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.

On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away

The song "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" was written by the 19th century composer, Paul Dresser. Paul Dresser was born and raised in Terre Haute, Indiana, and while he was away he missed his hometown and the beautiful river that flows through it. This song is the famous composer reminiscing about Terre Haute while away on a trip. Dresser wrote the song in 1897, and by 1900 millions of copies had been sold. The song became so special to not only Terre Haute, but the whole state of Indiana. It became the state song on March 14, 1913, when adopted by the Indiana General Assembly. The song is known as the first official symbol of Indiana, with the state flag not being founded until four years later.

The chorus of the song is as follows:
Oh, the moonlight's fair tonight along the Wabash,
From the fields comes the breath of new mown hay.
Through the sycamores the candle lights are gleaming,
On the banks of the Wabash, far away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98WVVxYsb4s&feature=related