President’s Message

After many years of dreaming, discussions and good planning, the Bartholomew County

Historical Society has a new storage facility at the Breeding Farm. Now there is a large,

dry, secure area for the Society’s extensive collection of Reeves machines and engines.

The “Reeves Barn”, as we have been calling it, was made possible because of the generos-

ity of Millie Reeves from the trust she established for BCHS.

Two very dedicated Board members, Jim Huntington and Orwic Johnson took the lead

and brought this facility to reality. Both men spent countless hours coordinating the de-

sign and construction of the project and we all owe both men a debt of gratitude for work-

ing many hours to finish this storage facility.

Dedication of the new Reeves Barn became official July 25th in conjunction with the

pancake breakfast at the farm. About 300 people turned out for a morning of good food,

fun and fellowship. The Society was most fortunate to have two Columbus businesses

step up to underwrite the morning. Dimitri’s Restaurant supplied the pancake batter and

Lemley’s volunteered their equipment and staff to cook. Please thank them next time you

are in either business. We could not have done it with out them, and sponsorship like

these truly makes a difference.

Executive Director Julie Hughes did a great job planning the morning, seeking under-

writing and organizing a good team of volunteers. Julie has reported we gained several

new members and a nice number of people signed up for the Heritage Classes at the Mu-

seum on Saturdays.

Over the years several people have said that they have made provisions in their will for

the Historical Society. In order to more properly honor those thoughtful donors, BCHS

has established the Bartholomew Society. Membership is open to anyone who tells us

they have made a provision in their estate plans for the Bartholomew County Historical

Society. If you have any questions about the Bartholomew Society or planned giving in

general please feel free to contact either Executive Director Julie Hughes or me. We will

be updating the list of new Bartholomew Society in future newsletters.

I am also happy to announce that BCHS has raised almost enough money to paint the

barn roofs at the Breeding Farm. Hopefully, the remaining balance can be raised, and

work can still begin this fall. This is all part of a much larger plan to maintain and improve

the physical plant of all of our treasured properties. If you would like to be part of this

project please give Julie Hughes a call at the museum.

In closing let me just say the Bartholomew County Historical Society is alive and well

and growing stronger every day. I thank a very dedicated Board of Directors, a profes-

sional staff, and countless volunteers who have made this growth possible. I also thank

you, our members, without whom, nothing could happen.

Newsletter

Summer 2009 Volume 97

President’s

Letter

Pancake

Breakfast

Calendar

Breeding

Farm roof

Recipes/Oral

histories

Recent

Additions

Green

Restoration

Bartholomew

County

Historical

Society

524 Third St.

Columbus,

IN

47201

Phone:

(812)372-3541

Fax:

(812)372-3113

NEW CONTACT INFORMATION!

Email:info@ bartholomewhistory.org

Help us name the Newsletter!

It’s time for a change! It’s been “quarterly connection” and “newsletter” in the past, but we

think it needs a better name, and YOU can help. Take a moment during these next few

days, and think about what name best describes the newsletter; what it has been, and what

it could be. If you have an idea, give us a call at 812-372-3541 or send us an e-mail at

jhughes@bartholomewhistory.org.

Special thanks to Dimitri’s and Lemley’s Catering!

Almost 300 people braved the lightening-filled skies to enjoy a pancake breakfast benefiting the his-

torical society’s programming efforts. The batter for the pancakes was provided by Dimitri’s Restaurant.

Lemley’s provided the sausage as well as cooked the food on their portable griddle. We went through al-

most 2 gallons of syrup during the morning! Diners were treated to a concert performed by the Banister

Family Band, who thoroughly pleased those in attendance.

The program featured a dedication of the new Reeves Pavilion along with a ribbon-cutting. Guests

were treated to the sights and sounds of several Reeves engines that were up and going for the event. The

engines, manned by Bill Stahl and Jim Loesch, were the hit with the early morning crowds. The large steam

engine thrilled the crowd with a loud whistle to announce the start of the dedication.

The crowd gathers before the Reeves dedication. The Banister Family Band was a treat for the crowd!

Christmas Nativity Display

For the 2009 Holiday season, BCHS will be displaying Nativity sets from lo-

cal families. If you have a Nativity scene that you would like to temporarily

loan to the Society from November 17 to Jan 1st, please call us at 812-372-

3541.

Pancake Breakfast

Fall Calendar

September 2009

Sep 14th and Sept 28: Heritage Class; Heirloom Knitting Socks 6:00-8:00pm FREE!

