Today, at this very moment in 2011, standing before me is a beautiful river. If I ignore all of the other pointless surroundings and just look at the river, I see the asset that every other city across the world fortunate enough to have one displays proudly. The Wabash River flows freely, and anyone watching it can see and hear its gentle roar as it runs north to the Ohio River. And, on a day like today, the sunshine glints so brilliantly off its surface like a treasured diamond and warms me to my very core. By envisioning this river I am describing, most would also imagine that it is the prized possession of any city, and certainly of the city it is located in, Terre Haute, Indiana. But, with great despair, I must inform you that this is not the case, and has not been so in almost a century.
While picturing the magnificence of the Wabash River, it may be hard to understand why Terre Haute would completely ignore something that could only act to improve the city. It seems crazy to me, as it should to everyone else who has invested any time or money into Terre Haute, that the river is not the focal point for all of the biggest businesses and residential neighborhoods in the town, including Indiana State University. Instead, most people who live here, which is usually only for a short while, do not even know of its existence. Unlike every other city with a body of water, Paris, London, St. Louis, New York City, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, etc., Terre Haute has chosen to turn its back on the one thing that could save it.
Just like with the river, it seems to be a common theme in Terre Haute and Indiana State University to pay little to no attention to the places that could restore the town to its former life of splendor. In the heart of the historic downtown district of Terre Haute on the corner of Sixth and Cherry Streets sits the old Hotel Deming. In its hay day, the hotel consisted of two hundred and fifty rooms, a barber shop, a billiard parlor, a ballroom, a private garage, and its very own restaurant, The Gourmet Room. Although the building still exists, it is depressing to walk into today. The ornately designed lobby has literally been broken in half. On one side, it is reminiscent of taking a step back in time to the grandeur of what the room used to be, and on the other side there is the air of a modern, sterile mental hospital.
Besides the utter disregard for the river and the Hotel Deming, the town has decided that the railroad tracks are worthless. Up until the invention of the automobile in the 1940s, the railroad tracks were Terre Haute’s major way of transporting people and goods. In a span of about seventy years, though, the tracks and the trains that travel down them today have become nothing but a nuisance to the residents. Also, on Indiana State University’s campus, a tragedy has been and is currently taking place with the Normal School Library. Arthur Cunningham had this library built in 1909 for the Indiana State Normal School, and the exquisite building with its stunning dome still remains in the center of campus. It is a shame, still, because the building exists without its original steps leading to the entrance and its dome’s stained glass pieces lay shattered in the unused facility.
Even worse, many buildings from the past do not even exist in the town or on campus today. The Indiana State Normal School building that was located immediately in front of its library had the appearance of a castle, but grass is clearly more appealing. And, although a captivating wrought iron gate stands on the far southeast side of campus, an emptiness that used to be the enchanting women’s dormitory, Reeves Hall, surrounds it. Not far from campus and right next to the Hotel Deming, the outline of the Hotel Deming Garage is still visible. But, everyone can see, that the eyesore of a parking lot currently located there is way better than elegant brick garage that once stood in its place. So, in true Terre Haute fashion, the obvious solution would be to destroy these structures rather than preserve them in a way that would add charm to the town.
When faced with the evidence of Terre Haute ignoring and demolishing its past, it is obvious that there is plenty of potential to make the city a great place to attend college and live. It is pure insanity that throughout all of these years, the university has not been extended to the river. Most leaders and residents of the city would complain that it is impossible because of 3rd Street and the crappy area surrounding the river, but nothing is impossible with the right attitude and a little imagination. If the funding became available, either through wealthy investors or the state, it is easy to visualize a huge arced pedestrian bridge over 3rd Street that would connect two sides of campus, with one side having a river front view. The possibilities are endless of the new facilities that could be constructed with the river as their backdrop. This would work to attract bright, young individuals to the university, which would not only improve Indiana State University, but also Terre Haute as a result.
