Sunday, May 5, 2024
FINAL COUNTDOWN
Republican candidate for governor Brad Chambers, right, stops by the Shelby County Courthouse yesterday to chat with early voters. Chambers started the day on the north side of Indianapolis, throwing out the first pitch for a youth baseball game, then on to Fishers, Carmel and then to Shelbyville before winding up in Speedway. “I think Indiana is better served by an outside business person with fresh eyes,” Chambers told The Addison Times. “It's been 20 years since Mitch Daniels was in office, and he was an outsider, so it's time for another outsider.”
Early voting continues at the courthouse tomorrow, 8 a.m. to noon. The primary election is Tuesday, May 7. | photo by ANNA TUNGATE
Tours Highlight Downtown Architecture
Boba Cafe displays historical pictures of its location, 12 S. Harrison St., during an architectural tour downtown Shelbyville yesterday. Linne’s Bakery provided donuts for tour participants. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS
Two tour groups traversed downtown Shelbyville yesterday, learning about architecture from local historian Kris Schwickrath. The tour started at the Grover Center, the host, and wound up at Boba Cafe on Public Square, where participants enjoyed drinks and donated Linne’s donuts while checking out the preserved tin ceilings, originally part of Farmers National Bank.
Notes and quotes from the tour include:
“Shelbyville’s architecture was pretty much keeping up with the time periods, but we were a little bit behind,” Schwickrath said.
The Grover Center once housed Shelbyville’s biggest service fraternity, the Elks Lodge.
Reviewed the library extension, which connected well with the original Carnegie library. Indiana has the most Carnegie libraries of any U.S. state, with 156 grants leading to 164 public libraries.
Looked at homes on West Broadway with varying styles. Homes with low porch railings are an indication of original work. “American architecture tends to be pretty eclectic, so there's no one distinct style,” Schwickrath said.
There are also numerous details within the woodwork of homes, especially on Broadway and West Washington St. “Woodwork. It’s really hard to maintain, but awesome to look at,” Schwickrath said.
A duplex in the 100 block of West Jackson St. is an example of an “I-house,” so named because they were so common in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. “I-houses” typically featured full-length front porches and were often only one room deep.
The former Inlow building at N. Tompkins and W. Washington is International style. “It’s pretty plain, just utilitarian, a kind of post-industrial age or post-World War II,” Schwickrath said.
The original lamp posts at City Hall, which feature claws, are reminiscent of classical Roman and Greek periods.
The clock at the top of the Sheldon building in the northwest quadrant of Public Square is not functional. The original clock on the building was sold years ago to someone from out-of-state. Frank Sheldon, who sold expensive jewelry that attracted customers throughout the region, lived on West Broadway in a home now owned by Knauf.
Public Square covers approximately 2.3 acres.
NOTEBOOK:
Editor’s note: The Addison Times will once again publish Primary Election results as soon as they are finalized. Look for the special edition Tuesday evening.
NATIONAL NEWS: It’s no Farmville renaissance, but LinkedIn released three new games on its site this week. The additions highlight just how vital word games and puzzles are right now, especially for publishers. With this new feature, LinkedIn is following in digital media’s footsteps despite its social media roots. Wordle, which the New York Times bought in 2022 for a low seven-figure sum, was played over 4 billion times in 2023. That’s half of the total 8 billion times people played games via the NYT last year. (Morning Brew)
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: Waldron teacher Deb Dalley received an award from the Indiana State Teachers Assocation for her community involvement.
The lowest gas price in the county was $3.59 per gallon.
2004: Shelbyville resident Ramon Mercado was given a Civilian Service Award by the city board of public works for helping police apprehend a distraught man at a local factory. The distraught man had threatened to harm himself with several weapons if police got too close to him. Mercado translated for police during the 1-1/2 hour standoff. The man was eventually arrested and charged.
1994: Shelbyville Clerk-Treasurer Frank Zerr was elected vice president of the Indiana League of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers.
Members of Shelbyville High School’s May Court were Jennifer Kuhn, Chastity England, Tracy McNulty, Heather Adams, Lord Mayor Roger Owens, Lady Mayor Sara Peters, Tara McFarland, Kyle Gruesser, Jennifer Wagner, Byron Wheeler, David Barrett, Justin Noel, Vance McQueen, Andy Michel, Kyle Linville and Michael Hancock.
