Monday, July 21, 2025
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TURNING POINT
With the start of Shelbyville Central Schools two and a half weeks away, the roundabout at McKay Road and Miller Street appears on track to meet the planned deadline. | photos by JOHN WALKER
Grover Center Building Celebrates 75 Years of History
(Top left): Ray and Cindy Wetnight converse with James Garrett Jr. during the Grover Center’s 75th anniversary celebration. (Top right): Grover Center staff pause in the schoolroom exhibit. Front row, from left: Sarah Blackwell, collections; Sarah Richardt, executive director. Second row: Brooke Dennis, digital media intern; Nicole Collins, museum assistant; Back row: Nolan Chaddon, curatorial intern. (Middle left): Terri Hauk, granddaughter Ella Handley, and Rob Hauk enjoy the evening’s festivities. (Middle right): The Grover Center’s gift shop features local history books, vintage-style merchandise and museum-themed gifts. (Bottom): Exhibits at the Grover Center include a detailed model of a home and a replica log cabin, offering a hands-on experience of the Shelby County history. | photos by JACK BOYCE | coverage for article by ANNA TUNGATE
The building that houses the Grover Center: the museum of the Shelby County Historical Society marked its 75th anniversary with an event on Thursday commemorating decades of transformation in the heart of downtown Shelbyville.
Constructed in 1950 as the second Elks Lodge on the site, the limestone-and-brick building replaced the original 1897 structure. The project cost approximately $225,000 and featured Bedford stone, marble stairs, parquet floors and a restaurant that was regarded by some as one of the best in Shelby County. The kitchen was outfitted with commercial equipment donated by Chambers, and it was operated by two women—both named Frances (last names were not immediately known)—who became locally known for their fried chicken.
Originally built for the Elks, the building was later used briefly by the Moose Lodge. In 1979, the Shelby County Historical Society purchased the property, thanks to a bequest from Lena Grover, a charter member of the organization’s first official board formed in 1956. Although the Society had been active since 1922, the board was not incorporated until decades later. Grover’s will stipulated that her farm be sold to fund the purchase or construction of a fire-resistant museum building. Her land sold for $280,000, allowing the society to acquire the former lodge.
Before settling on the current building, the board considered two other options: the old high school and the Charles Major School. The high school was deemed too small and poorly suited to exhibits due to its multiple levels, while the Charles Major School was considered too large and costly to renovate. The former Elks Lodge stood out as an appropriately sized, museum-worthy structure.
In recent years, major investments have been made to preserve and update the historic building. In November, $120,000 was spent from the Society’s investment fund to replace the roof. Additional repairs, including window restoration and tuckpointing, have cost around $90,000 and were funded through grants from the Blue River Community Foundation, Wortman Family Foundation and Shelbyville Main Street.
The Historical Society, now more than 100 years old, remains committed to both preserving the building and advancing its educational mission. The Grover Center continues to expand its programming with events like story times, Juneteenth celebrations, school visits and new exhibits. A cosplay and video game-themed event targeting teens and young adults is planned for August.
The organization’s largest annual fundraiser, “Blast from the Past,” will return on Saturday, Sept. 27. This year’s theme is “Disco Night,” with 1970s food, dancing and a light-up floor at the Carl McNeely Civic Center. Tickets are $40 for adults and $10 for children, with a focus on making the evening family-friendly.
The Grover Center is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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NOTEBOOK:
Shelbyville Central Schools hosts its annual registration event on today, July 21, and tomorrow, July 22, from 12 to 7 p.m. at Shelbyville Middle School. Families who need assistance with the enrollment and registration process are encouraged to attend the Help Sessions during these times. Online registration opens Monday morning for returning students. Those interested in the new virtual school option can visit this link at the SCS website for additional information or attend the registration event. As part of the event, a Community Fair will be held in the SMS Auxiliary Gym, offering a wide range of free resources for students. These include backpacks and trapper keepers (donated by Knauf), new kids’ shoes (donated by Hope’s Point), new socks (donated by Radius), and dental care provided by Emhardt. Free haircuts will be available, and gently used hoodies and coats will also be distributed. Local organizations will also be on hand to provide information and support, and staff from across the district will assist with technology, enrollment paperwork, and student scheduling.
Morristown Youth Football is launching its first-ever 8-man high school football team this fall, extending its successful K–8 program to grades 9–12. Led by Head Coach Josh O’Meara, the Yellow Jackets open their inaugural season August 23 at Waldron, with their home debut September 6 against Rock Creek Academy. The volunteer-run nonprofit, established in 2021, provides free football opportunities funded entirely through donations and sponsorships.
