Saturday, May 17, 2025

May 17, 2025

Early Transportation in Central Indiana, Part I

The Fairland Historical Society last week hosted a lecture of interest given by Nancy VanArendonk, president of the Franklin Township Historical Society, on Early Transportation in Central Indiana. The following are excerpts from VanAredonk’s presentation.

In Indiana's earliest days, you had basically just two means of getting around: You could walk or you could be either on or behind a horse. Given the limitations of distance and pulling weight, a solution was to float items.
In the 1820s, Indiana decided to build a system of canals, which would enable better commerce.
Indiana's Internal Improvement Act of 1836 appropriated $6 million to build canals. One was successfully completed, the 101-mile White Water Canal from Hagerstown to Cincinnati.
The Indianapolis Central Canal, designed to stretch for 296 miles, was never completed because the state went bankrupt three years into the process. Progress was stopped after 26 miles. In the 1980s, the city decided to clean up the canal and turn it into something that would be not only useful for the city, but also a tourist attraction, leading to White River State Park and the completion of the canal walk in 2001.
The canals did not become the statewide solution to transport or to ship items, but something else did: railroads.
In 1853, the first Union Station in the world was opened in Indianapolis. Previously, those traveling on rail had to disembark, gather their luggage and go across town to a different railroad station to get to the next city.
By 1870, Indianapolis Union Station handled over 100 trains a day. In 1888, the new Union Station replaced the original building, and that 1888 station is still in use.
In the 1870s, there was a massive outbreak of equine influenza, and thousands of horses died. There was a real problem getting people from point to point because the horses had been the main means of transport in that they pulled interurban wagons. There began to be discussion about what could be done to provide transportation that didn't depend on horses, which led to the rapid development of electric vehicles.
Interurban cars in the 1890s could run 70 miles per hour.
Since interurban trains ran on electricity, the expansion of the rail system brought electricity to small towns that hadn't previously had access to electric service. Although it was expensive to install power, communities realized that the interurban was paying for it, so they paid the interurban to sell them electricity. However, when interurban service stopped for the day, say 6 p.m., the power shut off, so houses wired for electricity still had to rely on kerosene lamps, candles and oil lamps.
The I&C Traction Line brought electricity to Wanamaker and Acton in the early 1900s, and provided power for Acton street lights in 1903.

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NOTEBOOK:

A Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy struck a deer with his patrol vehicle at the intersection of N. Riley Highway and Trotters Chase addition. The driver’s side of the vehicle was damaged. Neither the deputy nor his K9 partner were injured.
A driver turning left out of a Super Wash bay on East State Road 44 struck the wall of the bay. The vehicle sustained scratch marks on the rear driver side area. The washing bay sustained damage to the south portion of the the wall connecting bays 1 and 2.
HOOSIER NEWS: The Indiana Department of Transportation yesterday closed two southbound lanes on I-465 between Fall Creek Road and I-70 to allow construction crews to install permanent pavement markings. INDOT expects lanes to reopen at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 19. (IndyStar)
NATIONAL NEWS: In 1946, Harvard Law School purchased what was believed to be an unofficial copy of the Magna Carta for $27.50 (about $450 today) that had been made in 1327. The school then proceeded to stash it away in a library. A new analysis from two medieval history professors has concluded that it’s, in fact, a bona fide lost original Magna Carta and may very well be worth millions. The Magna Carta was issued by King John in 1215 and introduced the writ of habeas corpus. There were probably something like 200 originals made and sent out around England, of which 24 editions made between 1215 and 1300 survived. The handwriting and dimensions of the document — badly faded in some places — appeared to be consistent with the six previously known originals from 1300. (BBC News/Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights

May 13, 1977, Part II

One hundred and twenty-five seniors went to Kings Island for Grad Night, which cost $14. The full day included breakfast at Mac’s Steakhouse, commencement practice at Garrett Gymnasium and then boarding two “blue birds” (buses) to Kings Island. “So far, only two brave souls have volunteered to execute their chaperoning services - Mr. and Mrs. Hearne.”
“Surely every senior will miss the informative morning announcements by the articulate, well-modulated voice of Mr. Orem - or Mr. Craft at the time of crisis (… ‘We’ll try it again tomorrow, and if it doesn’t work, you won’t eat at all’…. ‘If I catch one more unauthorized car in the teacher’s parking lot.’)
David Muth was elected president of the 1977-78 Student Council. Rick Hayes would be vice-president. Senior class officers were Kelly McKenney, Rod McComas and Alan Joseph. Junior class officers would be Barry McKenney, Natalie Agler and Rene Snyder.
The 24 members of Show Group held their Spectacular event, singing and dancing to songs such as “Rockin the Boat” and “If They Could See Me Now.” Tickets were $1 and $2.50.

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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 city of Shelbyville began a search for the city’s first full-time City Attorney. Mayor Scott Furgeson and Personnel Director Jody Branum had whittled the candidate list to 10. Kyle Baker, who previously had held the position on a part-time basis, had recently stepped down.

1995: Ace Hardware, 109 S. Harrison St., was in the final stages of its Going-Out-Of-Business Sale.

1985: Todd Rosenfeld received the 26th annual Earl Trees Award, given to outstanding Safety Patrol members. Jason Eads was runner-up. Judges were city police officers Dave Benefiel and Ike Sadler.

1975: Bob Wilkinson was named winner of the SHS band’s coveted Sousa Award during a banquet and awards ceremony in the cafeteria. Donald Wickizer Jr. and John Egloff presented the award. Steve Frazee and Karen Thornburg were named drum major and head majorette, respectively, for the next year.

1965: Rick Zimny was named recipient of the Earl Trees Award for most outstanding school safety patrol. He was selected due to written test results and personal interviews. Other top patrol officers from local schools were James Miner, Roger Garlitch, Mike Degner and Greg Lowe.

1955: St. Joseph School students went on a picnic at Pittsford. Students graduating from St. Joe were Carolyn Wisker, Margaret Willis, Sandra Wainscott, Myrna Scott, Sue Ellen Runnebohm, Angela Lux, Judy Kremer, Rose Ann Knoebel, Marjorie Jeffries, Gloria Corley, Anna Brackman, John Stieneker, Raymond Rosenfeld, Patrick Price, Jo Ed Braunagel and Raymond Anspaugh.

1945: Bessie Keith, Morris Ave., received word that her son, Corp. Tech. Sheldon Keith, had been liberated from a German prisoner of war camp. He was in Belgium.

1935: Samuel Patterson of Lewis Creek was the first to be cited for double parking under the new ordinance. He paid the $1 fine to avoid a court appearance.

The new Wilson Funeral Parlor, operated by C.L. Wilson, opened in the I.O.O.F. building in St. Paul.

1925: City Council approved a resolution that ensured children at the Gordon Children’s Home could receive treatment at Major Hospital without charge.

1915: Robert Markley and William Groebel, who were just graduating from SHS, purchased The Toggery Shop on S. Harrison St. from Earle W. Beckman. The young men had worked in the store for two years.