1984: Steve Moberly, Republican state representative, had a 100 percent voting record during the 1984 session of the Indiana General Assembly, the state House of Representatives reported.
Cowboy Bob, the rough and tough roamer of the plains inside Channel 4’s Indianapolis studios, visited Waldron Elementary to tell students about summer safety and the dangers of using drugs. He arrived and left by helicopter.
1974: The Fairland National Bank filed an application to establish a branch office at the southwest edge of Shelbyville, just outside of city limits. The location of the proposed branch office was 1220 Smithland Road, a short distance north of St. Joe St. The property had frontage of 125 feet on the Smithland Road and extended 250 feet eastward to Beverly St. The Fairland National Bank also had a branch office at Pleasant View.
1964: Susan Hatton and Mike Wheeler were crowned queen and king of the annual Waldron High School Sweetheart Dance. Janice Thibo, master of ceremonies, introduced members of the court as they entered through the heart-shaped archway: Sandra Kuhn, John Harker, Jo-Ann Becker, Carla Shaw, Mike Morgason, Lyman Thompson, Jane Curran, Sandy Geise, Todd Boger, Tony Gahimer, Jackie Long, Nancy Yarling, Leslie Durbin and Eddie Wheeler.
After 14 people had voted in the West Precinct of the First Ward, a ballot error was recognized. Two Republican delegate candidates had been left off the ballot. County officials said if the vote came down to it, a “private election” of those who voted before the error was discovered would be held.
Kay Worland, Jane Bastin, Michele Dellekamp, Anne Murphy and Sharon Burnside appeared in a “Doll Dance” number at the May Festival.
1954: The local Kiwanis Club reported its pancake fundraiser, featuring an Aunt Jemima look-alike, had been a success. Robert Eck won the “guess Aunt Jemima’s weight” contest with his guess of 300 pounds. Also submitting close guesses were Donald Hall, Martha Weakley, Gladys Stulb and Jack Warble.
1944: Shelbyville Police obtained a new patrol car. The two-door Chevrolet was painted light gray.
1934: Richard Demott, of Marion Township, had been the first Shelby County farmer to plan corn, which happened a week prior, the Republican reported. The newspaper had previously given the distinction to Fred Meloy of Marion Township, but had to issue a correction.
Despite the Depression, Porter Pool would be open for the summer thanks to the generosity of American Legion members.
Shelbyville High School’s clarinet quartet won first in the state. Members of the group, who would travel to Iowa next for regional action, were Eleanor Benton, Joan Clark, Junior Billman and Carson King.
1924: With only three days remaining until the deadline for spring installment taxes, one-third of owed amounts were still outstanding, Shelby County Treasurer George McKenney said. He suggested mailing in checks to avoid the long lines at his office.
1914: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Jackson and their two children, Paul and Elizabeth, escaped possible serious injury when the horse that was pulling their phaeton (open carriage) frightened when a Big Four passenger train passed. The horse dashed down an embankment, through a wire fence and ran about a quarter of a mile in a newly plowed field. The horse stopped when it became exhausted from pulling the phaeton, containing the family, through the field. The family sorted out the situation and rode back home without further trouble.
OBITUARIES
Carrie Ann Depew, 47, of Shelbyville, passed away Friday, May 3, 2024, at her home.
She was born January 9, 1978, in Bedford, the daughter of Lee and Margaret “Sharlene” (Capps) Orman. On April 17, 2004, she married her husband on 20 years, Corey Wayne Depew, and he survives. In addition to Corey, Carrie is survived by her son, Ethan Depew of Shelbyville; brother, Jay Orman of Indianapolis; sister, Wendy Larson of Indianapolis; and step-brother, Jeff Brown of Terre Haute; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents.
In 1996, Carrie graduated from Lawrence North High School. She attended ITT College. Carrie also leaves behind her dogs, Gunther and Willy.
Visitation will be from 3 to 4 pm, Thursday, May 9, 2024, at Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Funeral service will follow at 4 p.m. Online condolences may be shared with Carrie’s family at www.freemanfamilyfunerralhomes.com.