Shelby County’s annual Arts in the Park festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 6, at Blue River Memorial Park, 725 Lee Blvd., Shelbyville. This free event features live performances, art projects, food trucks, puppet shows, kite flying, music, face painting, and more for all ages. Activities begin at 9 a.m. and continue throughout the day.
HOOSIER NEWS: An Indiana task force will evaluate the state’s emergency alert system in the wake of the recent deadly floods in Texas. The Braun administration announced the task force’s creation Thursday. In a statement, Gov. Mike Braun said the state wants to take a proactive step and ensure emergency alert systems in Indiana are up-to-date and fully functional. The task force will also evaluate potential upgrades or enhancements that might be necessary. (Indiana Public Radio)
NATIONAL NEWS: Last week, Stephen Colbert announced that “The Late Show” will end next May following a decision from CBS. Whatever the merit of the decision, the late-night business as a whole isn’t what it used to be. In 2018, late-night network late night shows reaped $439 million in ad revenue, a figure that was down to $220 million last year. (New York Times/Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights
December 1974
Laurie Cadieux was named the recipient of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Good Citizen Award.
“Did you know that Shelbyville has its own answer to WNAP disc jockeys Buster Bodine and Chris ‘Moto-Groove’ Conner? Yes, and our budding DJs are students here at SHS — juniors John Hartnett and Sam Ardery.” Hartnett had been broadcasting regularly at WSVL and had gained a steady following. Ardery had been trained by Hartnett and the station’s chief engineer, Marvin Young.
Trinidad del Carmen, SHS’s only female foreign exchange student from San Salvador, said that in her country, boys were not allowed to have long hair. Police were known to stop boys on the street to cut their hair if it was shoulder length or longer, she said.
Basketball season was about to begin. Members of the girls team were Donna DeHart, Debbie Lux, Charletta Reynolds, Laurie Cadieux, Liz English, Patty Shaw, Denise Miller, Teresa Marshall, Barb Paxton, Julie Branson, Sue Harding, Jan Griffey, Sue Selack and Beth Lewis. Lin Chesser, a teacher at Coulston, was the coach.
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This Day in Shelby County History
News around Shelbyville and the surrounding area as reported on or about this date in history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.
2005: The Joseph Boggs Society sponsored a concert at Boggstown Park featuring Bobby Jenkins & Blue Ridge Grass Band.
1995: The Shelbyville Central Schools board authorized hiring a computer typing teacher for eighth-graders at Shelbyville Middle School. The additional position was part of the corporation’s plan to expand computer classes. Computer typing would eventually be phased out of the high school and moved to the elementary level, the district said.
1985: County commissioners approved a contract with Dataronics, a division of Indiana Bell, to install a Centrex phone system for county offices. With Centrex, a call to the wrong office could be transferred to the correct one, addressing a recurring complaint among employees. Also, the county would no longer rent its telephone equipment.
1975: Fourteen air conditioners were installed at Triton Elementary to better facilitate year-round school. Raymond Anderson, Steve Hatton and Ralph Kuhn handled the installations.
1965: A new local high school history teacher sent school board members a letter of complaint about not receiving a renewal notice for his contract. The board responded with a letter: “Your ability and temperament do not meet the standards of the school corporation sufficiently for the corporation to extend your employment and thereby permit you to become a permanent teacher of the school corporation,” the board stated.
1955: A professor from Purdue spoke at a consolidation meeting held in Fairland to propose reducing the number of high schools in Shelby County. He said enrollment was below recommended levels in five of the seven county high schools.
1945: Military officials sent recruiters to attempt to convince local high school graduates, with a minimum age of 17, to apply for the Naval Aviation V-5 pilot training program.
1935: Approximately 80,000 gallons of heavy tar had been applied to Morristown Road, County Surveyor Earl Mings reported, covering the entire length of the road from its beginning three miles east of Shelbyville to the edge of the pavement about one mile south of Morristown. The state provided the tar in exchange for using the road as a detour during the paving of State Road 9.
1925: An 18-year-old from Franklin escaped from the county jail. Mrs. Nigh, the sheriff’s wife, noticed the man had not responded during roll call. A witness across the street said she saw the man escape from the kitchen of the sheriff’s residence. Officers were calling traction stations and bus and train terminals in an attempt to locate him.
1915: The Shelbyville Republican reported that the Indianapolis City Council had passed a resolution mandating that vegetables and eggs be sold only by weight. This was fairer to farmers who properly fed their chickens, the Republican said. “There will be no more shoving a big sweet potato across a little measure and then laying two or three more across it and calling it a measure,” the paper said.
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OBITUARIES
None today.