Make a Difference

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.

Pioneer Village

The Pioneer Village at Fowler Park is a place for locals and tourists alike to take an enjoyable step back in time. The village consists of 14 buildings plus a smokehouse, log barn and a working gristmill. The log cabins located here date back to the early and mid-1800's. They were taken from their original location and rebuilt in the park. Various times throughout the year, mainly in the summer, Pioneer Days are held in the village. These days consist of many workers and volunteers coming together to recreate the pioneers in the 1800s. During these days, the visitors will often see cookies being baked over an open hearth, log hewing, candle dipping, sheep sheering, and many more activities.

Besides the unique Pioneer Village, there are many other attractions at Fowler Park. The park is located on 400 acres of land in southern Vigo County. Also included at the park is a wilderness area, four lakes, a campground, picnic areas, playgrounds, and four miles of trails. So, as the warm weather and summer days come closer, the Pioneer Village and Fowler Park may be good destinations to go and check out!

Hometown Heroes Part 3: Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown

Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown was born in Nyesville, Indiana, on October 19, 1876. Brown lost part of his hand to a corn shredder at age 7. He only actually lost one finger, but two others were mangled. For him, he had such a great attitude that he turned this negative ordeal into a positive one that would give him a fantastic baseball career. Brown started off interested in pitching as many children do, but over time he gained control, and realized that his mangled hand gave him an unusual advantage. The way that he gripped the ball allowed an unusual amount of spin, which resulted in him throwing exception curve and fast balls. His unique way of pitching often made it hard for batters to connect solidly.

To start off his impressive career, Brown played for the Three-I League in Terre Haute, Indiana in 1901. In 1903, he began playing for the major leagues at age 26. Brown was most successful throughout the time that he played for the Chicago Cubs. At the age of 40, in 1916, Brown left the minor leagues, though, and returned to Terre Haute. Upon returning, baseball continued to play a big part in his life; he still pitched in the minor leagues. Also, between the years of 1920 to 1945, Brown ran a filling station that also acted as a gathering place for the people of Terre Haute. As Brown got older, he became ill with diabetes. He died from a stroke that resulted from this in 1948. At 72, Brown had a lot to be proud of in his life, and in 1999 (51 years after his death) he was named as a finalist to the Major League Baseball All-Century Game.

Hometown Heroes Part 2: Herald Cox

Herald Rea Cox was born and raised in Terre Haute, Indiana. He attended the Indiana State Normal School, and he graduated in 1928 with degrees in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Cox then went on to obtain his doctorate degree from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He was mostly interested in bacteriology. In the 1930s, he joined the U.S. Public Health Service as the principal bacteriologist studying Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Cox studied rickettsia, the group of organisms that causes this disease. Cox discovered that these organisms could be grown in fertile egg membranes, which led to the development of the vaccines for these diseases.

Besides helping to discover the vaccines for these diseases, Cox was successful in helping to produce the vaccine for polio. In 1952, he was able to grow a strain of the polio virus in hen's eggs, which led to a successful oral vaccine in 1961. Although, he was a contributor, the official polio vaccine is credited to Jonas Salk. Also, the family Coxiellaceae and the genus Coxiella, which contain the organism that causes Q fever, are named after Cox. Cox also was a prominent figure in cancer research. So, we have Herald Cox to thank for many of the reasons we are able to have longer and healthier lives today. This is the reason Cox is considered one of Terre Haute's local legends today.

Hometown Heroes Part 1: Scatman Crothers

Benjamin Sherman Crothers was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, on May 23, 1910. He is known as a famous actor, musician, and dancer. He started his musical career at the age of 15, when he was a drummer for a speakeasy band in Terre Haute. He acquired the pseudonym "Scat Man" while auditioning for a radio station in Dayton, Ohio, in 1932. The name was given to him because of his unique version of scat singing, which consists of making the sounds of a musical instrument with only your voice. The name was later condensed to "Scatman" by Auther Godfrey.