Sit down with Cathi Jones and staff from Cottage Knits and revisit patterns from WWII Red

Cross pattern books. Yarn and knitting needles provided. Instructions for finishing the pro-

ject at home will be provided. Basic casting on and knit stitch knowledge is required. Class

is limited to 10 people. Registration required.

Sep 26: Saturday Sampler “Climbing Your Family Tree” 10am

October is Family History Month, and you haven’t started researching your family tree yet?

Join the BCHS and get the basics. Explore the resources in the Cline-Keller library. Kids

will make a free Family Tree copy book to take home. Hours are 10:00am to Noon.

October 2009

Oct 1: Annual Meeting and Dinner

Join us as we host the program, “Abraham Lincoln in Song”. This program, endorsed by the

National Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, celebrates Lincoln’s story through a

rich tapestry of storytelling, narrative and song, performed by Midwest musician, Chris Val-

lillo. Villillo combines Lincoln’s own words and stories with period folk songs to bring folks

a glimpse into the 16th President’s life and times. A buffet meal is included in the ticket

price. $25 per person. Registration required.

Oct 24: Saturday Sampler “Pumpkin Palooza” 10am

Join the staff and volunteers of BCHS as we celebrate the pumpkin. We’ll explore the his-

tory of jack-o-lanterns, sample some tasty pumpkin treats and even create some spooky

crafts to take home. First 20 in the door receive a free mini-pumpkin to decorate!

Oct 28: Heritage Class Crazy Quilt Stocking I: Construction 7pm FREE!

Make your own Victorian-inspired holiday treasure! Reach into our fabric bag and create

something unique and special, or bring your own fabric scraps and create a family heirloom.

Information for finishing the stocking at home will be provided. No machine sewing needed.

All supplies provided. For ages 15 and up, no sewing experience required. Registration re-

quired.

Oct 30: All Hallows Eve Program 1-4 pm.

Kids put on your costume and trick or treat at the museum where costumed historic charac-

ters will greet you. Halloween decorations through the years will be on display, and we’ll

explore the history behind the holiday. Free museum admission!

Call 372-3541 to

register for classes or

the Annual Meeting!

Oral History Project Help

BCHS has started an oral history project! We’re asking for residents who lived in Bartholo-

mew County during the years of the Great Depression and World War II to share those sto-

ries with us. BCHS staff will be interviewing those interested and taping the sessions. A

DVD of the session will then be available to participants. If you are interested in contribut-

ing your stories, please call 372-3541 to set up an appointment. Please consider sharing this

important part of the county’s history with us!

In addition, we’ll be needing volunteers to help with the interview process. If you’re inter-

ested in conducting interviews, please let us know by calling 372-3541.

Did you know that Indiana farms that have stayed in one family for more than 100

years are eligible for the Hoosier Homestead awards from the state? Check our next

newsletter for more information, or call us at 372-3541!

Help us repair the Henry Breeding Farm roof!

We’re repairing (and painting) the roof at the Henry Breeding Farm, and need

your help. The metal roof is starting to show wear and tear from the years of

use, and it sustained damage in a recent wind storm. As you might guess, re-

pairing and painting the equivalent of a third floor roof can be expensive, and

we need to raise an additional $5,000. If you’d like to donate to the process,

drop something in the mail, or give us a call, and mention “barn fund”. Every

dollar counts, and we’d like to keep this part of the county’s history in good

working order!

Comfort Food This month‟s recipe comes to use from Shirley Todd. Shirley won first place in the

2000 Tipton Lakes Fall Festival Pie Baking Contest with this pie! According to Shirley, the

finished product looks more like a pecan pie than a coconut one.

French Coconut Pie

3 eggs beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon vinegar

1 cup milk 1 cup firmly packed shredded coconut

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon all purpose flour 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except pie shell. Pour filling into the pie

shell and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake for 50 minutes or

until the top is golden and the center is almost set. When cool, store in the refrigerator.

Yield: 8 servings.

In your Own Words

(Snippets of BCHS oral history interviews)

An interview with William S Jones, 1869

“Dr Hiram Smith was the first physician who settled in Columbus and was a reasonably

well read doctor for this section of our new country. Dr. Smith was a drinker who believed in

keeping above fever heat and died from the effects of intemperance. At the time of his death

he lived in Edinburgh and requested his friend, Dr. Tiffin Davis of Columbus to hold a post

mortem after his death. When he was about breathing his last he said as his last words,

„Don‟t I die like a philosopher?‟ and expired.