Perhaps, restoring the old Normal State Library should be the first step in this course of progress. It is the most practical place to start, because the foundations for it have already been laid. The building has already existed for over a hundred years on this very university, yet there seems to be no use for this incredibly strong structure in the eyes of the leaders here. But, I disagree; Normal Hall could become an extraordinary showcase for the university, like University Hall has turned out to be or even what the new business school in the old Federal Building aspires to be. The key to this would be to pitch the idea of restoration to an individual or group of individuals who would be willing to invest in repairing the shattered dome with the rest of the facility, and once again make it available for student use.
Following the university’s lead, the town should begin to look its past in the eye, which may allow it to see a brighter future. No more of these historic buildings should be reduced to ruins; their antiquity should be maintained and celebrated. They should be a source of pride for the community. An excellent place to begin would be to re-establish the earlier grandeur of the Hotel Deming. As with the other renovations, money is a primary issue, but it does not have to be. If enough people believe in the idea of making the town a better place, that passion can be used to convince others who have the power to give financial support to believe in the dream as well.
Regardless of the efforts that many residents of Terre Haute and individuals at the university have made to keep it down, there are the underpinnings of something special in this place. With only the acts of simple speech and sight, the people need to be able to hear and look at the problems in this place that go unnoticed. If these problems are never detected and understood, there will never be anyone willing to work on solutions. Once ideas are conceived for these solutions, it may be difficult to get other residents on board because of their destructive attitude, but no one ever said it would be easy to save a dead town.
Above all else, we need big time people in this town and at Indiana State University, who have a vision and are willing to use it to make it a better place. Over the next twenty years, with the right people and imagination, Terre Haute could double its population and its university’s enrollment. Other cities across the United States have made their university the major provider of wealth for the community. There are prime examples right here in Indiana with Indiana University in Bloomington and Purdue University in Lafayette. It needs to start now that Indiana State University does the same for Terre Haute.
No more ways of the past, when change for the worst was accepted without even a flinch. Now, in this very moment, is the time to take a stand. It is the time to envision the future of Terre Haute as a prosperous town that people flock to for amazing jobs and an education. The progression into the future may take time, money, and hard effort, but the edge of the successful university perched on the embanked Wabash River and the flourishing downtown is a sight that must not be pushed aside. So, right now is the time for change. Change can start taking place with one person, one voice, and I have given my voice here and now.
While picturing the magnificence of the Wabash River, it may be hard to understand why Terre Haute would completely ignore something that could only act to improve the city. It seems crazy to me, as it should to everyone else who has invested any time or money into Terre Haute, that the river is not the focal point for all of the biggest businesses and residential neighborhoods in the town, including Indiana State University. Instead, most people who live here, which is usually only for a short while, do not even know of its existence. Unlike every other city with a body of water, Paris, London, St. Louis, New York City, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, etc., Terre Haute has chosen to turn its back on the one thing that could save it.
Just like with the river, it seems to be a common theme in Terre Haute and Indiana State University to pay little to no attention to the places that could restore the town to its former life of splendor. In the heart of the historic downtown district of Terre Haute on the corner of Sixth and Cherry Streets sits the old Hotel Deming. In its hay day, the hotel consisted of two hundred and fifty rooms, a barber shop, a billiard parlor, a ballroom, a private garage, and its very own restaurant, The Gourmet Room. Although the building still exists, it is depressing to walk into today. The ornately designed lobby has literally been broken in half. On one side, it is reminiscent of taking a step back in time to the grandeur of what the room used to be, and on the other side there is the air of a modern, sterile mental hospital.
Besides the utter disregard for the river and the Hotel Deming, the town has decided that the railroad tracks are worthless. Up until the invention of the automobile in the 1940s, the railroad tracks were Terre Haute’s major way of transporting people and goods. In a span of about seventy years, though, the tracks and the trains that travel down them today have become nothing but a nuisance to the residents. Also, on Indiana State University’s campus, a tragedy has been and is currently taking place with the Normal School Library. Arthur Cunningham had this library built in 1909 for the Indiana State Normal School, and the exquisite building with its stunning dome still remains in the center of campus. It is a shame, still, because the building exists without its original steps leading to the entrance and its dome’s stained glass pieces lay shattered in the unused facility.