Throughout Crother's life, he had an extensive amount of work in music, television, and film. He played the drums and piano for many bands. He played with the jazz singer Slim Gaillard and also with The Ramparts. Besides playing with various bands, Crothers also released many solo albums. He was also in many television series like Dragnet, Charlie's Angels, and to name a few. He was most popular for his voice overs though in television shows like Magnum P.I. to name a few. He was most famous for voice overs, though, in television shows like Transformers and Harlem Globetrotters. He also appeared in many films such as Meet Me at the Fair, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and The Shining.

For all of Scatman Crothers success in his professional life, he was also happy in his personal life. He married Helen Sullivan in 1937, and they had their one and only daughter, Donna, in 1949. Crothers had a long and productive life until it was taken on November 22, 1986, from pneumonia brought on by lung cancer. He was at the ripe age of 76, and he is buried in the Hollywood Hill Cemetery next to his wife. Crothers is another great example of a Terre Haute man who felt his dreams were too big to be pursued in this place, but the town seems to making strides in embracing its past. While out on a walk, I discovered the hometown heroes banner shown above, and also the star shown below. It seems Terre Haute is starting its own Hall of Fame by displaying its most successful "heroes" on Wabash Avenue.

Paul Dresser

Johann Paul Dreiser was born on April 22, 1859, at 318 South Second Street in Terre Haute. He was the fourth child in a family of thirteen children that included the famous author Theodore Dreiser. The Dreiser family was a German Catholic family, and Paul's father had hopes of him becoming a priest. Paul tried and failed to please his father by attending St. Meinrad's seminary. In the end, though, music was Paul's calling. He left Terre Haute at the age of 16 to pursue a music career, and at this time he also changed his name to Paul Dresser (stage name). Dresser was satisfied for a while traveling throughout the Midwest to play in medicine and minstrel shows. After a while, he decided to settle in New York City to compose.

While in New York City, Dresser was doing exactly what he loved. He was writing and publishing music. He even became a principal owner of the publishing house Howley, Haviland, and Dresser. Through this publishing company, he composed many songs including the Indiana state song "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away." During the 1890s, Dresser was one of the most popular composers of the time. Sometimes, though, too much success can lead to quick failure, which is what happened to Dresser when he became to free with his money. By 1904, he was having financial difficulties, and he failed to adapt to the changing musical styles. Soon, Dresser became ill and died at his sister's house on January 30, 1906, at the age of 47. For such a short life, he had many accomplishments that are still celebrated today, especially in Terre Haute, Indiana. Dresser's boyhood home can now be found in Fairbanks Bank Park on Dresser Avenue with his beloved Wabash River as its backdrop.

Fairbanks Park

Fairbanks Park has the beautiful Wabash River as its backdrop. Most of the land for the park was donated to Terre Haute in 1916 in memory of Henry Fairbanks by his two sons, Crawford and Edward. Henry Fairbanks was very influential to the city of Terre Haute, and he was serving as its mayor at the time of his death in 1978.

When you enter the park on Dresser Drive, Paul Dresser's home sits on the right. Dresser was the famous composer of "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away," which is our current state song. His home was moved to Fairbanks Park in 1963, and it is maintained by the Vigo County Historical Society.

Upon driving in further, a large archway can be also be seen on the right. Currently, there is a garden area under the archway. Before it became a garden, it was a huge oval shaped swimming pool (198 feet long and 128 feet wide) surrounded by a seven foot sandy beach in 1924. Once the swimming pool was taken out, Thomas Dubois, an Indiana State University graphic design student, designed a fountain in the area.

At the back of the park, the Chauncey Rose Memorial stands out in great contrast to the other structures. In 1887, it was the front of Terre Haute's first building that acted as a post office and federal building. It was moved to the park in 1936.

Other structures located at the park is the amphitheater, which is next to the Chauncey Rose Memorial. This is where concerts can be held. There is also the Blumberg Shelter and a gazebo that were donated to the park for the Annual Fairbanks Park Arts and Musical Festival.