Dr. Davis was equally fond of whiskey examined his body and found large ulcerations in his

stomach and his liver so cooked that it very closely resembled a nutmeg as it was cut

through. Dr. Davis after this for a long time refused to get drunk but finally his appetite got

the better of his resolution and as a dog to his vomit and a hog to its wallow so he returned

to the sparkling bowl.”

Thanks to Mary Glasson (and others) for calling us about Blanche Breeding‟s

roll recipe. It seems everybody agrees the rolls should be cooked at 250 degrees!

New Additions to the Collection

Thanks to Jim Loesch for donating more glass plate negatives to put in our

collection! Here’s a few from the latest donation:

Editor’s Note: As for the contraption on the

left, we contacted Creighton Brothers Farms

for more information. Gale Creighton sent the

response:

“Fertile eggs would be placed in a nest inside

the confined box along with a „setting hen‟.

After the chicks hatched and were out from

under her wings they were allowed to escape

through the bars to scratch for food (bugs,

worms and grass) during the day. There ap-

pears to be a roll-up lid on one end of the

cage. Under the lid there might be cracked

corn or wheat. At the top of the cage and at

each end there are round hooks. A pole could

be extended through each end and 2 men

could more easily carry it. It could be moved

inside at night for protection from varmints

such as rats, coons and hawks. This appears

to be a commercially produced piece of equip-

ment and could be purchased through hard-

ware stores or catalogues.”

Historic Restoration can be “Green”!

We’ve all seen evidence of the green revolution on our tv programs and in hundreds of

magazines published monthly, but a recent caller to the society asked a great question: Can a

historic home renovation be “green”? We’re here to say “YES”, and we’ll start with the win-

dows! Many homeowners are concerned with energy efficiency and environmental responsi-

bility and often those measures are in contrast with keeping with the historic integrity of older

homes. One greener option for homeowners to consider is repairing, rather than replacing

older windows in the home. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a his-

toric wood window can be just as energy efficient as a new window. Plus, historic wood win-

dows typically last over 100 years, as opposed to newer replacement windows with a life

span of less than 25 years!

Experts suggest if your windows were manufactured before 1940, they are good candi-

dates for repair, rather than replacement. Windows made in the pre-war era were generally

constructed with individual parts, all of which can be repaired or replaced. Most pre-war win-

dows were made of a more dense wood than is found in windows today, and this older, denser

wood is often more rot-resisistant than newer, modern woods. According to Historic Home

magazine, “restored windows look better, last longer, and add more to the resale value of a

historic home than vinyl or aluminum replacements”.

If you’re planning on keeping those old windows, here are some tips to help conserve and

preserve:

1. Keep the exterior wooden surfaces painted. Paint protects the wood from damage.

2. Lock it up! While the lock does help with security, it also keeps cold air out by creating a

seal.

3. Adding weather stripping to the window can boost the energy efficiency by as much as

50%!

4. Use your storm windows. Old wooden storm windows transfer less heat than the new

metal framed storm windows.

5. Keep condensation to a minimum. If you notice moisture on the inside of your interior

window, cold air is coming IN, so check to make sure your storm window is properly

sealed. If the moisture is inside the storm window, warm air is leaking OUT of your win-

dow, and the inside window needs attention.

For more information about historic restoration, please see the National Trust for His-

toric Preservation’s website at www.preservationnation.org.

According to Old House Journal in 2007, more heat is typically lost through the roof and

uninsulated walls than through your windows!

Board of Directors

2009-2010

President

Jeff Baker

Vice President

Amy Kaiser

Treasurer

Sam Pentzer

Secretary

Ann Knobloch

David Dailey

Michael McIver

Orwic Johnson

Lou Marr

Linda Nay

Bob Schwartzkopf

Laura Thayer

BCHS Staff

Julie Hughes – Executive Director

Carla Clark-Business Manager

The Bartholomew County Historical Soci-

ety is a not-for-profit corporation chartered in

1921, and located at 524 Third Street in Colum-

bus, Indiana.

The building features local history exhib-

its and is open Tuesday through Friday, from

9:00am to 4:00 p.m. and other hours by appoint-

ment. The research library is open to the public

during normal business hours. For more informa-

tion:

Phone: 812-372-3541

Email: info@bartholomewhistory.org

Website: www.bartholomewhistory.org

Bartholomew County Historical Society

524 Third Street

Columbus, IN 47201

Dated Material

New!

Jim Huntington –Immediate Past President

Harry McCawley-County Historian