! It’s thanks to the structure’s monumental architecture and bizarre neon sign.
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Downtown Hartford City punches far above its weight from an architectural standpoint. Much of that impact comes from the 160-foot-tall Blackford County Courthouse, which dominates the skyline and announces the town long before you reach the square. Fortunately, it isn’t standing alone: among Hartford City’s most prominent structures is the old Ingram Hotel. It’s impressive in its own right.
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Back when my dad lived up north, we made the Fort Wayne-to-Goshen run on U.S. Route 33 like clockwork every other weekend. We’d roll through little towns like Kimmell without a second though, but what changed the day Dad caught wind of something you don’t see every day: the intersection of Lincoln and Hitler Streets. For a guy wired for history, the intersection was irresistible! Next thing we knew, we followed his curiosity and saw it for ourselves.
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I’ve started to notice a pattern here: I keep showing up just in time. Not at the height of things, and not long after they’re gone, but in that narrow window when a place is still standing, still recognizable, and just beginning to slip away. Indiana’s old county homes seem especially prone to that timing, and that’s exactly how I found the old DeKalb County Home.
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