Even worse, many buildings from the past do not even exist in the town or on campus today. The Indiana State Normal School building that was located immediately in front of its library had the appearance of a castle, but grass is clearly more appealing. And, although a captivating wrought iron gate stands on the far southeast side of campus, an emptiness that used to be the enchanting women’s dormitory, Reeves Hall, surrounds it. Not far from campus and right next to the Hotel Deming, the outline of the Hotel Deming Garage is still visible. But, everyone can see, that the eyesore of a parking lot currently located there is way better than elegant brick garage that once stood in its place. So, in true Terre Haute fashion, the obvious solution would be to destroy these structures rather than preserve them in a way that would add charm to the town.
When faced with the evidence of Terre Haute ignoring and demolishing its past, it is obvious that there is plenty of potential to make the city a great place to attend college and live. It is pure insanity that throughout all of these years, the university has not been extended to the river. Most leaders and residents of the city would complain that it is impossible because of 3rd Street and the crappy area surrounding the river, but nothing is impossible with the right attitude and a little imagination. If the funding became available, either through wealthy investors or the state, it is easy to visualize a huge arced pedestrian bridge over 3rd Street that would connect two sides of campus, with one side having a river front view. The possibilities are endless of the new facilities that could be constructed with the river as their backdrop. This would work to attract bright, young individuals to the university, which would not only improve Indiana State University, but also Terre Haute as a result.
Perhaps, restoring the old Normal State Library should be the first step in this course of progress. It is the most practical place to start, because the foundations for it have already been laid. The building has already existed for over a hundred years on this very university, yet there seems to be no use for this incredibly strong structure in the eyes of the leaders here. But, I disagree; Normal Hall could become an extraordinary showcase for the university, like University Hall has turned out to be or even what the new business school in the old Federal Building aspires to be. The key to this would be to pitch the idea of restoration to an individual or group of individuals who would be willing to invest in repairing the shattered dome with the rest of the facility, and once again make it available for student use.
Following the university’s lead, the town should begin to look its past in the eye, which may allow it to see a brighter future. No more of these historic buildings should be reduced to ruins; their antiquity should be maintained and celebrated. They should be a source of pride for the community. An excellent place to begin would be to re-establish the earlier grandeur of the Hotel Deming. As with the other renovations, money is a primary issue, but it does not have to be. If enough people believe in the idea of making the town a better place, that passion can be used to convince others who have the power to give financial support to believe in the dream as well.
Regardless of the efforts that many residents of Terre Haute and individuals at the university have made to keep it down, there are the underpinnings of something special in this place. With only the acts of simple speech and sight, the people need to be able to hear and look at the problems in this place that go unnoticed. If these problems are never detected and understood, there will never be anyone willing to work on solutions. Once ideas are conceived for these solutions, it may be difficult to get other residents on board because of their destructive attitude, but no one ever said it would be easy to save a dead town.
Above all else, we need big time people in this town and at Indiana State University, who have a vision and are willing to use it to make it a better place. Over the next twenty years, with the right people and imagination, Terre Haute could double its population and its university’s enrollment. Other cities across the United States have made their university the major provider of wealth for the community. There are prime examples right here in Indiana with Indiana University in Bloomington and Purdue University in Lafayette. It needs to start now that Indiana State University does the same for Terre Haute.
No more ways of the past, when change for the worst was accepted without even a flinch. Now, in this very moment, is the time to take a stand. It is the time to envision the future of Terre Haute as a prosperous town that people flock to for amazing jobs and an education. The progression into the future may take time, money, and hard effort, but the edge of the successful university perched on the embanked Wabash River and the flourishing downtown is a sight that must not be pushed aside. So, right now is the time for change. Change can start taking place with one person, one voice, and I have given my voice here and now.
